Maybe fourish years ago, I started riding my bike to work more. I’d bought a house nearer to downtown, in a neighborhood that didn’t make for such a sketchy post-midnight commute home (no more North Trail transit required, woot). I’d gotten a nice three-speed city bike during the winter gifting season, and I was ready to use it.
These days, on my beloved 1987 Bianchi (thanks, Craigslist), biking is my preferred mode of transit whenever possible, no matter where I’m headed, but especially for my commute. Sure, snowbirds try to murder me on occasion, but for the most part, the ride’s peaceful and stress-free. It’s often the best part of my day. I notice things I’d never see from a car.
You can probably do it, too.
Doesn’t it take longer?
Not appreciably so, for me. Sometimes biking’s even faster. My commute’s a paltry 2.5 miles, so, obviously, results may vary. But hey — if you spend an hour at the gym after work, why not trade that for a commute that takes a little longer? Try it one day a week.
Isn’t traffic scary?
It’s not too bad, though snowbird season is a bit dicey. One of the great things about cycling is you start learning how to cut through neighborhoods and stay off the main roads. And downtown, traffic is slow enough that just riding with it usually doesn’t piss anyone off too much. I’ve found all sorts of little shortcuts between my place and downtown, connecting what would be dead-end roads were I driving a car. It makes me feel like a kid again, which is awesome.
But it’s HOT in the summer!
Yep. Sure is. In the worst of it, I wear a tank-top for the ride and bring a clean shirt to change into upon arrival. Most of the year, I don’t need to. (Not to mention the a/c in my car barely works these days, anyway.) I actually prefer the blazing-hot commutes to the colder winter nights, when if I’ve brought insufficient layers, the late-night journey home is way too frigid for my Florida blood.
What if you get a flat?
What if you get a flat in your car? Get rear-ended? Mishaps happen, but a couple of tire levers and a good patch kit will have you back on the road again pretty quickly if you’re cycling. Decent-quality tires help, too.
OK, sure, it’s not always a total delight. Drivers yell at me once in awhile (no, I *don’t* need to get on the sidewalk). Sometimes I misjudge just how quickly that afternoon summer storm is going to crop up and find myself taking shelter in an empty carport or changing into my emergency clothes when I get to work. But the benefits outweigh all that by far. I’m healthier than I used to be, and in better shape. I eat pretty much whatever I want (so, lots of kale, but a whole lotta cheese, too). I’ve made friends. I’m just happier in general.
Give it a try. Maybe I’ll see you out on the road. Wave, and I’ll greet you with a squeak of my handlebar-shark. Happy pedaling.