If you had a fairy godmother when you started riding...

[rebeccaC]

i wouldn't call commuting a challenge but rather a learning journey on how to do it well.

When considering my commuting route I pick the most pleasant low traffic route possible. I can do a bike path, some alleys and low volume streets on my commute and that makes for a more relaxed ride and no sweat on my morning ride. I use the ride home for more of a hard ride including some hills that I usually avoid in the morning. I have a messenger bag and waterproof panniers to use depending on what’s needed for work and perhaps groceries etc on the way home.

One tip I’ve learned if sweaty is to cool down while drinking some water until I am not perspiring much before I use wipes, facial cleanser, toner, oil free moisturizer, deodorant, a natural bristle brush etc. makeup and clothes change. Burning Man, with its 100+ degree temps, lots of dust and limited shower access taught me how useful baby wipes are… If my hair is a little sweaty on a hot day I reverse the part, fluff it and put it into a top knot until the sweat evaporates then brush if I don’t want it in a top knot for the day.

I leave a pantsuit, blouses, a couple of dresses, shoes, underwear, jeans, socks and some casual tops at work in my office closet. If I don’t drive in once a week I use a Patagonia Transport Shoulder Bag with its backpack straps to carry clothes back and forth.

My employer has a Qualified Transportation Fringe (QTF) benefit, which gives me a $20 tax exclusion benefit a month for commuter bicycle expenses…..not that much but another benefit to my bike commuting. There is a $230 a month benefit for mass transit.