Committment and Follow-through

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

Hello all!
I am about to join the ranks of the great... all you folks who regularly commute by BIKE! I told myself since last summer when the price of a gallon of gas got as "high" (relative to the Mid-West) as $3.30 that if it got that high again next summer -now "this" summer - that I WOULD commute.

I had some obstacles to overcome, but... luckily the company finished our gym in the lower floor of our building (showers, changing rooms, etc). My other biggie was how to feel safe leaving my large investment in our building's garage. Well.. that really hasn't gotten solved yet, but I came up with a solution! I bought a Giant Boulder-w on Saturday! No frills steel mountain bike, but still fun to ride. I won't worry so much locking that up in our bike rack in the garage at work... not as much as I would have if I were leaving my OCR-C.

My commute is only 4.5 miles. Tulsa has a bikeway committed on roads through neighborhoods right near me and it goes all the way downtown where I"m going. I figure even at a slower pace of 12mph, I can get there and sadly only take about 10 min longer than driving. After a few tanks worth of savings, the bike is paid for. It may take all Summer...but... I feel great about the opportunity to take one more car off the roads during rush hour(s)!

I think this'll make me stronger on my road bike, and even appreciate it more! I'll miss coming home for lunch and seeing/playing with my dogs, but... I guess I'm doing more good saving $$, not contributing to the smog, and getting even more exercise!

You gals were also an inspriration! Rock on, gals!
I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how it went!

[kelownagirl]

Good luck and have a great ride! I've been trying to commute for the past 2 weeks and it's going well so far - I probably manage it 4/5 days a week now. I have a very short ride (3.5km) but I always take the long way home and end up with 20-35 km a day.

[Geonz]

Get on out here

ONe possible problem: if you end up not driving your car for weeks at a time and you accidentally forget to close the door all the way ... the battery is going to be dead.
Heading down to the bike shop for a shot of penetrating oil for my stuck seat post and to see if anybody down there has a battery charger I can borrow... 'cause on the 30th my brother is going to buymy car from me. (If I keep saying it, I mght believe it?) Not to say I *won't* replace it... just not right away...

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

Phew - thanks gals! I made it my first day!
I'm SO wishing I could be riding my road bike. It seems like my whole ride home is uphill. LOL Tough enough after a 50mile ride - coming back on this road...but on my MTB with a backback...in 87degrees... WOW. I need another shower!

It was kinda neat all day... thinking... I left my car at home!!!
And then on the ride home... look at all these poor shlubs...squealing tires and blowing dough...all while chowing down on some sweet roll and smoking. Its amazing all the things you notice while riding a bike...

Oh yes... and I forgot something today.... SUNSCREEN!!!

[Tri Girl]

Congrats on your commute, babyblue!!! Feels so good, doesn't it?? I'll bet riding the mtn bike is a lot more difficult. I've thought about riding my mtn bike just to give my legs an extra workout. Tulsa is so pretty, and it's nice to have some designated roads to get you downtown!!

"I told myself since last summer when the price of a gallon of gas got as "high" (relative to the Mid-West) as $3.30 that if it got that high again next summer -now "this" summer - that I WOULD commute."

I told myself that, too. I started commuting again last week before it hit $3.00- grrrrrrrr gasoline...

I live in OKC, and although the only trails to ride on are at the lakes, I've had fun commuting to work (only 3 miles each way, so barely anything to blink twice at). I do notice, however, how poor shape the neighborhood roads are in. You can feel every bump in the road. And you're not kidding about the heat. Yesterday I left my backpack (and all the goodies I need to get ready) at work because it was sooo hot and I didn't want that on my back. It means I'll have to pack my work shirt in my jersey pocket tomorrow, but who cares? Oh- and thanks for the reminder to wear sunscreen. It always takes one little burn each year to remind me to put it on.

I hope you keep having fun commuting!!! One less car is always a good thing...

