I have completed three bicycle commutes to work now. One on my knobby-wheeled mountain bike and two on my road bike.
What an experience it’s been!
That “good feeling” of riding to work and leaving my big F-150 gas guzzler in the driveway has not faded away and it certainly is a great feeling to add cycle mileage while getting some solid utility out of the bike.
Here are a few experiences I wanted to share:
- The ride home has been incredibly hot with temperatures ranging from 95 to 102 degrees.
- I have witnessed pavement sweat. On a stretch of DeZavala Road, I heard periodic popping noises under my bike. Looking down, I saw I was running over little bubbles of tar/oil that were oozing up out of the pavement.
- Standing next to a bunch of cars waiting for the light to change and experiencing their heat, the pavement’s heat and the sun beating down on all of us – it literally felt like my flesh is cooking.
- The ride to work has been mostly peaceful, oftentimes cool and with very little traffic. Amazing what cycling out of your drive way at 5:45AM can do for you!
- Having a fitness center/gym at work rocks. A cold shower after the morning commute leaves me in the office feeling early and refreshed. I can get a lot of work done before folks start showing up 20-30 minutes later.
- I’ve been able to join a growing number of cyclists at work that leave the building together. There is definitely safety in numbers and it is nice to have a companion for even a short portion of the ride.
- I’ve been a good influence! Team Felt member Marco recently joined me on the commute to work and my brother-in-law David is hoping to make his first commute this week. Sweet!
I may transition this week to two bicycle commutes to work. Combining this and taking my wife’s Ford Escape Hybrid for 1-2 days means the F-150 may only be used for one commute to work a week. That’s such a low usage rate I may be able to meet a goal of only two fuel-ups a month.
So, gas is now more expensive than it has ever been. The timing seems perfect for a Bicycle to Work! group on the LinkedIn business networking site. Oh! There already is one! Members pledge that they will try to ride their bicycle to work or on an errand at least once a week. Put more money in your pocket and not in your gas tank.
Gas prices are never going down folks. Never. Get used to it.
Human powered and public transportation will become vastly more important in the next 50 years. Not because its the right thing to do. Which it is. Not because it will help global warming. Which it will. Not because it will help you get and stay in shape. Which it will. Not because it will cut back on our dependence on foreign oil. Which it can. Not because of the decreased demand on bio-fuels. Which will help keep more people from starving as more arable land is converted from food crops to bio-fuel crops. (Don’t get me started on the bio-fuels scam).
Bikes are going to become more important in the next 50 years for one main reason – ITS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME. So get out there and start riding everywhere all the time. Spread the word. Make it a movement! Bicycle to work one day a week and start saving some dough..
Just go to my profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreylstevenson and you can click on the group to be included. While you are there, don’t forget to ask to link to my network of more than 11,000,000 like-minded professionals. I accept all invitations and look forward to meeting you.
Jeff