Trail Note: Bike to Work Day
I participated in Bike to Work Day on Friday. Since I didn't think that I could manage the ride to and home from work all in one day, I actually started my bike-to-work-day on Thursday. I drove in on Thursday with my bike, gear, cycling clothes, shower stuff, and Friday work clothes in tow, and biked home Thursday night. This way I could bike in Friday morning without having to carry my clothes for work on my back, and be able to drive home that night.
My normal commute via car is ~ 28 miles one way. Since I don't have a bike computer, I'm not sure exactly what the distance is cycling, but I knew that it would be a longer via bike, since the off-highway route would be a little less direct. Fortunately, I had a companion on this ride, a co-worker also training for the Courage Classic who lives in downtown Seattle. This was a good thing, as there are several times I would have made wrong turns on the ride, making it an even longer adventure. I also felt much safer, particularly when riding through a less than upscale neighborhood south of the city. The ride home took me ~ 2 hrs 45 minutes: mostly flat until I got to Safeco Field, at which point I rode uphill through the city, and then up QA hill to the house. It took almost 3 hours to ride in on Friday, partly because we were a little tired from Thursday, and partially because we faced a headwind the entire ride.
It was a great ride. It was so fun to be out with the bike stations (giveaways) and other cyclists. We never saw Jeff's dream of hundreds of bicycles, crowding cars off the road, but I certainly saw dozens that morning, most of whom were extremely friendly.
All in all, not something that I'd do every day, or even every week, but I'll bike home again a few more times this summer. Next time, however, I'll make sure not to ride in when I have a morning meeting...
I participated in Bike to Work Day on Friday. Since I didn't think that I could manage the ride to and home from work all in one day, I actually started my bike-to-work-day on Thursday. I drove in on Thursday with my bike, gear, cycling clothes, shower stuff, and Friday work clothes in tow, and biked home Thursday night. This way I could bike in Friday morning without having to carry my clothes for work on my back, and be able to drive home that night.
My normal commute via car is ~ 28 miles one way. Since I don't have a bike computer, I'm not sure exactly what the distance is cycling, but I knew that it would be a longer via bike, since the off-highway route would be a little less direct. Fortunately, I had a companion on this ride, a co-worker also training for the Courage Classic who lives in downtown Seattle. This was a good thing, as there are several times I would have made wrong turns on the ride, making it an even longer adventure. I also felt much safer, particularly when riding through a less than upscale neighborhood south of the city. The ride home took me ~ 2 hrs 45 minutes: mostly flat until I got to Safeco Field, at which point I rode uphill through the city, and then up QA hill to the house. It took almost 3 hours to ride in on Friday, partly because we were a little tired from Thursday, and partially because we faced a headwind the entire ride.
It was a great ride. It was so fun to be out with the bike stations (giveaways) and other cyclists. We never saw Jeff's dream of hundreds of bicycles, crowding cars off the road, but I certainly saw dozens that morning, most of whom were extremely friendly.
All in all, not something that I'd do every day, or even every week, but I'll bike home again a few more times this summer. Next time, however, I'll make sure not to ride in when I have a morning meeting...
posted by Tricia at 9:14 AM
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