Who's biking to work tomorrow?

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BusyRaeNOTBusty
BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
I think I'm going to try it. On my mountain bike. :drinker: After I take my kids to daycare in the van, then go home (5 min from daycare) and get my bike. It's 11 miles pretty much all only a paved bike path, so no scary roads. 700ft of climbing on the way there, 500ft on the way back.
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  • Archon2
    Archon2 Posts: 462 Member
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    Good luck BusyRae -- and you are lucky you have a paved bike path that heads in the workplace direction!

    My commute would be about 23 miles, with only about 5 of them being on a no cars walking/biking trail. About 10 miles of it is along some 50mph car roads with no shoulders. Hills galore too. I could cut out some of the worst roads if I add another 6 miles overall to it. I'm still tempted to try it but it just seems a little too brutal...and I've have to bike home too..
  • KaktusJaque
    KaktusJaque Posts: 141 Member
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    When I was in Denver yesterday, REI was advertizing that they are putting Breakfast stations all over, I thought that was a neat thing to do.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    When I was in Denver yesterday, REI was advertizing that they are putting Breakfast stations all over, I thought that was a neat thing to do.

    There are a bunch, sponsored by different groups. Zero on my way in though.

    http://biketowork2014.org/overview-map?station_services[1]=1&station_services[2]=2
  • sinker59
    sinker59 Posts: 130
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    I wish! Like Archon2, my commute would be pretty dangerous by bicycle. Mostly 2-lane roads with 50mph speed limits and no shoulders. We've got a decent network of Greenways/bikepaths here in Delaware, but none that can get me from home to work.
  • verdemujer
    verdemujer Posts: 1,397 Member
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    I normally don't bike on Wed because I have Karate/Kickboxing from 5:30 to 8 Monday and Wed. But I have to bike today! I live in the Denver area. All their stations for food and such are geared towards people riding into Denver to work. I ride South/North - there wasn't anything on my route! Oh well! I don't ride for those silly stations anyways. I ride because its a beautiful way to get to work and I love seeing all the flowers and fighting my way up the hills to work and breezing down them home.

    There was an article that points to the importance of more people riding bikes:

    http://www.9news.com/story/traffic/2014/06/24/bicycle-safety/11311093/

    And if you ride sign up at the National Bike Challenge - they need about 9,300 more riders to meet their goal of 50,000. Its kind of fun to compare yourself to others. There is even a MFP team on it and here.

    https://nationalbikechallenge.org

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1273827-national-bike-challenge-2014?hl=National+Bike+Challenge&page=1#posts-19805080
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,533 Member
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    I commute to appts that are about 12mi 1-way. Its a nice ride. Leave yourself plenty of time in case you get into something like a bad head-wind or too many traffic lights. I actually enjoy commuting. Sets a nice mood for the day, too. And yea, you can pass a buttload of after-work traffic too which is always a plus in the cool factor!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I normally don't bike on Wed because I have Karate/Kickboxing from 5:30 to 8 Monday and Wed. But I have to bike today! I live in the Denver area. All their stations for food and such are geared towards people riding into Denver to work. I ride South/North - there wasn't anything on my route! Oh well! I don't ride for those silly stations anyways. I ride because its a beautiful way to get to work and I love seeing all the flowers and fighting my way up the hills to work and breezing down them home.

    There was an article that points to the importance of more people riding bikes:

    http://www.9news.com/story/traffic/2014/06/24/bicycle-safety/11311093/

    And if you ride sign up at the National Bike Challenge - they need about 9,300 more riders to meet their goal of 50,000. Its kind of fun to compare yourself to others. There is even a MFP team on it and here.

    https://nationalbikechallenge.org

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1273827-national-bike-challenge-2014?hl=National+Bike+Challenge&page=1#posts-19805080

    K. So I joined and I have a Garmin. I usually just upload to Strava. Do I have to upload to Endomondo then to the National bike challenge?
  • verdemujer
    verdemujer Posts: 1,397 Member
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    K. So I joined and I have a Garmin. I usually just upload to Strava. Do I have to upload to Endomondo then to the National bike challenge?

