Winning one for the team

[smurfalicious]

My dearest friend back home, Scott, got wrapped up in my bike love and after several nights of keeping me up until 2AM debating the different bikes he was trying, bought a sweet steel Jamis.

Since then I've given him **** about not riding to work. It's 2 miles! His argument was that if he needed to cut out for a breaking news story he needed his car. I told him no breaking news in Central Oregon is so urgent you can't ride 10 minutes to your car.

He hemmed and hawed over excuses. I showed him the commuter pants with reflective insides that showed when cuffed, liner shorts, and pant cuffs. He knows I am no softy for excuses. My round trip is 30 miles, 34 if I'm interested in survival.

So today he made me proud. He did it. I goaded him to no end, but he did it, and loved it! Said it was invigorating! Wooo hoo! Saving the planet by badgering one friend at the time!

On another note my mom's ex-girlfriend has moved closer to work and has been trying to ride regularly. I'm helping her shop for something to replace her aging Trek Multi-Trak. I got her some sweet Axiom Cartier panniers for Christmas. They're super nice, they even have shoulder straps for both bags so she can pop them off and take her work clothes in with her. She said they were the nicest Christmas present she got. Hurray!

Look at me, the little "Think globally, act locally" bike advocate. Weee!

[keepclimbing]

Another commuting evangelist here...

One of my employees had her car stolen and she called to say she didn't think she was going to be able to get to work for awhile. I said "Do you have a bike?" "But it's cold out." "It's not stopping me." She didn't miss work.

Last night a friend said he'd been thinking of commuting by bike, but when the gas prices went down he didn't have a good reason anymore(!!) I said "what about the fact that you're contributing to global warming? what about your health?" He said "okay, okay" and promised to get on his bike.

I think when we set the example it's hard for others to keep up their excuses.

[Tri Girl]

Good for you both!!!! I can't seem to convince anyone at work to commute, even tho most of them live within a couple miles of the school. Even when I commuted 4 times last year (not impressive, but it was 56 miles round trip in my defense), they just thought I was crazy. At least 3 of the women in my hallway live less than .5 mile from school and won't even try.
I did get someone to buy a bike and start training for a tri...maybe she'll commute one day...

Keep up the good work, ladies!!!

[OakLeaf]

There's a guy in my bike club who drives 3 miles to where we start the 30 mile rides. He lives four blocks from me (four blocks CLOSER to the ride start). One of these days I'm going to beat on his door on my way over there, before he gets a chance to load his truck.

[tulip]

I've shown up to rides on my bike and people (cyclists!) often ask, "did you ride here??" Uh, yeah, a whole three miles away! And then they get all defensive and start talking about how they have to go to the grocery store after the ride, yadda yadda yadda. I don't care, I say! Since I can ride to the start, I do, That is all.