The Tale of the Most Reluctant Bike Commuter Evar.

[acc]

Let me be clear. I love my car. It has seat warmers and a most excellent sound system (especially with the volume set on sternum vibrate-o). It hauls the kids, their gear, the groceries, and my bikes. I have a close and personal relationship with my car.

Unfortunately traffic has become so bad it’s *driven* me out of my car and onto my bike, kicking and screaming the whole way.

I hate the traffic on Maple Avenue in Vienna, it’s always snarled. Most of my local trips are within a few miles. So… I had a rack surgically implanted on my mountain bike. Then I hung some big-ass panniers on the racks and asked Jan @ Bikenetics to throw some enormous fat tires on the bike formerly known as Free Willy. And suddenly I found myself pedaling around for transportation and not recreation. Where did I go wrong?

So far my biggest problem is a lack of bike parking. My dentist was great and let me bring my bike right into the waiting room. The grocery store, not so cool. I had to chain my bike to some sort of pipe. When I asked about a bike rack I received a blank look followed by the observation, “Yeah, three other people ride their bikes here.” It’s going to be all uphill on the education front.

I’m a fair weather commuter. I told myself if I couldn’t find a safe route I wouldn’t do it. I found a safe route using the mapping feature on the Ride with GPS website. I told myself if it took more than 45 minutes to get there I wouldn’t do it. It took 35. Every excuse I came up with fell apart. So I rode to work. And did not die. I did it again. Still here.

I can’t do it everyday. But on days when I can, I will. Unless it sleets. Or rains. Or snows.
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Happy Trails (I still love my car)
ann

Topic

[Greenbelt]

I get agitated when I’m in the car these days. There’s no such thing as a relaxing, or even a calm drive, at least anywhere around here, at least outside the neighborhood. As soon as I get in the car, I’m checking traffic. Always checking traffic. Much more relaxed on my bike, even when the roads aren’t built for us and we have to improvise our way around.

On my bike I’ve found lots of nearby stores, so now I don’t really need to drive places much anymore. If I can’t bike there these days, I pretty much don’t go.

As little as we drive any more, I’m hoping we can keep the old Corolla running forever. Spending less on gas and cars = more money to spend on food and vacations!

[eminva]

Yay, Ann! Welcome aboard!

Re: traffic, when I first got my driver’s license, I lived in Texas and distances were great, so I thought, “wow, freedom!” Years later, when I started bicycle commuting, I thought, “wow, freedom!” Funny how things came full circle.

Liz

[FFX_Hinterlands]

Such a great post, Ann!

I didn’t like riding in the rain until I tried it. Kind of fun, really, as long as you have fenders. I recently picked up one of these so I can blend in more when I ride in the rain.

[acc]

This is me, crying on the inside.

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“I’m only happy when it rains…” Not exactly.

ann

[dbb]

I see the problem. The absence of rhinestones has eliminated the aura about the rider that deflects the raindrops!

[acc]

Sadly, though most problems in life can be solved by piling on more rhinestones,

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they are reflective in nature but not water repellant.

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ann

[KLizotte]

Welcome to the dark side Ann! Just think, you are setting a great example for your kids.

FYI: Streetview on google maps is a great way to check out potential routes since you can see what the roads and landmarks are like from an “on the saddle” perspective.

[KLizotte]

@acc 13392 wrote:

This is me, crying on the inside.

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“I’m only happy when it rains…” Not exactly.

You really need to get a rain cap for your helmet. Kinda like a fancy shower cap. Makes a big difference.

On the other hand, you just saved yourself the effort of a shampoo.

[pfunkallstar]

@Greenbelt 13384 wrote:

I get agitated when I’m in the car these days.

Every night when I drive by the mile-long stack of cars on the Parkway, I think to myself “I’m glad I’m covered head to toe in spandex.”

[off2ride]

I too love my car but I also love it when I know I’ve saved some gas by riding to work. Sure it’s cold but that’s only for the first 3 minutes.

[dasgeh]

I don’t love my car, but I do love the butt-warmers. If only they’d come up with butt-warmers for the bike.

MCL1981, PrintError or vvill — could you jerry-rig something and tell us all how you do it? Bonus points if it has an auto-shut-off once you’ve started riding hard.

I am not built for winter.

[americancyclo]

[video=youtube_share;jQIbItOoiAA]http://youtu.be/jQIbItOoiAA[/video]

[acc]

With visions of a smoking hot saddle making me cringe, I bring you:
http://www.swimoutlet.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=21532&Click=310393&gclid=CJjdtcv15q0CFWm-tgodFl_TiQ

ann

[Riley Casey]

Whats next on this slippery slope?

http://www.google.com/patents/about/6476365_Toilet_paper_dispenser.html?id=XP8KAAAAEBAJ

[mstone]

@dasgeh 13445 wrote:

I don’t love my car, but I do love the butt-warmers. If only they’d come up with butt-warmers for the bike.

MCL1981, PrintError or vvill — could you jerry-rig something and tell us all how you do it? Bonus points if it has an auto-shut-off once you’ve started riding hard.

I am not built for winter.

[Author]

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