Sometimes it can be a pain...

I wrote this a couple of weeks ago, but i wanted to publish it while it was still fresh in my mind. 

The last two weeks have been a pain.  The weather has been bad, and I've been sick.  It's been 55 to 60 degrees and pretty wet.  I haven't been caught in a rain (I know people from Portland and northern climes are probably cracking up)  but it's still pretty miserable at six am.  So definitely, a resolve testing pair of weeks.  Luckily, I've been doing this for 6 months now, and have everything prepared to stumble out the door and get to work on a bike the same way everyone else would have to do in a car.

The whole family (minus the dog) was sick, because my adorable toddler is a germ conduit, and he is in his first few months of daycare.  Luckily, a friendly lady at work told me that this only lasts until he's five.  yaay.  Since they're sick I didn't want to have to wake my wife and the little man for a ride.  I couldn't take time off work, because we're in the middle of a major project.  So I'd just get on the bike, bundle up, tug my hat brim down, and leave myself plenty of time.  Whereas I've gotten it under 15 minutes, garage to train platform, in a pinch, I've been making sure to give myself the full twenty minutes and change.

Here's my ride

I live a car lite life. My wife and I share a car, and I ride my bike to a commuter rail station a little over 2 miles away.  I've been working at going car lite for a number of years.   This post is about my current ride. 

This is the same bike my parents bought me after we moved to California when I started High School.  It lived in storage for a number of years, and i finally dug it out about 7 years ago.  This bike is pretty much exactly how I want it for riding around the suburbs, and for getting me to and from my morning train.

 

My Ride a 1988 Schwinn Circuit

Two Wheels for 2 Miles

Two Wheels for Two Miles encourages people to try using a bike for some trips under two miles.  This is really about people who may have thought of riding their bike more, but think of it only for exercise.  Maybe you want to try and make a small difference but don't know where to start. Maybe you don't think you are fit enough, or that some roads are too dangerous to ride for you to ride.  Maybe you want to carry more stuff on your bike.  This blog is for you.

A slow bike speed is 8 miles an hour.  At this speed, 2 miles will take you 16 minutes.   Getting your bike out and locking it up at its destination can take the same  amount of time as getting in your car and parking at your destination.  2 miles is the distance at which driving and riding a bike can be just as convenient.

Two Wheels for Two Miles is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Try it once
2. Bike a trip under two miles you might driven 
3. Give yourself 3 feet for safety

What kind of rides are good to try:

• Going to a nearby park or sports field
• Meeting a friend at a Starbucks or a local restaurant
• Grocery trips for just a couple of items