The Bike Commute

Someone recently asked me if I like bike commuting? ....

it took me a couple more long, wet, and cold bike commutes to really answer this question...

I LOVE bike commuting (99% of the time)

Although I seem to never get anywhere looking "good", I always have to bring three changes of clothes everywhere I go, I walk in with arm fulls of bags, helmets etc,  it takes me 3 times as long to get anywhere (although sometimes in the city it is faster to commute by bike), I am constantly tired and training is that much harder,.....

there is just something great about the feeling of getting somewhere by my own steam.
there is just this special moment when on the bike that its just about me and my thoughts (and sometimes cars whizzing by)
there is something about the breeze, the air, the sweat, the grit that I just love.
there is something about the outdoor time to get psyched for what I am heading into and then reflecting about it on the way home.

My current bike commutes to work are 40mins up and east and just over 1 hour going up and west. Luckily the ups mean that they are downs after a full days of work which is always nice... Those ups though before 7am cab be tough but I truly do love the feeling of my flushed face, sweatiness, and satisfaction afterwards and it does mean I am awake once at work;)

Bike commuting also provides me with hidden amounts of exercising and training. I never used to "count" bike commuting into my exercise or training regime as it was something I had to do and did not choose to do. There are days when at night I sit and reflect and realize I did 3.5 hours of bike commuting that day. It sounds like a lot especially if you tag on my work (outdoor ed), and my training (crossfit or yoga or paddle or run or mtn bike, etc etc)... But it never feels like 3.5 hours... to me it is less frustrating then the bus (I hate waiting for the bus), less frustrating then driving (if you know me you know that I really hate driving), and really minus the little annoyance of bringing extra clothes, getting wet and cold, and never really lookin good arriving to events, it is sooooo worth it because nothing beats the feeling of self propelled outdoor adventures.

I have had soo many wonderful moments on the bike, bike commuting, I've met some great people and  of course some jerks,... but thats life:) I do a lot of my best thinking on the bike and sometimes I am just floating in my head kind of like corpse pose in yoga (don't worry all still being aware that I am riding my bike on the road;)) I feel like it is great for my mental well being.

So all in all despite the minor frustrations I am glad I am a bike commuter and I wouldn't change it even if I had too...

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina