I decided that in honor of “Bike Month” I’d set a goal for myself — 400 miles in 30 days.  I succeeded at 300 miles in one month last May, completing about 333 miles by the time June 1st arrived.  I’m finding 400 miles is quite a challenge so far!

It averages to about 13 miles a day.  This means that everyday I don’t ride, I start falling behind the goal pretty quickly!  I’m tracking this goal on Garmin Connect and MapMyRide – both web sites feature some fun tools to let you see your progress.

Garmin Connect even has a indicator that shows where you SHOULD be at any given moment.  On days when I complete my 20 mile round trip bicycle commute, I get close to this indicator or exceed it.  On days I drive, it quickly jumps out in front of me!

Setting this goal has been great because it’s made me seriously think about my transportation options.  ”We need a gallon of milk.  Hey, I can ride my bike for that!  Need lunch?  Hey, there are like 10 restaurants within 5 miles round trip.”

So, it’s driving the right behavior which is great!

Wish me luck…I just noticed the indicator has once again jumped out in front of me!

I used the feature to see what route it would generate between my house and workplace.  I was impressed to see that it provided a couple of routes – both of which I use regularly!  Nice!

This feature is still in beta but there is no doubt that it is great tool you can start using now to plan your bicycle trips!

Here’s a video with an overview of the new features…

My primary reason for bicycle commuting, as I’ve said on more than one occasion, is to maintain and improve my physical fitness.  Bicycle commuting has truly made that happen.  It ensures I get between 4-6 hours of cardiovascular exercise every week – exercise that’s almost never monotonous.  I’ve lost about 9lbs this year and am working hard to continue that trend (with a little help by reducing my obsession with sweet tea).

While physical fitness may be my primary motivator, I simply can’t ignore the additional benefits that come from using my bicycle to commute to work 2-3 times a week:

• Lower auto insurance premiums since I’m driving fewer miles in my pickup truck.
• Leaving my Ford F-150 in the garage for 2,000 miles has saved me from purchasing about 154 gallons of gasoline.
• Using an average gasoline price of $2.30, that’s about $350 that never left my wallet. 
• I’ve prevented about 1.4 tons of vehicle emissions out of the atmosphere.

These benefits are a testament to the bicycle’s efficiency as a truly viable means of transportation.  Consider going on your own two-wheeled adventure to work, the grocery store, a movie, etc. – there’s a darn good chance that if you do it once, you might just find that two-wheeled, human-powered transportation becomes a healthy addiction!

I usually bike commute on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. As I headed out the door for my bike commute, I opened the garage. Unlocked my truck. Started the ignition and drove off.

Wait a second.

If you’re wondering what happened to my bike commute today, never fear, it still happened. I just used my truck to drive about 2.5 miles to my parents house nearby where my bicycle was waiting patiently for my arrival.

Due to road construction right outside the gate of my subdivision, my commuting rules of engagement have changed.

A massive effort is underway to expand infamous Blanco Road, north of Loop 1604, into the larger road it has needed to be for the past several years. Both southbound and northbound lanes have become truly inoperable to cyclists in an area just south of my residence.

The southbound lane is narrow with a two-foot high concrete barrier (meant to protect the construction workers). The northbound lane is narrow with traffic markers and no shoulder.

Add to this that while the speed limit has been reduced to 35mph, the actual traffic speed is still humming along at the old speed limit of 50-55mph.

No thanks. That’s a setup that has high risk written all over it.

The solution is simple and is an option that many commuters should examine. It’s called multi-modal commuting – using two or more methods of transportation to get you where you’re going. For example, riding your bicycle to the bus stop and taking the bus the rest of the way to work or simply driving a portion of your commute and then switching to your bicycle when you’re within a reasonable distance.

I know folks that live 30 miles from work and wish they could bicycle commute. Short answer, they can! Drive 15-20 miles of that route, then hop on the bike to save some gas, burn some calories and get the wind blowing in your face as you soak up the experience of commuting on two wheels.

So, the F-150 gets to play a part on my bicycle commute days and seems to be burying itself in the part!

• At the risk of disturbing the karma, the Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires have been flat free. This is the longest duration of flat free miles I’ve experienced. I’m very impressed since my bicycle commute involves bicycle lanes and highway access road shoulders that are full of glass and debris. Wow!

• The bike seems to really be “in its element” – it has required very little maintenance and the last several hundred miles has been hassle-free. It’s shifting nicely, braking with authority, etc.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with its performance. It has handled adverse weather conditions, withstood brutal pavement challenges and always manages to get me to my destination in safety and style.

We’ll see how she’s doing at the 2,000 mile mark. So far, the Trek Valencia continues to earn its keep as Trek’s “killer commuter”.

As a tribute to this fine bike, I’ve created a special group of photos of my Valencia on Flickr.

Periodically check your lights to ensure they are at peak efficiency. If they’re getting weak, replace the battery. That’s a small expense for a big return in added safety.

I’m proud to say, to quote a phrase my two-year old daughter likes to use often, “I did it!”

When I rolled into the driveway on Friday afternoon my total commuting mileage was just over 113 miles for the week and my sore calves, hamstrings, shoulders, neck and back were happy to confirm this!

The bicycle racks at my employer were noticeably more full. On Monday, it was almost hard to find a “parking space” given the number of bikes present.

A few highlights from this exciting week:

• I was featured in a story in our local newspaper, The San Antonio Express-News!
• I joined a coworker on his first bicycle commute from Leon Springs. Our route home included a little “off road” segment which my Trek Valencia handled quite well. Mountain bike it is not, but in a pinch it isn’t shy about kickin’ up some dirt!
• I documented 10-15 new bicycle commuters where I work – hearing some of them describe their experiences was awesome. Always great to see people discover – for themselves – that “going by bike” can be done and done safely at that!

Here are a few images from this week’s commutes: