Well I managed to ride to work and back every day this week. I would have tallied over 300 k on the odometer for the week, but the poor old computer didn't like the rain tonight and gave up the ghost.
One thing people say about commuting by bicycle is that it saves you money. I suppose it might if you keep at it, though I tend to find that either I buy bicycle stuff which cancels out any theoretical savings, or things break. This week I saved on the usual weekly ticket - round $27.00 - but I bought one of those dinky helmet mirrors for - you guessed it - $27.00. So I was breaking even till the bike computer went west.
Week went like this: Monday full of resolve - no worries. Tuesday - bit tired and stiff, but steely determination stiffled the persuasive voices that whispered "catch the train ... its really not so bad being crushed ". Wednesday feeling rather sorry for myself, but ok once I got going. Coming home a low point, tired, hungry, late, cold. Thursday a real struggle to get going but again, once out the door, that early dawn world is so beautiful that the transition till the muscles and the body warms up passes almost without noticing. Friday, actually not too bad at all. Maybe crashed through a pain barrier or two there. Got rained on for most of the way home but arrived home a bit damp but feeling pretty good all in all.
Tally for the week Monday to Friday:
Distance: 305 kilometres
Rained on: twice
Near miss with car: one - not my fault - see "I'm big you're little" post
Near miss with another bicycle: one - probably my fault - just didn't see the guy on the pavement along King street as I crossed the road at the lights, and I wasn't expecting him to be there. Dammed hard to see, those cyclists.
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4 comments:
Nice work. That is cycle commuting in miniature right there: but generally the dud days are far outnumbered by the brilliant days.
For me the good days often come along quite unexpectedly--usually on the mornings when I least feel like jumping on a bike--whether it's basking in sunshine on a still winter's morning (like today) or discovering that I actually enjoy the rain (just as long as it's not windy...)
Yeah, I tell myself I'm making savings but even it works out cost-neutral, I reckon I'm still way ahead (I just don't measure it all in money!)
Yes, I think so too. In the past when I've been an erratic bike commuter I've found it all too easy to get put off by the dud days, and then I miss the brilliant days.
And you're right - the measure isn't money. And even if I haven't got the cash in the bank, at least I've got a dinky helmet mirror which I otherwise wouldn't have felt justified buying. Hours of fun there just trying to get it adjusted right...
Just having rejoined the cyclying community I must say the allure of new bike accessories is hard to resist. The day after my new bike was delivered I was back in the bike shop buying bits and pieces.
Had a fantastic ride down at Altona on the weekend - only 20K nothing compared to your week of riding. I did find myself thinking on the way home that it would be nice to go for a ride tonight. But yet to buy lights. Coming from the Westtoo I don't even know how to get to the other side of town on the pushy yet.
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