Hey, Orchid, Thanks for pointing out your polls. Took 'em, they were easy and fun.

I would have been totally surprised by your comments about cycling in the rain and snow, except that earlier this week I happened to catch an episode of HGTV's "House Hunters International," and it was a story about a blended family who were moving from the US to Denmark - NOT to Copenhagen, but to a smaller community in which there is a University, where the husband was going to be teaching. THEY were looking for a home close enough to their jobs at the University to be able to cycle to.

The wife, being an American, also wanted a home with an American-style kitchen. Apparently such homes DO exist, but they are in the suburbs.

The family ended up selecting a home in the suburbs and would thus end up having a 45 minute ride to campus every day. The show included shots of them buying bicyles and inclement weather clothing - both rain gear and snow suits...

Here in Galena, where it is very hilly, and the main road through town really doesn't have shoulders, we don't have bike lanes. So it is pretty hard to consider cycling to work year-round, on a DAILY basis.

Thanks for sharing your great posts!