Biking to Work

How is your National Bike Month going so far?  Are you giving bicycle commuting a try during Bike to Work Week?  Did I hear someone say ‘No’?  Why not?  I assure you, it can be great fun.

I remember my first ride..and I still have it in the garage!

I say this as someone who has enjoyed bicycle commuting since grade school.  A five-mile ride that included the one “hill” in Clearwater; the dip on Drew Street between Highland Avenue and Missouri Avenue.  OK, maybe there were other ‘hills’, but that was the one I faced going to and from school, the one I challenged myself on, using a Schwinn speedometer on a five-speed Schwinn Suburban.  Good times.

Good times were had when I lived in Wisconsin for a year and commuted to work, even during the winter months.  Santa brought a studded tire and I was good to go!

Temps below freezing brought new meaning to the phrase “dress warmly” to this Florida girl.

I mentioned in a previous post that I virtual commute to work when I’m home, although for Bike to Work Week, I decided to double the miles of the commute.  I also signed in to the National Bike Challenge, riding for the Vero Cycling Club (because they asked me to).  Last year I rode for the Gainesville Cycling Club, and next year, who knows?  I have 19 years of National Bike Challenge to ride for each of the Florida bicycle clubs of which I am a current member.  Good times ahead.

If you haven’t signed in to the National Bike Challenge, it’s not too late.  You can manually log your miles or use a variety of smart phone apps.  Best of all, you will help with data collection for bicycle miles.  This goes a long way in arguing for funding, those bicycle miles.  The challenge runs from May to September, a hot time in Florida for sure, but that’s the challenge we Floridians face for living in the land of year-round cycling.

Now then, speaking of smart phone apps, not to plug one over the other, but I will encourage the use of Strava.  Why?  The Florida Department of Transportation is working with Strava for data sharing those bicycle miles.  We may not get all the bicycle miles, but it’s a start.

Enjoy the rest of your Bike to Work Week, and don’t forget Friday is Bike to Work Day.  Jacksonville and St. Petersburg have rides planned.  I’ll be in St. Pete, hoping to add to my ‘Mayors who support bicycling’ photo collection.  Mayor Kriseman, are you next?