Probably not the optimal way to announce a pregnancy...but here goes. Although my travel has definitely gotten in the way of my commuting and training in general, the discovery that I was not exhausted for no reason or that I did not have food poisoning for two weekends in a row :) and that I was indeed pregnant has definitely switched up my biking routine.
Here we are 8 weeks in and I have been barely able to hold anything down outside of Saltines and Ramen noodle soup...gross. However, lo and behold this morning was the 1st time in a long time that I was actually able to eat a normal breakfast. Therefore, if I could eat breakfast, I thought a morning commute might be worth a shot. Although slow going, I did make it and was rewarded for the effort with my first decent workout in weeks. I might request a ride home this evening, but at least this morning was a success. :) Thanks for the encouragement- your blogs have gotten me through.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Grocery store trips
One of the funner things I've been doing with bike commuting is my grocery store trips. For probably the last month, every trip to the store has been on my bike. I have a bike trailer that I pull my (almost) two year old in. However, whenever I take off on my bike she absolutely insists on going with. Which frankly, I can't help but love. It means though that I have to be strategic on my trips because I can carry less. It also keeps me from buying unnecessary things, which is another good thing!This last week I got a little carried away and ended up needing to put a gallon of milk, a jug of juice, and a 12 pack of soda in the carriage with her. She wasn't too pleased about this. She got angry at first and then the 1.5 mile ride back home she just chattered the whole time. I couldn't really hear or understand what she was saying, but she's never talked that much riding so I can only surmise that she wasn't happy.
The Year of the Bike
On April 29th 2013, nearly on a whim, I thought I would try riding a bike to work. I borrowed a friend's bike and off I went. The next week I bought my own bike. I biked more miles that week than I had in the last 15 years combined. I was hooked. Twelve months later, I have biked over 3000 miles (nearly all of them commuting miles). To commemorate what has been a fantastic year, below are twelve lessons I learned during 'The Year of the Bike'.
1. Bike riding is so fun! Remember when you were a kid, how fun it was to go ride bikes? I'm going to let you in on a little secret, it is STILL fun. Cruising down the bike trail on the way to or from work you might be surprised by a giddy rush of exhilaration. Getting to inject your daily grind with this level of fun makes you wish you would have started years ago.
2. You will learn and love your city. I have worked in downtown Denver for nearly eleven years, riding mass transit everyday for the first 9, but after a year of experiencing the city by bike I feel like I know it better than ever.
3. Bike commuting will make you better at everything else. Want to get into running? Excited for the upcoming hiking season? Whatever you are into (or want to become a part of) biking will pave the way. I attribute my commute to achieving 2nd overall female ultimate climber in the 2014 Fight for Air Climb. Powering your own commute by bike is an amazing way to get in better shape!
4. Everyday is bike to work day. When I first got my bike, I thought I would ride 'once or twice' a week, and only during the summer. Once I discovered how fun it was, I became a year-round commuter. Denver has fairly mild winters making year-round bike commuting an easy choice.
5. Bike commuting will make you a better driver. I have always considered myself a good driver, but a year on the bike has made me better. I am more aware of people on bikes and make a more concerted effort to better share our roads.
6. Your thoughts about transportation will change. For years I never even considered bike commuting, my mind, like many others, was car-centric. A year of bike commuting made me realize that bikes are not an alternate form of transportation, they ARE transportation.
7. You might become a zealot. Now that I have been converted, I can't wait to encourage others. Daily bike commuting has been the single best change I have made in years.
8. You will get healthier. It almost seems like a side benefit, behind all of the fun you'll be having, but daily bike commuting will have a positive impact on your health. Without any added effort besides getting to work and back every day, you will easily be achieving recommendations for daily activity. You will get some fresh air. You will have a chance to 'un-plug'. You might shed some extra pounds. You will reduce your risk for a host of nasty diseases.
9. There is (almost) no such thing as bad weather. I used to be such a fair weather outdoor enthusiast, daily commuting has changed that too. Aside from copious amounts of ice and or snow, nothing will keep me off the bike trail. Once you are out in it, it never seems too bad. Plus you'll never have to scrape windows or let your bike warm up, it is always ready to go!
10. You are the captain of your own ship! After years of bus commuting, the freedom of bike commuting is a thrill. Traveling by bike allows you to stop and check things out. From unplanned brewery visits to surprise wildlife encounters, being on your bike lets you dictate the terms of your commute, in a way transit or cars simply can't. My bike route parallels portions of I-25 and Santa Fe Drive, and as I sail past cars idling in traffic, I wish I could encourage them to hop on a bike instead.
11. You can bike thousands of miles a year, and still not own any lycra shorts or a super fancy bike. It has been 365 days since I started bike commuting. In that time I have ridden 3,000 miles. I don't own any lycra. I don't know much about bikes. I don't consider myself an 'avid cyclist'. I don't know anything about bike sports. These are not bragging points or confessions of ignorance, but rather facts that hopefully will encourage others who may be intimidated by pricey bike gear or snobby 'weekend warriors'.
12. Your faith in humanity will be bolstered. When was the last time a fellow motorist smiled and waved at you, marveling, however briefly in your joyful, shared experience? If you exclude the 'ol one finger salute, my guess is rarely. Yet on a bike, this happens all the time. There is an instant camaraderie in bike riding, that springs from the fun of being on a bike. While car commuting can be an isolating experience, bike commuting makes you feel like you are in a secret club.
Twelve Lessons
1. Bike riding is so fun! Remember when you were a kid, how fun it was to go ride bikes? I'm going to let you in on a little secret, it is STILL fun. Cruising down the bike trail on the way to or from work you might be surprised by a giddy rush of exhilaration. Getting to inject your daily grind with this level of fun makes you wish you would have started years ago.
2. You will learn and love your city. I have worked in downtown Denver for nearly eleven years, riding mass transit everyday for the first 9, but after a year of experiencing the city by bike I feel like I know it better than ever.
3. Bike commuting will make you better at everything else. Want to get into running? Excited for the upcoming hiking season? Whatever you are into (or want to become a part of) biking will pave the way. I attribute my commute to achieving 2nd overall female ultimate climber in the 2014 Fight for Air Climb. Powering your own commute by bike is an amazing way to get in better shape!
4. Everyday is bike to work day. When I first got my bike, I thought I would ride 'once or twice' a week, and only during the summer. Once I discovered how fun it was, I became a year-round commuter. Denver has fairly mild winters making year-round bike commuting an easy choice.
5. Bike commuting will make you a better driver. I have always considered myself a good driver, but a year on the bike has made me better. I am more aware of people on bikes and make a more concerted effort to better share our roads.
6. Your thoughts about transportation will change. For years I never even considered bike commuting, my mind, like many others, was car-centric. A year of bike commuting made me realize that bikes are not an alternate form of transportation, they ARE transportation.
7. You might become a zealot. Now that I have been converted, I can't wait to encourage others. Daily bike commuting has been the single best change I have made in years.
8. You will get healthier. It almost seems like a side benefit, behind all of the fun you'll be having, but daily bike commuting will have a positive impact on your health. Without any added effort besides getting to work and back every day, you will easily be achieving recommendations for daily activity. You will get some fresh air. You will have a chance to 'un-plug'. You might shed some extra pounds. You will reduce your risk for a host of nasty diseases.
9. There is (almost) no such thing as bad weather. I used to be such a fair weather outdoor enthusiast, daily commuting has changed that too. Aside from copious amounts of ice and or snow, nothing will keep me off the bike trail. Once you are out in it, it never seems too bad. Plus you'll never have to scrape windows or let your bike warm up, it is always ready to go!
10. You are the captain of your own ship! After years of bus commuting, the freedom of bike commuting is a thrill. Traveling by bike allows you to stop and check things out. From unplanned brewery visits to surprise wildlife encounters, being on your bike lets you dictate the terms of your commute, in a way transit or cars simply can't. My bike route parallels portions of I-25 and Santa Fe Drive, and as I sail past cars idling in traffic, I wish I could encourage them to hop on a bike instead.
11. You can bike thousands of miles a year, and still not own any lycra shorts or a super fancy bike. It has been 365 days since I started bike commuting. In that time I have ridden 3,000 miles. I don't own any lycra. I don't know much about bikes. I don't consider myself an 'avid cyclist'. I don't know anything about bike sports. These are not bragging points or confessions of ignorance, but rather facts that hopefully will encourage others who may be intimidated by pricey bike gear or snobby 'weekend warriors'.
12. Your faith in humanity will be bolstered. When was the last time a fellow motorist smiled and waved at you, marveling, however briefly in your joyful, shared experience? If you exclude the 'ol one finger salute, my guess is rarely. Yet on a bike, this happens all the time. There is an instant camaraderie in bike riding, that springs from the fun of being on a bike. While car commuting can be an isolating experience, bike commuting makes you feel like you are in a secret club.
Monday, April 28, 2014
I was wishing I was heading on a big adventure instead of to...
I was wishing I was heading on a big adventure instead of to work this morning, with my camping gear loaded up. The second round of groceries for an overnight with 2nd graders will be my evening Big Dummy challenge.
