Bike Week dresses day 2

So, I finally got around to moving the balance of my winter wardrobe up to the attic and bringing down all my summer stuff (it's not dependably summer weather until June in Boston, so I'm pushing it a bit).

In the process I "found" all kinds of dresses I'd forgotten I had!
Like this little dotted swiss sort of shirt dress:

I have a weakness for polka dots, eyelet and dotted swiss.  I'm not big on figurative designs, but textural ones float my boat.  Unfortunately the Scientist didn't get a shot of the front which has a cute button detail all the way along it.

He did get several pictures of the leopard print pumps.  My dental hygenist was enamored of them too.  She couldn't believe I had ridden my bike in them.   Easier than walking, etc. etc.

Good thing he took pictures before work though, because while I was at the dentist this afternoon, the weather turned from threatening rain to actually delivering.  Fortunately Gilbert was parked under a tree because I had forgotten to cover his saddle.  I was nervous about riding that hellish stretch of Harvard Street through Allston, but aside from 2 cars parked in the new bike lanes, it was actually pretty manageable. I took my time, took the lane on the slightest provocation, and got home safely, but soaking wet.  The good thing about biking home in the rain is that you can immediately change into dry clothes,  so getting soaked isn't so bad.  My only concern is for the leopard pumps.  I hope that they will dry OK.

  

On the way from work to the Dentist's I discovered new bike lanes on Beacon Street!  Thanks Boston! And it wasn't even my birthday!  

There's been a lot of press about the new "non-door zone" lanes on Commonwealth Ave,  but these were a happy surprise.   They even had special high vis- green paint.  I think that there needs to be a bit more umph where Beacon intersects the on and off ramps of Storrow drive. I think a Bike Box at the on-ramp would be appropriate, because 80% of the cars were turning right there.

Also, while I was taking these pictures of the green painted off-ramp/ bike lane, a lot of cars were cutting the corner.  A rumble strip might help more than green paint.    Like Comm Ave, my impression riding Beacon (even at 6-7PM) is that it's much wider than the car traffic necessitates, and it would be a prime candidate for a protected cycletrack someday. 

In any case, I'll take it and be happy about it.  It still makes me nervous to bike into the heart of Brookline and Brighton-Allston,  but it's a TON better than a year ago.  Maybe it just feels like an attitude shift, but again, all things start with little steps, and these are steps in the right direction!  Hooray Nichole Friedman and to the extent he's backed her up- Hizzoner.