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fidgiegirl
10-24-11, 10:55pm
I calculate that biking to work would be 9.5 miles and mostly on trails and bike routes. I am thinking of giving it a try this Thursday when I have no outside appointments, no morning meeting scheduled (so if I have to take a while longer to get there, I can . . . :) ). It is possible that an appointment could come up between now and then. Otherwise, though, I'm excited! I have a new bike and I think I can do it!!!! I easily did a five mile ride the other week. Temps look like they are going to be nice.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://http://www.smiley-lol.com/smiley/sport/roller-velo-skate/svelo.gif

Selah
10-25-11, 7:55am
Go for it! Allow yourself a little time before work starts to cool down (it usually takes about five minutes for me to stop sweating) and do a quick primping session in the bathroom to fix your hair, and, if necessary, re-apply deodorant! :)

ctg492
10-25-11, 8:37am
Have a wonderful ride. I think the ride home will be so relaxing after a day at work. No texting or phone, just the smooth ride.

cdttmm
10-25-11, 10:21am
I would love to be able to ride my bike to work!!! Have fun!!!

Rosemary
10-25-11, 10:24am
I used to bike to work in the winter in Arizona, 9 miles each way. It was on city streets with frequent traffic lights so it took 45 minutes each way with all those stops, and by the time I got to work my hands were mostly frozen, even in 50-degree weather. The great thing about it was I also felt completely 'wrung out' - I had no energy left to get stressed out about anything at work. It definitely improved my workday mood! The most difficult part was how dark it was in the nice time of year for biking, and being alongside traffic.

fidgiegirl
10-25-11, 6:17pm
Well, boo, an appointment cropped up, so Thursday's out. If not this fall/winter, then next spring!

jennipurrr
10-27-11, 11:56am
Too bad it didn't work out! I just rode my bike last week and am traveling tomorrow, but DH are going to try to make it a regular Friday thing.

ctg492
10-27-11, 3:45pm
Our new neighbor moved here from Indonesia. We have never seen a new car on the road. I just passed him as I was walking the dog. He bikes to his job at the college 6 miles from here. It was cold and raining this morning in MI, I wonder if he plans on this this winter. I ride all the time and will look forward to hearing how he is adjusting to our township area ride.

Zoebird
10-28-11, 9:32pm
i would love to ride to work it is 12 miles around the bays (flat), but it can be windy. :D supposedly takes people about 30-45 minutes to get to work that way. :) One of our neighbors rides unless the rain/wind is lashing!

the reason that I don't ride to work is that I am traveling with DS. I could, perhaps put him in a kid seat on the bike, but I'm not keen on that. and he couldn't ride it with.

but it would be great.

i'd also have to buy a bike. I like mamacharis (http://mamachari.co.nz/). reconditioned locally -- used bikes from japan. about $300. and i'd need a helmet and also some rain gear. :D but it would be less expensive than a bus and a car!

it will all work out, won't it?

MTRachel
11-28-11, 2:27pm
Here in Montana many people bike year round, including using studded tires for the ice, and it's not "cheating" if you get off an push in an especially icy area. That's called 'crosstraining' :)! The "Bike Friday" is a great option for many different uses. It folds up small for easy storage and can be used to tour with as well. If I can be out cross country skiing all day in the cold, I see no reason why I can't dress appropriately and ride to work too! :) Which I do! :) I always arrive with a smile! :)

mamalatte
11-28-11, 2:58pm
Although I now work from home, I used to bike to work and I'm a HUGE fan of the bike commute!! Mine was about 6 miles each way, mostly on a bike path along the Potomac River in DC/Virginia. I would often see wildlife like great blue herons or beavers. It was the best way to start and end the day. A built-in workout every weekday, and no car commute. Also arrived home ready to relax and not thinking about work.

In that area of the country, the heat was really more of a problem than the cold, but we had showers at work. After a while, I wound up keeping all my "business attire" at work and just showered and got dressed there. My current routine of no commute at all is also nice, but that bike commute was great . . . Definitely try it!

fidgiegirl
11-28-11, 5:54pm
Oh you guys, now you have me thinkin' about it again! :) I am going to wait until after our remodel to institute any more life changes, but come springtime, watch out!

@mamalatte, I loved imagining you biking along the Potomac. DH and I have gone to DC several times now and LOVE visiting - one of the routes I love best is George Washington Parkway. How gorgeous.

@MTRachel, how funny about the ice. My DBrother is going to start winter biking; I hope he has proper tires for it here in MN!

Woodhaven
11-22-12, 10:33am
My bike commute is 28 miles one way. I have done it many times over the moderate hilly route, though it does require much extra time relative to driving, and my appetite necessarily goes through the roof as a consequence of the Caloric expenditure (2000 extra Cals per day there and back). So, I don't do it often, and in fact don't really enjoy it much. If it were a 10-12 mile on way trip, I would undoubtedly do it in all but the worst of weather.

awakenedsoul
11-22-12, 12:55pm
Welcome Woodhaven. 28 miles...yikes! I used to bus and bike to work. I took the bus halfway and rode my bike the rest of the way. (about 7 miles along a scenic bike path.) I loved it. The only thing was I didn't get home until 10:15 p.m. at night, and that made me kind of nervous. (It saved me a lot of money, though.) Now I bike to the library, grocery store, post office, and credit union. All are just 3 miles away. It's really flat here, so it's easy to bike. We're spoiled with our Southern Calilfornia climate, too!

Selah
11-22-12, 2:23pm
I am now riding my bike to work! In my last "real job," it was a 45 minute car commute each way. My bike commute now takes the grand total of about eight minutes, which includes the time to hop off my bike half a block from my school so I can quickly slip a long skirt over my pants (!) and then walk the bike the last half block to the school. I thought, frankly, that I wouldn't like doing it, but in fact I LOVE it. It's fast, it's fun, and it's easier than walking while having to carry all my crapola. Now I have a bike basket to do that for me...whoo hoo!

The only hassle is the skirt-over-the-pants thing, but that's just how it goes. I work in a modern orthodox Jewish school, which requires that all women and girls wear below-the-knee skirts--no exceptions. Even though I have a girl's bike with a chain guard, my long skirt keeps getting caught in the spokes, so it just doesn't work very well. Some people have encouraged me to wear long black shorts and then just bundle up my skirt in my lap while I ride, but that would mean I'd have to take one hand off the handlebars to hold onto the skirt, which isn't safe at all, especially when dealing with Israeli drivers!

ctg492
11-22-12, 4:58pm
MTRachel,
I just got studded tires on my winter bike. I am actually strangely excited for some snow to try them out. I aslo put covers over the handle bars, I think they are called Poggies. I made them from an old coat after seeing them on the net. I am looking forward to riding all winter or as much as I can in MI.

awakenedsoul
11-22-12, 6:29pm
Selah,
Maybe there's something you can make that will work. I keep trying to imagine a solution. Could you sew velcro on your skirt? That's what I would do. (And then roll it up, like curtains.) I hope you figure something out. I think it's great you're biking to work. I love my basket, too.

ctg492,
Those covers for your handle bars sound really neat. I wear angora gloves when I ride my bike in the winter.