“Alright, wish me luck,” I said to my coworkers. “If you don’t hear from me tonight, send out a search party.”

It was my first day biking to and from work in downtown Seattle, and I was dreading the 15 uphill blocks home. And for good reason, it turned out. Just six blocks from the office, I took a right turn and, BAM! I rode straight into the path of an oncoming bus.

Don’t worry, I didn’t get flattened. The adrenaline and I were off that bike and up on the sidewalk so fast nobody even saw me. At least, that’s what I tell myself. It was my first (but not last) epic mistake as a novice bike commuter trying to navigate the streets of a city I had only lived in for two months: I had turned the wrong way down a one-way street.

Bikes have been a part of my life since I was 3 years old (yeah, I rocked a bike trailer), but riding in the city scared the shit out of me. I’d moved to Seattle from the small town of Goshen, Ind., and was convinced there was no way I could brave this biking culture. There streets were spinning with hipsters whizzing down some of the steepest roads I’d ever seen and Hardcore Bike Men with gear worth more than my entire wardrobe.

Oh, right, and then there was the traffic — including armadas of massive double-long buses that require like six lanes to make a turn. I was convinced I’d be pummeled if I biked anywhere near them.

It wasn’t until a friend took me for a spin on his tandem that I was reminded how I love riding a bike. I decided I had to do it. It would be scary, but I had to make friends with city biking.

First, my bike-savvy friend helped me acquire an affordable vintage road bike off Craigslist. I got a U-lock and a bike light, and hung a biking map of Seattle in my living room. I spent a week or so carefully watching morning commuters’ routes — how they handled intersections and when they used hand signals. I found the bike storage room at work and I tweeted about my new bike map. The only thing left was to actually get on my bike and ride it to work.

Oh Dear God.

That first ride to the office turned out to be glorious — the rush of wind in my face was refreshing, cars stayed in their lanes and behaved themselves, and no Hardcore Bike Men made fun of my retro 5th-grade-style helmet. Then there was the ride home, and you know how that went.

Since my Close Encounter of the Blue Bird Kind, however, I’ve learned how to cycle the streets more confidently. I now bike to work two to three times a week, and cycle around my neighborhood to run errands or visit friends. My current goal is to bike 25 miles along a local bike trail to visit the Red Hook Brewery.

Along the way, I’ve gleaned a few tips, so here’s some humble advice for you would-be bikers out there who’d rather skip the “almost-biking-into-a-bus” part.

Watch experienced bikers and don’t be embarrassed to imitate them. Watching a guy I call Blue Helmet Dude, a fellow bike commuter I see most mornings if I leave my house on time, I learned to use hand signals and check behind me before changing lanes.

Following a woman one morning, I took note of her cute dress and leggings, which helped me feel better about my lack of actual bike clothes. She also coasted through a four-way stop after scanning for oncoming cars and pedestrians — kind of a varsity move, called an “Idaho-stop,” that is actually illegal in my state, but even Randy Cohen, The Ethicist, thinks it’s OK.

Don’t be scared of asking questions or making mistakes. The first time I tried to load my bike onto the rack on the front of a bus, the driver had to actually get out of the bus and come help me. (Hey, it’s more complicated than it looks!) He seemed amused though, and I realized I was kind of proud to be forging ahead through new territory.

In order to get more people on bikes, I think we have to be kind to ourselves. My progress has been gradual, over the course of an entire year. Do a little prep work beforehand, but there will always be unforeseen challenges or surprises when you actually start riding. Don’t be afraid to give yourself a little grace.

Remember, bike commuting doesn’t have to be a binding contract. Ride as often as you want. On sunny days I’ll often walk to work to soak up some extra sunlight and I still take the bus when it’s pouring. Hardcore Bike Men might scoff at me, and perhaps city biking doesn’t faze you as much as it phased me, but I’ve decided that it’s OK to be a fair-weather cyclist.

Biking to work: simple, right? Sure, but it clearly comes with risks, especially when there are buses lurking around the corner. Be vigilant out there. Obey traffic laws (within the bounds of ethics and reason) and be respectful of others on the road — be it biker, car, bus, or pedestrian. Try it sometime! Remember: If I can do this, you can too.

The next GOP presidential debate is nigh, and as Lisa Hymas wrote last week, we’re tired of gabbing about the Moon. Past debate questions haven’t cut it: Only two out of 839 questions asked at presidential debates last year involved climate change, and the rest of the questions focused mostly on survey data and campaign strategy (nodding off yet?). Where are the questions that really matter? More specifically: Where are the climate questions?

