# Thu Jun 01 12:50:29
But with my new bike, a Marin Larkspur (1998 hybrid sort of bike), I biked to work almost everyday. Helpfully, I had geography on my side: my commute was just four miles, remarkably flat, and aside from some sporadic rain (and one day of light snow) the weather was very Californian*. I put a lot of mileage on the bike, riding it around Redwood City, Menlo Park and Palo Alto.
The bike saw a decline in use once we moved to San Francisco. It saw a further decline in use when we moved to Maine, but then a slight uptick as I took it out to the beach a few times. Once we moved to the Portland area, the bike once again ended up in the basement. I did take Zoe out for a few rides on Paula's bike, but they were short hops to the store, usually.
And I meant to get it out last summer. Last fall I got it out for one ride and determined it needed a tuneup. So, this spring that finally happened. Then it rained for a couple of weeks.
But as of a couple of weeks ago, I am back to commuting by bike at least some of the time. The route is a bit more challenging - 6 miles instead of 4, hills instead of flat, traffic instead of trees. But I have made it so far without being run off the road.
It cost $35 to get my bike tuned up, and I am on track to make that back in saved gas/bus fare in less than a month. It saves me fifteen minutes each morning compared to the bus ride, and only takes about ten minutes longer than the average car ride home. Plus, I get exercise and a bit more flexibility in my travel schedule.
I am tracking my miles at We Endure, a sort of social training log. I'm hoping to log a lot of miles before the snow sets in :)
Back on the Bike
Back when I moved to California, I didn't have a car for a couple of weeks, or furniture for that matter. I had a rental car for two days after I arrived to start working, and I made two purchases: a futon and a bicycle. I had not been on a bicycle with any regularity since I was eleven or twelve or so. I tried to get riding again in high school but after a few rides and much frustration (this used to be easy! why is this not easy anymore?), the bike went into the basement and stayed there.
© 2004-2006 mikepop.
