OK, I know I lured you over here with the salacious headline. Velo Girls is still my real team. But, I've joined team #46 of the Team Bike Challenge for Bike to Work Month - the "C&C Cool Commuters".
I'm writing to encourage you to take up bike commuting in the month of May, or at least give it a try. I know - you already ride like 200 miles a week, and the commuting will just be "junk" miles. It will tear into your already overloaded leg muscles. But seriously. Us hardcores need to embrace the transportation and advocacy aspects of our sport a little more. It will make the roads safer for all. And, we really do need to cut down on our consumption of the fossils a lot more. So, what better way than fueling the commute or errands with some GU and Simbree energy snacks (like how I worked the sponsors in there?)?
I've noticed that since I became a RealCyclist(TM), my utility miles have gone WAY down. I used to ride to the start of group rides. Now, I'm worried about over-doing the fatigue. I used to bike commute pretty much every day. Now, I really try not to on rest days. I used to spend my weekends going on meandering rides out the front door. Now, I drive my car like 200 miles in a day to take my bike to a race. Anyway, time to get back to it! So, for the month of May, I'm going to try to ride to work every day. And, bank errands must be combined with bike rides. There is no reason I can't schlep a check that needs depositing in my jersey pocket on a training ride. I hope some of you will join me. If you commute it entirely out of reach, then try making short errands by bike or riding to the start of group rides that are 10 miles or less away from your house. Together we can do it!
14 comments:
commuting to work is AWESOME! i love jumping on my bike in the morning and showing up smelly! I am amazed how much MORE time i have now that i bike to work.... cause after work, I go straight to do my workouts-- no changing at home or anything. my "junk miles" is my warmup...then i do my workout...and am home by 7:30 or 8:00-- workout DONE! one day a week, i just bring a big book bag with a bunch of clothes for week...then once i week, i take them home. i pretty much smell like sweat all the time, but i don't like people much anyways.
i just shower a lot.
and i love deoderant and skin lotion.
mmm...skin lotion.
My inability to commute is brought to many by the Bay Bridge and BART being jerks about no bikes on the train during rush hour. So instead I carpool there and take public transit home -- there's no way I'd drive myself.
beth - yes! More time. I agree. I tack on my workouts to the commute. So, I'm all worked out when I get home. And, it's literally faster for me to arrive at work by bike than car due to our ridiculously overcrowded/sprawling parking lot!
miguel - yup! Showers. I think I'm killing the environment by using too much water! But at least I smell good.
panda - yup. The no bikes on BART thing will have to eventually go away. They do it on commuter rail in every other civilized country. We'll eventually get there. Good on you for using the public transit/carpooling!
i must change my ways...
I can't bike to work since I work in my livingroom (well I guess I could). but I don't take any car trips of five miles or less. I love erranding on my bike.
erranding. Good word. I do lots of that.
As for lack of shower, I dealt with that for a year at this job, then we got access to the facilities. Used the old sink, some baby wipes, deodorant, and other methods to get myself somewhat socially acceptable.
Let me know what I need to do to support the new mandate, cycle-commuter Chatterbox!
You will need to consume the Simbree stuff; there products are all CyclistRick unfriendly (oats!).
fun! and so cool that you're doing this.
i want to ride my bike to work. i used to when i worked in san mateo - one day a week.
as soon as i get a job, i'm going to ride to work.
marscat - we all need to change our ways!
vg - yep. erranding is good.
c-rick - yeah, bummer that you can eat the Simbree stuff - more for me!
lauren - yes, you will get a job that you can ride to every day (San Mateo was just too far). And, for now, you can count going out on a ride before you come back home to browse the job boards and blog and do kid sitting and all that stuff.
I wish I could commute. It is only 11 miles to my office, but unfortunately the 1 road in the area that I won't ride because of traffic and lack of safety room is the only road to get to work on. Couple narrow, twisty roads with no shoulders and tired and distracted drivers, and I don't like my chances.
why don't bikes here come with a basket? fenders? a bell? a lock? a kick stand? a self-generating light? a rack (to carry my school chum)? they sell for starting around $100 - brand new. i miss those bikes for errands and stuff.
twinkie - my commuter/touring bike has fenders, a bell, a rack, a bag hanger, and generator lights. I do not have a kickstand as it would interfere with my trailer hitch. Of course it was more than $100.
Guilty as charged.
I never commute by bike, all just training k's. I had a wake up call yesterday when I found a website that calculates your carbon foot print. Check it out: http://www.myfootprint.org/
If everybody lived like I do then we would need 3.84 worlds. Oh my god! And I thought I was good.
chris - many agree with your sentiment. That's why we need to build bikeable/walkable routes between housing areas and business areas!
twinkie - there are starting to be more options for out-of-the-box commuting friendly bikes, but as Rick says, more than $100.
groover - yes, those surveys are alarming. The one you sent didn't rank me horribly. But, I did one a couple years ago that said if everyone lived like me, it would take 8 earths. That one I lost points because I ate animal products more than twice per week and lived in a free-standing (albeit small) house.
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