Biking to work
This idea seems so perfect in principle. I live about 12 miles from work. My training schedule says I need to bike at least 20 miles three times a week. This would definitely help me cover the necessary distances and would, in the end, save me time because I wouldn’t have to drive anywhere to begin my ride. An added plus is the ~$5 that I would save daily by not driving.
But there are some drawbacks. I would have to get up a little earlier in order to cover the distances. It would probably take me a little under an hour to get to work in the morning. This really isn’t a problem.
I would also have to plan ahead. I would need a change of clothes at work. I would also need to make sure I either had lunch plans or a lunch at work. And there is the shower dilemma since we don’t have showers at work. I am hoping a little extra deodorant will help keep the smells down. Plus, you don’t really sweat as much on a bike because of the constant breeze in your face. And there is always the weather wild card.
But my real issue with doing this is safety and dealing with traffic. Finding a way to get from the heart of Johnson County, KS (72nd and Metcalf) to 119th and I-35 while avoiding high-traffic will be tough. Once they get the Indian Creek trails re-opened (in 2007) and the 127th street overpass to I-35, this won’t be nearly as difficult as I can make almost the entire route on designated biking/jogging trails. But both those are a long ways from happening. And I want to start doing this next week.
My morning ride isn’t nearly the concern as my afternoon ride because traffic is lighter. And I do have a couple of different routes that take me mainly on lesser traveled, relatively wide 2-lane roads. And I am out on those roads riding in the evenings anyway, so why not just bike to work.
It’ll be fun!
Right?
But there are some drawbacks. I would have to get up a little earlier in order to cover the distances. It would probably take me a little under an hour to get to work in the morning. This really isn’t a problem.
I would also have to plan ahead. I would need a change of clothes at work. I would also need to make sure I either had lunch plans or a lunch at work. And there is the shower dilemma since we don’t have showers at work. I am hoping a little extra deodorant will help keep the smells down. Plus, you don’t really sweat as much on a bike because of the constant breeze in your face. And there is always the weather wild card.
But my real issue with doing this is safety and dealing with traffic. Finding a way to get from the heart of Johnson County, KS (72nd and Metcalf) to 119th and I-35 while avoiding high-traffic will be tough. Once they get the Indian Creek trails re-opened (in 2007) and the 127th street overpass to I-35, this won’t be nearly as difficult as I can make almost the entire route on designated biking/jogging trails. But both those are a long ways from happening. And I want to start doing this next week.
My morning ride isn’t nearly the concern as my afternoon ride because traffic is lighter. And I do have a couple of different routes that take me mainly on lesser traveled, relatively wide 2-lane roads. And I am out on those roads riding in the evenings anyway, so why not just bike to work.
It’ll be fun!
Right?
posted by Kevin at 8:13 AM
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