I did it! I rode to work!

[Xrayted]

Congrats on commuting in. I think you will find your daily travel so much more enjoyable overall. I commute into my hospital whenever I can. (many of my days are 16 hours so I don't on those days) It's just under 7 miles for me, although we will be moving soon and then it will be around 10 hilly miles each way. I'm lucky that we have full locker rooms with showers, towels, soap, scrubs(I don't have to bring clothes)... just had to stock up on shampoo, comb, deodorant and yeah, extra undies. Can't go walking around in those thin OR scrubs with no undies.
They love it when we bike in. We actually have an incentive program to ride in. 35 rides gets you $50 in your pay. There are bike lockups everywhere, mostly in the parking garages. I see people/visitors with their bikes in the halls and in the elevators everywhere. Almost every employee area has a bike in it when you walk in.

On a side note, Python, I still love that bike of yours woman. What an incredible find. She is just beautiful.

[Python]

Thakyou Xrayted She is a lovely bike I'm hoping to get my new bike next month (Specialized Dolce Elite) but will be keeping my Raleigh and still using her regularly

[RoseC]

I achieved the next step - I talked to the building management woman today and got a locker! Woo-hoo! Silly how excited I am about that...

I also drove an alternate route home yesterday. It would be more roads / less bike path, but about a mile shorter, I think. I think I may ride to work again on that road this weekend.

I saw a cyclist along the way that did something it would never occur to me to do - there was a lefthand turn lane, and she rode between the lanes to get right up next to the very first car in line and turned left when they did. It worked nicely, but I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do that!

So...I'm still taking my time, but getting closer. It's not a short distance, so a bit of extra training before I really commit is probably good for me.

[pyxichick]

Rose,

Congratulations. You'll love it.

I just started commuting as well, and my route is also 14 miles each way. I found that since I have to leave at 6:30 in order to get to my desk by 8, the traffic is much lighter than I had expected. On the way home, it's a bit busier, but I try to make it a relaxing, enjoyable ride, and if necessary, take a longer way home to avoid the cars.

Have fun!

Kate

[bikerHen]

Don't sweat the left turns. If you have to go with the crosswalk option, just do it. I'm on a four lane highway for the first intersection of my commute where I have to turn left. It's also the first stoplight coming into town. Can you say speeding cars and semi-trucks! It would be a death sentence if I tried to take the left turn lane. So I just cross, in the crosswalk, with the light, and hope I don't get hit by the right turning cars. I've been crossing this intersection this way for three years. I figure better safe than dead! bikerHen

[dssynapse]

This was the very first thread I read in the forums, so I came back here to reply. I rode my bike to work this week! I got most, if not all, of the ideas how to make it feasible from the forum discussion. It's not a long commute at all -- only 6.5 miles each way -- but in Corpus Christi the humidity is almost 100% in the early morning with temperatures in the high 70's, so taking an easy ride to avoid sweating is out of the question. I work in a school administration building, and have to at least look decent, and there are no showers available. I don't care how I look after the ride home, but time is an issue and my ride home is typically into a 20 mph wind or more with "low" humidity of 60 to 70% and temps in the 90's.

I took everything I could think of in on Monday by car....baby wipes, facial wipes, make up, Shower to Shower powder, complete clothes in zip locks labeled by day, "back up" clothes, etc. I also took a week's worth of breakfast stuff and lunches.....much healthier, less money, and I didn't have to remember each day. On Wednesday I put a few additional things in after the Tuesday ride.....a small towel and small hair dryer. My hair was literally dripping with sweat by the time I got there on Tuesday.

So far so good! I'm comfortable riding in the dark to the office...I leave at 5:30 a.m. The headwind is uncomfortable in the evenings. This time of year I would typically ride the other direction first and have the wind behind me coming back....obviously not an option when commuting.

Thanks so much to all who have written posts that gave me both the ideas and confidence to start commuting. I really feel good about it.

