Biking to Work is No Joke

After my little episode last month, I haven't driven since.  While I have been getting a lot of generous rides from my roommate, sister and other friends, my little streak of independence is strong, so I'd often rather get places on my own.  That's how I started biking to work.

But biking to work is no joke. First, it takes some advance planning. I pack my bag with my work clothes the night before, because I know if I waited until morning I would forget an essential piece of my wardrobe. In the morning I toss in my lunch, put on my helmet and rearview mirror (more on that below), start my tunes (which play through a speaker on my phone...no headphones involved) and go.

While biking to work only takes about five to ten minutes longer than driving, but I also need time to get cleaned up before work, so I usually leave about a half hour earlier than when I drive.

When I get to work, I carry my bike up this enormous set of stairs (see them at right) to store it in the print shop where I work. I chained it to a bike rack outside the first day, but then I started getting paranoid about someone cutting the chain and stealing it, so now I bring it inside.  After the bike is stowed, I lock back up and walk across the parking lot to the the gym to get cleaned up.  Luckily, I now have a locker (thanks, Laura!) so I can store makeup and other toiletries there.

Today when I stepped out side at 6:30 a.m. to let Bonnie out, I was immediately hit by a wall of thick humidity.  Normally, biking to work is not a very sweaty experience because it's early.  Today, however, I was drenched by the time I got to work. Not only was the atmosphere wetter, but it was actually harder to pedal through the humidity. Sounds crazy, but I promise it's true.

After my first few days biking to work, I went by the bike shop on the way home to purchase a rearview mirror.  I have a few left turns on my route to work and back home.  It was a little scary to be darting looks over my shoulder to see if i could cross three lanes of traffic.  So I stopped by the bike store and got this guy. It attaches to my glasses/sunglasses (see pic at left.).  When I get it in the right spot, it works great. I can swivel my head to see more of the road behind me if I need.

Overall the traffic and the route are not difficult.  The roads I take are mostly neighborhood roads, though I do ride on four major streets on my way.  The streets I take look mostly flat to the naked eye. In fact, I was convinced they were pretty flat before I started biking them. Now after a few weeks of biking, I realize they all have a slight (hidden) incline to them, which means I'm either pumping hard or coasting the whole way to work. But hey, they say having your heart rate jump up and down like that is a good thing, right?

The best part of the whole route is a sweet little down hill that leads into my neighborhood when I am coming home.  It's a nice welcome home to end on a fun and breezy "wheeee!"

Tomorrow is my follow up with the neurologist when I'm hoping to be cleared to drive.  But just because I have the freedom to drive does not mean I will give up biking to work (I hope). Biking to work makes me feel strong, independent and accomplished.  It's just far enough (3.59 miles exactly) that it is a mini-workout, but it's not so far that I feel like I'm going to die. Plus, I suppose it's good for the environment.  Maybe my biking to work some cancels out all of the gas burned by people who've had to go out of their way to pick me up over the last month.