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Sunday, April 27, 2014
My OTHER bike blog
Hi! Hope everyone had a nice week of riding. I had a fun, mellow ride to Cherry Creek and all over town on Saturday. Now I'm getting ready for overnight trips coming up at school, but hope to be blogging often. If you notice I'm slacking, remind me, and check my other blog: godummygo.tumblr.com. I think I linked them both successfully, so will actually remember to share more adventures now.
Haulin'
What a slacker poster I’ve been! Between my job moving, and trying to post regularly to another blog, I’ve missed documenting some serious Big Dummy fun. As camping season gets started at school, I’ve been figuring out all sorts of creative propane, gear, grocery hauling setups. All this stuff goes to school tomorrow… To be continued!
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Friday, April 25, 2014
An unexpected commute
Today I had an unexpected commute. Mon/Wed/Fri are my swim days. However, after finishing boot camp, I discovered that I had brought everything for a swim except my suit and goggles! Fortunately, I did have my 'cross bike in the back of my car as Fridays I take my seniors out on a bike ride. So I decided to use my swim time to ride into work.
Bike: Fuji Cross Comp
Attire: Fox chamois liner, North Face baggie mountain shorts, Specialized Body Geometry mountain shoes, fingerless gloves, short sleeved jersey, arm warmers
Carriers: Osprey Backpack
Since I had to improvise, I transferred things I didn't need out of my backpack in order to carry my work essentials with me, including my lunch. Now, I'm not one for commuting with a backpack, as it doesn't carry a whole lot, and you sweat a lot more with a bag on your back. But I wanted to ride, so I did what I could to make it work.
It was a gorgeous morning; deceptively so. I had 3 pairs of gloves to choose from in my car, and picked the wrong ones - at 7:30am, it was still rather chilly out, and my hands were frozen in fingerless gloves (lesson learned!). I'm also one to take it slow going into work to sweat as little as possible - however, the windiness of the Platte coupled with where I parked made the ride a little longer than I expected given my driving route. It added about 3 miles to usual commute on the road. Since I had a client at 8:30am, I had to pick up the pace a bit. Still, I can't complain when my views are of the river, and my 'traffic' is people on the side of the trail photographing to local wildlife!
It's just under 9.5 miles to work from where I started - not a bad ride in, around 45 mins. A little slower than I'm used to riding, given the bike I was on and having to carry a pack. It was a good baseline ride that I can use when planning commutes for the future. The ride home was uneventful, though a little windy at 5pm at night. Nothing that would stop me from riding home. The clouds that had formed reminded me that we're getting into that time of year of afternoon thunderstorms, which means I need to dig out the rain jacket and keep it handy. I've been caught in bad weather before and improvised with a garbage bag when I needed to!
The best part of the day was my late morning ride with my seniors. A nice and easy 7 miler along the Highline with residents of the campus I work at. We had heard there are baby owls at the Flyin' B Park, so we looked for them but didn't locate them. Temps has warmed up since I had ridden in, and it was a pleasant ride. And when I say seniors, well, the oldest person is 90 years old!!! How awesome! The day before we spent a half an hour together as he told me stories of how he rode around New England as a late teen/young man during the summers staying at youth hostels. He would ride 100 miles a day, and would cover 3,000 miles a month!! He did it with only a small knapsack. I love that he's still riding at 90 years old. Goes to show you, you're NEVER "too old".
Bike: Fuji Cross Comp
Attire: Fox chamois liner, North Face baggie mountain shorts, Specialized Body Geometry mountain shoes, fingerless gloves, short sleeved jersey, arm warmers
Carriers: Osprey Backpack
It was a gorgeous morning; deceptively so. I had 3 pairs of gloves to choose from in my car, and picked the wrong ones - at 7:30am, it was still rather chilly out, and my hands were frozen in fingerless gloves (lesson learned!). I'm also one to take it slow going into work to sweat as little as possible - however, the windiness of the Platte coupled with where I parked made the ride a little longer than I expected given my driving route. It added about 3 miles to usual commute on the road. Since I had a client at 8:30am, I had to pick up the pace a bit. Still, I can't complain when my views are of the river, and my 'traffic' is people on the side of the trail photographing to local wildlife!
The best part of the day was my late morning ride with my seniors. A nice and easy 7 miler along the Highline with residents of the campus I work at. We had heard there are baby owls at the Flyin' B Park, so we looked for them but didn't locate them. Temps has warmed up since I had ridden in, and it was a pleasant ride. And when I say seniors, well, the oldest person is 90 years old!!! How awesome! The day before we spent a half an hour together as he told me stories of how he rode around New England as a late teen/young man during the summers staying at youth hostels. He would ride 100 miles a day, and would cover 3,000 miles a month!! He did it with only a small knapsack. I love that he's still riding at 90 years old. Goes to show you, you're NEVER "too old".
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