So before the GOP debate in Arizona, we turned to savvy Grist readers to help us cut through the political hackery and ask the burning questions that really need answering. (We’re partnering with the Guardian and other news outlets in this effort.) Turns out you’re ready to grill the candidates on clean energy, fracking, public health, and more.

Reader Rebecca Thistlethwaite sums it up nicely: “When are you going to give a shit about the world our grandchildren are going to inherit?” Exactly.

Energy

“Do you still consider fracking to be a ‘renewable’ and ‘clean’ source of energy?” — Lindsay McNamara via Twitter

“Will you decrease U.S. dependence on oil/natural gas and promote clean energy like wind, solar, and tidal? If so, how? If not, why?” — Sarah Elizabeth Link, via Twitter

“Can you remember all the dead things in the Gulf and the 11 who perished as you decide on our energy options?” — SeasideOil, via Twitter

“Given that the negative-impacts of the entire ‘cycle,’ including the methods used to obtain, transport, and utilize energy-fuels, MUST be considered: How and why is shale-gas, obtained by ‘fracking’– with its known disastrous impacts to our environment — called or included as a ‘clean energy’?!” — LE Thompson, via Facebook

Climate change

“Make it AZ relevant: What role will [the president] have in preparing the southwest for the future effects of intensified droughts?” — Ryan Spillers, via Twitter

“Do you agree that the U.S. has been a major contributor to causes of climate change and global warming, and bears a proportionate responsibility for grappling with the problem?” — Nick Chapman, via Google+

“Since learning of climate change, what changes have you made to promote efficiency and clean energy in your everyday life?” — Mary Keck, via Twitter

“If elected president tell me what you’d do to bring back winter? #nosnow&40degreesinMNsucks” — Michael McMahon, via Twitter

“Why (Gingrich, Romney) did you flip flop on #climate change? What scientific data supports your hoax theory (Santorum)?” – Peg Mitchell, via Twitter

Economy

“How do you plan to sustain an economy that demands infinite growth upon a finite resource base when we are already well beyond our means?” — Edward Markie, via Facebook

“China is becoming a leader in green energy. Are you not concerned that the U.S. will lose competitiveness?” — Paulo Barreto, via Twitter

“What will you do to help the poor gain access to alternative energy items when they cannot afford to buy them themselves?” — Mikhaela McCullough, via Twitter

“How is your plan to cut taxes for the wealthy different from what President Bush did, and explain why your plan won’t cause another Great Recession.” — NHSolarguy, via comments

Food and health

“Do you think there might be a link between the gross amount of corn that we grow in this country and the obesity epidemic? Couldn’t we do more in reducing health costs by promoting healthy food such as fruits and vegetables?” — Gary Brever, via Facebook

“Do you personally like knowing what is in your food and/or where it came from? What is your opinion on food labeling?” — Sewassbe, via comments

Sustainability

“How are you using your powers as POTUS to ensure a safe climate for your children and their children?” — George Hoberg, via Twitter

“Where do you see the planet twenty years from now?” — Tim Phan-Nguyen, via Facebook

“Do you agree that a shift from the private car, trucks and jets to more environmentally-friendly forms of transport, including rail and public transit is urgently needed?” — Nick Chapman, via Google+

History

“What action would it take now for you to be viewed in a century as Theodore Roosevelt is today?” — Jonathan Guerts, via Twitter

Wealth and campaign finance

“How many power plants can Mitt Romney buy?” — Achille Bianchi, via Facebook

“Would any of the candidates, if elected President, veto any legislation that benefitted the major contributors to their campaign, Nation Political Party, PAC and SuperPACs that supported their election whose donation exceded $100k to prove thay are dedicated to serve the people and not their cronies?” — Kenneth R. Lunce, Jr., via comments

Hemp

“Why is it illegal to cultivate hemp in the US but OK to import it? Let it grow!” — Pam McGuffey, via Facebook

Truthiness

“Do you have ANY factual statements?” — Jeremy Goodwin, via Facebook

“Do you have a secret Grindr account that you use to troll Saturday night ass after a long day of spewing homophobic ignorance?  Do you have any qualifications other than bigotry?” — NH, via comments

Literature

“What is your favorite book?” — Matt Bernau, via Facebook