[twin]

I live in Norman Ok. and commute 3 miles each way and even though it is short I really enjoy the time. I used to live in Tulsa about two years ago and had a 13 mile commute from around Memorial High School to Central High School each way and I always thought the commute home was uphill...lol. Tulsa is a fun town and set up nicely for the downtown area commutes. In about a year I may move to OKC and then I would have 26 mile commute each way however I am thinking about catching a ride one way. Only a few more teaching days left for the commute.

[Tri Girl]

sorry babyblue- I'm hijacking for a minute

twin- you teach? Do your students say anything about you riding to school? I teach jr. high and my bike sits in my room behind my desk and most of them think it's pretty cool that I ride. I even had one kiddo ask me all about my bike because he's into triathlons and wants to get a road bike.
In a way I'm sad that there's only 7 days left to commute to work. Then I guess I'll just have to ride my bike for an hour or two each day (oh, how sad ). I've been interviewing for a new job and will be sad if my new school is too far away to commute daily (but I could always ride one way like you said).
If you ever want to ride sometime- send me a PM. I've got friends that ride from Norman down to the Arbuckles and back for a nice trip. We could also just ride a normal amount of miles, too.

[Crankin]

My students are used to my bike being by my desk. I have a few who ask a lot of questions. One of the kid's brother came in to look at my bike and asked me if he could pick it up to see how light it was! Then he told his brother that I was crazy when he found out where I live (it's 14 miles)!
Actually, the boys are more interested. The girls ask how I get my clothes to school and do my make up...

[Tri Girl]

That's funny, Robyn (the girls asking about your clothes, makeup and the boys wanting to pick up the bike ). Most of them were really curious at first, now they know it's just ol' crazy Brown at it again.

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

Its all good, TriGirl!
14 mile commutes, huh? I bow before you!! hee hee "I'm not worthy!!"

If I lived more than 10 miles away, I'm not so sure I'd be as quick to commute, but.... Oh, by the way... not 4.5 miles.. LOL... 5.5! Big difference you know? ha ha I took the road bike today and got a more accurate reading on mileage.

I got permission to bring ol' blue up to my office. That was an experience. A tri-guy on my floor stopped to drool over my powertap.. ha We had a cool conversation about his son (now a Cat3 racer). His son's only 15 or 16. Amazing. Those kids sure have a lot of strength and guts though! I'm such a wuss. I'd be more afraid of crashing than not winning. Had a few people stop by b/c they'd never seen a bike "parked" in anyone's office before. ha. It was a good segway into Tulsa's Bike-to-Work day today...and how the company was encouraging folks to ride in more. Tulsa is in danger (again) of being put on the EPA Dirty Air list... apparently a lot of fines and will make gas even more expensive. People either just don't care, or are ignorant to the facts about what will happen if we don't make changes.. (ps - side note... would ya believe i'm a "conservative"??? hee)

Anyway --after work on Wednesdays, I do this group ride with the Tulsa Bicycle Club... 35 miles of hills, a nice ride really... but I sure wasn't looking forward to that uphill trek home after the ride. LOL In all, 46 miles ridden today. I'm bushed.

Twin - Its cool that you had the same recollection about that Bike Route from Central back east to Memorial.. I just knew I wasn't having a nightmare. LOL

Hugs ladies...

p.s. TriGirl - would love to do the Arbuckles some time.. I keep hearing about them... where exactly are they?

[Tri Girl]

Sounds like you had a great ride today!! And I'd be drooling over your powertap also...

The Arbuckles are south of Norman- just off I-35. Turner Falls area. Don't know mileage south of OKC- although I've only passed them a million times heading down to TX.

We should all get together to ride them sometime this summer! Like an OK TE festivus.

[twin]

Yes I teach 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade art. The kids sometimes think I am crazy and do not understand why someone would ride in bad weather. Some of the students assume I do not have a car. The great part about riding this year was when our school had SPUD week to raise money for a student that has brain cancer and my one member of my bicycle club and I rode 100 miles and collected 2,000 dollars for the student. I am a somewhat slower rider so it sounds like you are on the fast track? LOL