Summer challenge: by bike to work

Few weeks ago me and two co-workers were talking at the office that we could all come by bike to work the whole summer. Only one of us had already a racing bike so me and the other guy without a proper bike decided to buy ones. Today I went to pick mine. I rode it home and oh how sweetly and fast it rolled forward, almost like the wind. So tomorrow begins my summer challenge 'by bike to work'. I guess I gotta rip off the reflectors first, namely I got a little bit feedback from a friend about them ;D Here's a picture of my Paddy Wagon:

Yesterday I did an expedition on my own to the woods nearby. I knew they'd be swampy but not that swampy... yeah, the ground was totally watery and there was even snow left in some places. Well, I was looking for semi-difficult trails, but trying to survive from the rhizome and stones in the middle of the mud, water and snow, was maybe a little bit too ambitious for me after all. I was cursing more than ever, hiking the bike through muddy puddles, fighting to advance in the swampy ground and over the dense rhizome... My shoe got stuck in the watery mud, I dropped the chain, and even managed to jam the front derailleur. It felt hopeless, but I understood that all I need is practice and that was the best practice I could get. Just gotta do it again and again so that I can get faster and faster :) I didn't give that trail a second shot but I headed to another place by the sea. The trails were dry and didn't have much rhizome or stones so they were also much easier and faster to ride than the tracks in the swampy forest. Of course it was more fun for me - no doubt, the easy ones are nicer and comfortable to ride - but I know if I wanna be good (or even one of the best! ;) the harder trails are the ones to go for. So I guess now I know at least one place around here where I'm gonna spend time and practice hard this summer :D