How do you make the time?

[ACG]

How do you make the time to ride? And how often/for how long? I work fulltime, have to take my daughter to school in the a.m/p.m. The only time I can ride is in the a.m. It is too dark in the p.m. and with traffic too busy. Now that the sun has found CA. again I can ride again. It just seems that my early a.m. rides are too short. I gotta be home by 6:30 a.m. from my ride to get my kid going and me to work by 8:00. This means I get up at 5a.m. and leave as soon as I can. So my time in the saddle is limited. Just wondering how you all do it.

[Adventure Girl]

Yes, this time of the year is really tough! But good for you for getting up early to get your rides in! Isn't it dark at 5:00 AM?

I can ride pretty much all year around (weather wise), but the combination of working full-time and short days cuts in to my weekday riding outside. I ride my trainer a few times a week. I can’t wait for spring!!

I do a weekly group night road ride (bike path). It isn’t a super work-out, but it’s fun! We usually have about 10 riders and we do a 35 mile loop. I also do a little night mountain biking (also group rides).

If you can find a group, you might try night riding (I definitely would never night ride solo). Also, really good bike lights make me feel much safer. I use one on the bar and one on my helmet. They're expensive, but worth it!
http://www.bikelights.com/Products/ProductImages/arcfeaturecombo.jpg

[JanT]

Ditto the lights! I use mine for occasional commutes when I can arrange that, and for evening rides. I go solo, but stay on well-lit bike paths. Here in Phoenix, the best time to ride in the summer is at night. I love getting out around 3 a.m. when there is no one around and having my way with the city streets. Since I live near the edge of the city, I can ride a few miles and be out listening to the coyotes howl. It's very peaceful and relaxing not to have to be concerned about those 4 wheeled monsters. However, I don't do the middle of the night rides in the winter--too darn cold for this desert rat. Sometimes I just resign myself to running, indoor cycling or just being lazy and doing nothing (this especially when it rains!).

FYI: I have a nite-rider non-digital evolution which can be mounted on the handle bars with a quick release, or on the helmet. I've used both, and prefer the helmet so that I can point the light where I want to see. I agree with AG that the good lights are expensive, but worth it. When I have a few extra hundred in my pocket, I'd like the get an HID set-up for doing some night trail riding. The evolution is okay, but I feel like I have to slow way down and strain to see the trail, so I haven't done much off-road with it. If you get a light system, be sure to get one with a decent rechargeable battery. They last a long time. I've had mine a couple years, and used it many times.

[CorsairMac]

When the days got shorter - I was always coming home dusk-dark. I have a handlebar light and a rear flasher plus tons of relfective strips. Plus I ride a bike path (not very well lit) with just a short stint on residential streets. I enjoy riding in the dark - theres a real sense of "self" when you ride in the dark. Course I would Love to ride in the dark when its warm - but I guess we can't have Everything in life we want yeah?