Here are a couple of observations from the road:
- Riding in is a fantastic
way to start the day. I got to work and
felt great. I was completely energized
and awake after my roughly 15 mile ride in.
- Leave your
computer at home. I forgot to do this
last night and as a result had to lug my laptop on my back (along with a change
of clothes, which would have also been a good thing to have brought into the
office the day before my ride). What
didn’t feel all that heavy in mile one felt like a ton by mile ten . . .
- I live in the
sticks. I didn’t realize how many miles
of farmland I actually pass on my way to work. Zooming by at 60mph most mornings it fails to
register with me. Riding at a more
moderate 15 or 20mph I got to take it all in.
- God – Colorado is beautiful. For about 8 or 9 miles of my ride I was riding with unobstructed views of the rockies, including Longs Peak
- Bike lanes are
everywhere here. I probably only rode
about a mile this morning that wasn’t in a bike lane – excellent!
- If there is a
water main break and you get passed by a car you will get very wet. ‘Nuff said.
- There are a lot
of other cyclists out on the road. I
passed more than I thought I would (hopefully people out like me for bike to
work day). Everyone waved or nodded –
very nice.
So it can be done. Assuming all goes well on the ride home I plan
to do this again. I hope you’ll think
about it too . . .
COMMENTS (5)
Be thankful for those bike lanes, Seth, and think of those of us who live in an area where biking to work means having to share the road with people who view you and your bike as an annoying obstacle at best, and at worst as a speed bump under their suv's tires.
I am moving to a small "sports" town where everyone rides either to work and back or after work. There are few greater joys in life than riding. For this reason I have always envied the Euros. Most of their cities are bicycle-friendly and practically everyone tools around on those funky one-speeds.
Thanks for this read. It put a smile on my face.
P.S. If you want to see a sweet old-style one speed beauty rent The Door in the Floor and check out Jeff Bridge's ride.
Hello again Seth,
I just put in this small plug for a CO mountain biker who takes amazing photographs. http://smartstartup.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/10/the_man_is_an_a.html Check them out.
I recently licensed one of his works for use in my newest site's masthead.
Love those bike lanes. We have quite a few in Fort Collins too.
The other day I had to cancel an early morning Saturday meeting due to a family emergency. I could not reach the person by cell phone so left a message. Turns out he biked to the meeting place that day. When we finally did speak, I could hear the frustration in his voice...he had biked 30 minutes to a meeting that did not happen.
The moral of the story...do not set up a meeting that you are going to bike to with someone that might flake!!!