A Really Serious Bike Commuter

Tomorrow, many of you will be exhorted to leave your car at home in honor of Bike and Walk to Work Day. Last summer, Hilary Harris took the challenge to heart more than most. She decided to rely on her bike for an entire week. This is a bigger deal than it sounds -- Harris lives in Stoddard and works in Walpole -- 30 miles and one mountain away.

Harris kept an audio diary of her experiment in commuting without fossil fuel and sent it to New Hampshire Public Radio where we now present you with five days compressed into about five minutes.

By the way, at one point during her ride, Harris refers to a small amphibian called a Red Eft. She's breathing pretty hard when she says it and you might not catch it.

Harris's audio diary begins in her car, the day before her first ride, as she contemplates what lies ahead.