4 car-less days

[KnottedYet]

I do miss the years when I didn't have a car. sometimes. I can't imagine how I'd do the single-mom thing without one, though. I'd be beholden to so many of the other parents to shuttle my kid around to school functions and stuff.

Hmmmm... just thinking about a tandem Xtracycle....

www.xtracycle.com

Wouldn't have to worry about the size of dogfood bags with one of these!

[surgtech1956]

You girls just choose to bike instead of drive or you don't have a car? What about the weather?

[KnottedYet]

You girls just choose to bike instead of drive or you don't have a car? What about the weather?

I didn't have a car for a long time. This week, however, I just chose not to drive. (my kid was away, so I wasn't needing the car to take him to school and such).

My bike is going to the shop today, so I might have to break my car-less streak FOR my bike! Ah, the irony!

Our weather here in Seattle is pretty managable. It rains, but I have wool biking clothes and raingear and fenders and water resistant panniers. I'm a prolific sweat producer, though, and often find I'm more comfortable in the rain in just my wool clothes. Rain gear holds the sweat in too much for me.

[Aint Doody]

Knotted, I can identify with your smug feelings! I kept my car parked for 4 days last week, too. (This week is sorta different.) I even convinced my husband to take the scooter to work instead of his car--that's a BIG deal! He wouldn't dream of riding a bicycle or walking (it's 3/4 mile!).

[KnottedYet]

Awww, I didn't mean to sound smug!

It's just kind of exciting to re-discover that same sense of freedom I had when I was a sexy young thang tootling around everywhere by bike.

[Trek420]

Awww, I didn't mean to sound smug!

It's just kind of exciting to re-discover that same sense of freedom I had when I was a sexy young thang.......

was?

I strive to bike to work a day a week. The only times it's been more were when the car's in the shop. This could be a new goal for me, see how many back to back days I can do.

My ride to work is not very scenic but short.

[DirtDiva]

I don't have a car. Hmm. Does that make me a sexy young thang?

[Velobambina]

Knotted -- That's wonderful! I envy you. I hate driving because people in DC, for the most part, are obnoxious drivers. Ironically, I live inside the beltway, 1/2 mile from a paved bike path that takes you into the city, and I'm a mile walk from a metro stop. Unfortunately, my employer is moving my work unit from Tysons Corner out to the Dulles area. The new location is the epitome of suburban sprawl--surrounded by highways, unfriendly to pedestrians & cyclists, and inconvenient to public transportation. My commute, by car, will go from 7 miles to 26 miles (one way). When I mentioned my concerns about it, mgt treated me as if I were an idiot for living inside the beltway (??? because me and my husband sacrificed to buy a 2 bedroom, modest home in Arlington instead of getting a mcmansion 50 miles outside the beltway ???) Needless to say, I'm looking for a new assignment more convenient to home.

What rain pants do you use? I'm thinking about investing in a pair....

[KnottedYet]

I have a pair of nylon-goretex Schollers I got for $10 at one of those TJ Maxx or Ross Dress For Less places.

I wear them if I'm biking to work in my work clothes and it's dumping rain. Or if it's raining and really cold. Otherwise I just wear my Ibex wool biking capris. I really do sweat a lot. My Canari Bio-Vent jacket is generally wetter inside than outside. (so I call it the "Bio-Swelter", but I think it's not the jacket's fault, it's just I'm a sweaty-Betty.)