    Either Endomondo or MapmyRide. I wish that group would include Strava but they don't. If you can load to Strava, I think you can upload to either Endomondo or MapmyRide too the same way. I don't have a Garmin so I tend to run both apps at the same time. Though when the GPS acts up, Endo has saved me a few times by letting me create my ride history and saving it and then download and upload to Strava. My life is data complicated! :tongue: Too many challenges sometimes.
  • chelleb1974
    chelleb1974 Posts: 69 Member
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    I am working on the logistics of biking to work. Like a previous poster, my commute would be about 20miles, but it would be on fairly non-busy backroads (at least for the most part), and all roads have a shoulder. I have driven the route and it's not too bad. We have showers/change rooms at work so that's a big plus. Without those this would not be a consideration at all! One of my biggest hurdles was where to store my bike during the day at work where no one will mess with it...I am on the waterfront and we have seagulls, so no storing it outside. Was just talking to some co-workers today and resolved this issue. Now my hurdle is being able to ride the 20 miles home at the end of the day after a 10 hr break.

    I tried an experiment last night and this morning. Rode 18 miles last night and another 12 this morning to see how I would feel riding again so soon (9 hrs). My legs were sore, but otherwise wasn't too bad. I think with drinking the sports water/eating during the day my legs would not be as sore after work as they were this morning. There are a few co-workers that live fairly close to me so I could always bum a ride closer to home if I needed to. I would pre-plan and bring lunch/clothes/shower stuff the day before so that's not too much of an issue.

    ~Chelle
  • Spatialized
    Spatialized Posts: 623 Member
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    I bike to work everyday, barring "issues" (like my near exploding tire). Sun, wind, snow, rain, cold, hot it makes no difference. But unless I have more money in the account so I can buy a new tire I won't be tomorrow. But you should do it! Bike commuting is fun and strangely addictive, plus your co-workers may think you're crazy for doing so (at least the novelty of me doing it has worn off for them, it's now weird when I DON'T ride). Have fun!
  • Archon2
    Archon2 Posts: 462 Member
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    I should try it despite the bad roads excuse sometime.

    Check this guy out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d93O0hjk_RE
    40 miles each way, but it only takes him 30 minutes longer to do it than via commuter train.

    BTW, did you end up biking into work today, BusyRae?
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    BTW, did you end up biking into work today, BusyRae?

    I did. I'm tired. My butt and knees hurt on the way home. And the road bikers passed me like I was standing still.
  • Archon2
    Archon2 Posts: 462 Member
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    Well, I think it is great you did it :) Get some rest and recover!
  • KaktusJaque
    KaktusJaque Posts: 141 Member
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    When I lived in a town next to New Orleans, I rode my bike to work. going from my house was to far, about 30 miles one way, although I did this ride, I only did it a couple times. so instead, I found a place to park about half way. I would drive and park, then ride to work from there. that worked out real good for me. I love the chance to ride to work. ppl in Seattle will do this regardless of the weather, and it rains a lot there. those ppl are true die hards.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    I generally use my Brompton for the work commute, as I can fold it up for the hour long train journey part of the trip.

    The storage issue is dealt with by leaving it under my desk. It's not a huge commute; six miles, train, two miles. But it's lower cost than driving to the station and parking, and it's much quicker than walking when I get into London.
  • chelleb1974
    chelleb1974 Posts: 69 Member
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    I thought more about it last night, and there's really no reason NOT to ride to work....so I'm going to give it a shot on Tuesday 7/1, unless there is significant rain in the forecast. There isn't right now, but this is New England and it could change at any time, haha. I figure if I'm tired and want to give up on the way home, at least I'm headed home and that should be enough motivation to keep going.

    Already planning what I need to bring/leave at work to make it happen!

    ~Chelle
  • m1xm0d3
    m1xm0d3 Posts: 1,576 Member
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    I bike to work every chance I get (weather and life stuff permitting).

    7 miles to work then at lunch, between 9-12 miles back home (again, depending on my time restraint and heat index)

    That way I get my rides in and have that time free after work to do other stuff.

    After the first few days it gets much easier to find the wake up motivation to do it.
  • spdoman7
    spdoman7 Posts: 121 Member
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    I decided to bike instead of going to work...does that count?
  • KaktusJaque
    KaktusJaque Posts: 141 Member
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    I think commuters that bike to work are the best!! :smile:
  • m1xm0d3
    m1xm0d3 Posts: 1,576 Member
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    10 for 10 out of these past 2 five day work weeks. Morning temps have been around 70-74°F a little warm and muggy for my tastes. Luckily my lunch ride back home has been between 85-92 this week. Last week they were around 100° a few days.