[coyote]

Hi dssynapse and welcome! Congrats on commuting! I've got the wind too...coming to work and on the way home. Usually isn't as bad as you have got it whew I'm exhausted with just the thought

Keep us informed on how its going,
Mary

[AutumnBreez]

Ok, I just landed a new job that I could ride but it is 13 miles each way. My fear is that one of my kids will be sick/injured and I can't get to them quick enough. Once they are in school again. They are 13 and 15 years but crap happens. Suppose someone could give me a ride home??? kind of strange to have to ask though. Especially being new...gonna have to drive for a while to get to know situation. I will just have to find a way. Ask my neighbor who I trust to pick up if she is not substitute that day. She would help if I need. hmmmm. will have to figure it out cause I so want to do it. I can see myself in shape from it already!!!

[deena]

RoseC - thanks for starting this thread - and congrats at biking to work! I love the advice from those of you who can bike commute everyday.

I started biking to work this summer. Two days a week I work at a site about 10 miles from home, so I bike there - my actual office is more like 20 miles and I'd have to work up to that.

This is a real treat for me. During the school year I have drop off/pick up kids at school, and after the ride in/out I'd have a three hour work day.

The best part of my communte is the stretch when the bike route goes under the jam-packed, motionless freeway that I'm not sitting in!

[RoseC]

Cool to see this got revived!

I've been riding an average of about three days a week for the past three weeks. Last week I only managed two days, due to some things that were going on that meant I needed to be there really early or have long-distance wheels during the day.

It's funny, but I find that the days go by faster on the days I ride in, even though I'm actually at work earlier. Don't know why!

I've gotten pretty comfortable with my route, and really haven't had any problems EXCEPT for last time I rode. About halfway home I had my first real on-bike encounter with a moron driver.

The one part of the trip where I *have* to ride with cars is a little bridge. It’s less than forty feet long, at a guess. Possibly shorter. There’s a bike lane right up to the bridge, and one right on the other side, but just before I get to it, I have to merge into traffic. There are signs all over warning both cyclists and drivers about it, and since it’s at the bottom of a hill either way and I’m usually going twenty or twenty-five in a thirty-five mph zone, it’s usually not too big a deal - drivers are usually good about letting me in when I signal, and being patient about slowing to twenty for FORTY #(&#in’ FEET! But that day, there was a kid who couldn’t deal.

So...with on-coming traffic, on a NARROW bridge, he decides to split lanes and attempt to drive between me and the other lane, which doesn’t work, so he swerves at the on-coming driver and then back at me. The other driver honked, and by gosh, if I coulda, I woulda. He came closer to hitting the other car than to hitting me. Dunno if I can rejoice much in that, though.

By the time I got over the bridge and back to the side, he was getting ready to attempt to pass a truck he couldn’t see past. So apparently he was just an all-around moron, and not just one who hates cyclists. Grrr...

I'm kind of nervous about getting back on the bike after that. But I will. I'd miss it too much if I didn't!

[sandra]

I'm new to the forum. I'm totally embarrassed to say that I only live about 2 miles from work, but I would be scared to ride to work. It is the busiest 2 miles I can imagine in my town!

Congratulations to you on your accomplishment!

[RoseC]

By the way, congrats on joining the club, dssynapse! I'm still figuring out what things I really need at work and which things are not really necessary. I hadn't thought of a hairdryer, but after a few days of riding, I picked one up - it does make it easier, no? I have relatively short hair, and I'm finding it seems to work best if, after showering at home, once I get to work I damp it a bit if needed (in your heat and humidity, not needed! ) , add a little gel, and then blow dry for a few minutes. Eliminates helmet head.

[dellafalls]

I also am a coffee in the morning gal! I get everything ready the night before, roll out of bed and onto my bike! By the time I get to work 40min later I am just waking up. I grab a coffee the minute I get in the door to reward myself!. I also pack my clothes with me, but leave tolietries and towel at work and shower there. I love the way it makes me feel.