Fascinating trip - and typical of what we find around most North American Cities. All my riding has been in Canada, but we face much the same problems here - bridges fed only by freeways, streets that look like they could not possibly be ridden. One thing I've learned, in fifty-five years on a bike, is that if you look like you are a legitimate part of traffic - act like it, in fact - the majority of drivers will believe you, and treat you as such. Our biggest obstacle is our own fear, followed by our unwillingness to find, as John did, that work-around to gain the goal.
Over shorter ranges, the cycle is wonderfully fast - compared to a car, and - best yet, it uses waste time - time spent in the commute - in useful exercise.