I rode Delilah on I-80 the other day from Davis to Fairfield, which is where I switched to I-680 so that I could detour through Orinda on the way home. I-80 between Sacramento and San Francisco is between 3 and 4 lanes on each side of the divider. All of them are usually completely full and moving at 80 or more MPH.

I should point out that I like to ride fast. The problem with going fast, though, is wind. Lilah has no windshield or fairing and so I get 100% of the wind full in the face. It’s not really comfortable to go much more than 80, and when the wind that usually blows from the bay up the Sacramento delta is stronger and gustier than usual and when the pavement has been ground down so that it has little grooves that kick your bike around from left to right it’s downright annoying to go that fast.

So I spent a good half hour yesterday gritting my teeth and watching big cars and trucks pass me.

I should also point out that I drove on most of I-80 when I went from Portland to Boston. It’s been all right to me.