So I finally dragged my ass out of bed this morning and made good on my promise to myself to start riding into work. According to the fancy-schmancy computer I got last Friday, The 3.5 miles from door-to-door took me 16 minutes and 48 seconds. For those doing the math, that's an average of 12.4 mph. A little slow, I admit, but I also hit a top speed of 34.2 mph going down a hill. I probably could have gone faster, but I figured work was better than an ER at 6:30 a.m.I have to say, riding in was the easy part. It was the getting ready that was hard. It probably took me about 90 or so minutes Sunday night to get everything packed into my spiffy new bike commuter pack. Funny thing, after you buy a bike you find all kinds of other little toys you just need...
As I'm packing and, for that matter, all night long, I was going through a checklist of things I needed like a space shuttle pilot getting ready to head to orbit. I figured the best way to do it was to work from top to bottom:
Dress shoes...check.
Socks...check.
Skivvy drawers...check.
Skivvy shirt...check.
Trousers...Check.
Shirt...check.
Tie...check.
Shaving bag...check.
Money clip, wallet, ring, pens, security badge, CAC card...check, check, check, check, check and check.
I got up this morning, chowed down on some breakfast, made my lunch, pumped up my tires, ran through my checklist one more time to be sure and headed out the door.
Sixteen minutes later I was rolling into the parking garage. I parked my ride in my office and headed over to the gym next door with a spring in my step to take a shower. Man! What a great way to start the day.
[Shower. Dry. Shave. Dress. I won't bore you with the details.]
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling right and...
Damn!
Yeah, take a look at that list above. What's missing?
Perhaps a device to, yanno, hold my frigging pants up? Yep, forgot my belt.
Garrrrr!
Good thing the Target next door opens at 8.
8 comments:
Foggy!!! I am so proud, I am almost teary... Also, no worries, it gets a lot easier.
PS: I would recommend keeping the toiletries, some shows and some stuff at the office, it will make it a lot easier.
Yaaayyy, FOGGY IS A BIKE COMMUTER!!!
Titania - At 3.5 miles, I really don't have an excuse not to, right? For now, I think two or three times a week will do.
As for the rest of your advice, I'm way ahead of you. I actually brought in clothes for tomorrow and that shaving bag I mentioned was purpose bought yesterday and will stay in the bottom drawer of my desk.
nice! that's awesome. as it happens, i am a 12-minute walk from my bar class, so i'm gonna hold off on joining the bike party until a) i know where i'm going to land full-time and b) i can get my knee looked at. i forgot that i got banned from biking in high school when i jacked up my knee cap, and the ban was never lifted.
oh yeah, and isn't target just the salvation of everything?
That is wonderful. Just promise to never ride your bicycle on the sidewalk. There are idiots here who do that and they almost run me over while I'm waiting to get on the bus!
mags - must be nice to live so close to where you have to be and, Target rules.
Pauline - I swear I almost never ride on sidewalks cause I'm afraid of people walking into me. The only time I can think of that I do is a little section near my place, but it's really early in the morning and there's no one there yet.
So I read "Money clip, wallet, ring, penis, security badge..."
And then had to go back and re-read. Pens. Pens!
Lisa - Well, I had that too. It's always good to check anyway, you never can be too sure...
I've been cycling too!
But... indoor cycling... on a training bike...
I average about 16mph or so, but I only do it for half a mile or a mile at a time. Have to build my fitness gradually.
My cardiac fitness is appalling, really :)
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