Bike to Work Week May 14-18

[F8th637]

I did a trial run of my commute for next Friday today. It's about 15 miles one way. My husband works in the same office and we only have one bike currently so I won't have to make the commute back. I did it more for myself to see if I could do it and I can! Woo hoo!

[mimitabby]

Bike to work month this year has been awesome. We are finding all sorts of new (to us) bike commuters. There are probably 20 in our building alone. We are working with facilities to provide better bike parking, and for the men at least, more lockers for them to put their stuff in (plenty of room for women, the ratio of men to women here is 7:1 !!)
I got published in the paper (a letter to the editor about my trials and tribulations on my commute) and someone else did yesterday. our company's commute office has heard of us, and they are thinking of having an awards
luncheon for all the top teams (in the commute challenge) at the end of the month. This is terrific stuff. It makes up for the jerks who harass us on the road.

[uforgot]

There isn't a lot of biking interest amond the adults in my town. I teach at the local high school, so I put in the announcements that Friday was bike to work/school day in the St. Louis area. Any student who rides their bike to school can stop by my room for a free Gatorade. I didn't know how it would go over, but there are quite a few who told me that they plan to ride on Friday, just for that Gatorade!

Isn't a big deal to me, as I commute almost every day, but it's fun getting others interested!

[F8th637]

Wow, Claudia! Good for you for offering some sort of incentive!

Sounds like you guys are really making headway in Seattle, mimitabby! Kudos!

[tangentgirl]

Yay Bike to Work Week! I drove Monday so I could bring my clothes in; I'm riding the rest of the week. It's about 10 miles each way.

I didn't see anyone else at my work doing it, but I think I saw a lot more cyclists on the road today. Or I just noticed them more.

[yellow]

In celebration of bike to work week, they started major construction on my route yesterday (construction that I have to walk the bike through since the road is so chopped up). Today on my way home they sent me on a detour to a very busy road that I normally will not get close to (9 lane arterial with no shoulder or bike lane...niiiiice) which, incidentally, is also under construction. (insert stream of expletives here)

I'm going a totally different route tomorrow.

[10ch]

Bike to work month this year has been awesome... It makes up for the jerks who harass us on the road.

That's awesome, Mimitabby!

BTW has been a good one, so far I am 2 for 3. We have several events each night and I haven't made it to a single one. Maybe tonight.

As for messenger bags vs. backpacks vs. panniers... I vote for baskets! I don't like panniers because of the weight they add to the back of the bike, but front loaded baskets don't feel the same for me. I biked for about six months with a backpack, which had better support but didn't look as cool as the messenger bag I used for over a year (a chrome). But using the basket blows those methods out of the water, especially when it's so hot. It's so much nicer to not have something weighing on and heating up my back. Strongly recommend.