A few summers ago I lived in Seattle but worked in Bremerton, which is over an hour away by ferry. To reach on time I had to take the earliest ferry possible; at 6-something AM. If I missed that ferry, the next one wasn't until 1.5 hours later, which would make me very late.

Almost every day--like clockwork--I got up slightly late, threw on some clothes, and went out with my bike. Half-asleep, cold, and worried about missing the ferry, I pedaled my heart out through Seattle's hilly downtown streets and past morning-rush buses.

It sounds miserable. But y'know what... By the time I reached the ferry--usually with only a few minutes to spare--I felt awake, full of energy, and ready to take on the day. As someone who's usually slow and tired in the mornings, this was an immensely refreshing feeling.

(To say nothing of the commute back, biking up a series of brutal, steep-grade hills...)