30 Days of Biking Week 3 (April 15 to April 21)

April 15

Trip 1: Preschool drop off

Miles: 3.5
Cargo: 45-pound child, my laptop bag
Weather: 40°F, sunny

Trip 2: Morning work commute (from preschool)
Miles: 7
Cargo: my laptop bag
Weather: 50°F, sunny

Trip 3: Evening commute home
Miles: 4.4
Cargo: my laptop bag
Weather: 70°F, sunny

Comments: I always took the car on mornings when I had 9:00 AM meetings. My reasoning was that if it usually takes 45 minutes to an hour to bike to work, and I can't join the meeting by conference call while riding, then I had better take the car, join the call at 9 by phone, and walk into the meeting by 9:15 or 9:30 at the latest. Biking from preschool today at top speed, I managed to make it in 35 minutes. That's 7 miles in 35 minutes. I walked into my 9:00 AM meeting at 9:05 — very respectable. I never, ever thought this was possible. I passed a cyclist in full kit on a steep hill (he later passed me, because two bikes on the same road equals a race!) and pedaled as hard as I could with the e-assist on full power. Incredible.

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April 16

Skipped. I had a 9 AM meeting and my kids were taking their sweet time getting up in the morning, so I didn't have time to bike. OK, I had time to bike, but couldn't figure out how to call into the 9 AM meeting while riding my bike. It's super easy to join a conference call with an earpiece and a cell phone while en route in a car — negligible road and wind noise in the background, easy access to the phone to mute/unmute as necessary. I hate to say this, but I also feel OK with slightly distracted driving, but very NOT OK with the same level of distraction while biking. I use all my senses while biking, most especially hearing, and can't imagine being one of those bozos fiddling with my phone while barely controlling my bike on a busy road. What's the solution to this dilemma if I want to go car free? (Skip more meetings?)

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April 17

Trip 1: Preschool drop off
Miles: 3.5
Cargo: 45-pound child
Weather: 50°F, cloudy, chance of rain

Trip 2: Bakery
Miles: 2.7
Cargo: none
Weather: 50°F, cloudy, chance of rain

Trip 3: Whole Foods
Miles: 1.6
Cargo: two challahs
Weather: 50°F, cloudy, chance of rain

Trip 4: Back to preschool
Miles: 2.1
Cargo: two challahs, two bags of groceries, bunch of flowers
Weather: 50°F, raining

Trip 5: Shoe store
Miles: 1.1
Cargo: 45-pound child, two bags of groceries, "shabbat box"
Weather: 50°F, cloudy

Trip 6: Home
Miles: 3.4
Cargo: 45-pound child, two bags of groceries, "shabbat box"
Weather: 50°F, cloudy

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April 18

Trip 1: Date night out
Miles: 8.5
Cargo: none
Weather: 45°F, cloudy

Trip 2: Home
Miles: 8.5
Cargo: three paperbacks
Weather: 40°F, cloudy

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April 19

Trip 1: Playdate pickup
Miles roundtrip: 1.6
Cargo: 45-pound child
Weather: 60°F, mix of sun and clouds

Trip 2: Joyride with my friend's daughter :)
Miles: ~1
Cargo: 35-pound child
Weather: 60°F, mix of sun and clouds

 

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April 20

Skipped. Vacation day. Spent most of it installing blinds (for maximum frustration).

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April 21

Trip 1: Morning work commute
Miles: 4.4
Cargo: my laptop bag
Weather: 50°F, cloudy, chance of rain

Trip 2: Evening commute home
Miles: 4.4
Cargo: my laptop bag
Weather: 65°F, sunny

 Total miles this week: 57.7