Posted: 9/16/2010 11:39:59 PM EDT
|
Does anyone do it?
If so, for what distance? I'm considering going to bike to get to work. My math indicates I could save about 110 bucks a month in gas, not to mention wear and tear on an old vehicle. There is a good shoulder on the sole road I can take to get there, and paved all the way from the town I live in to the unit I work at. One way distance is 32.5 miles. I used to regularly bike 25 or so a few times a week for fun, but that was some years and pounds ago. Downside is that I'd have to transport my uniform, as the unit we work at doesn't allow us to store uniforms in our lockers  but there
ARE a couple of showers. I work 12.5 hr shifts, so time is a factor as well. Anyone think I'm crazy to even consider this? Helpful hints? Degrading comments? |
|
Quoted:
Showers would be nice... We've got one by the unit admin offices. I turn out with Administrative Segregation, and there are two showers over there. Thinking about it, if I keep a good rotation of uniforms into the unit laundry, I could just pick up my uniform every day. |
|
Quoted:
I walk to work. So I have a lower carbon footprint than you, as my transportation requires no industrial product of capitalism. I'm not doing it for carbon footprint. I walk about 10 miles a day on my off days now and it takes me about 3 hrs, so that's kinda out due to distance. I just want to save some gas money and almost 300 miles a week on my POS vehicle. |
|
Quoted:
the time used would not be worth the $110 for me but if you are killing 2 birds with one stone and not having to exorcise after/before work I guess it might be worthwhile. That's it too. I want to drop some weight, so that's 4 hours of cardio a day. I would just sneak in under the wire to get home, shower, go to bed, sleep, get up, and, go back. It's 4 days a week. I was actually shocked it was only that much of a savings, truth be told. |
|
I tried riding a bike to work for a couple of weeks, it's about 6 miles.
I was so hot and sweaty when I got there I had to take a shower. So one shower before I went to work and another shower when I got to work. I usually was still sweating after the shower, so my clothes were sweaty at work until I dried out. Going home, I can't stand putting on the same sweaty clothing I wore to wok, so I had another set of biking shorts and a Tshirt. Way too much work for me after a couple weeks. Add in biking home in the rain a few times and I said fuck it. |
|
Quoted:
I tried riding a bike to work for a couple of weeks, it's about 6 miles. I was so hot and sweaty when I got there I had to take a shower. So one shower before I went to work and another shower when I got to work. I usually was still sweating after the shower, so my clothes were sweaty at work until I dried out. Going home, I can't stand putting on the same sweaty clothing I wore to wok, so I had another set of biking shorts and a Tshirt. Way too much work for me after a couple weeks. Add in biking home in the rain a few times and I said fuck it. That's what I was thinking as well. I could EASY see myself doing the exact same thing. .... And I sweat like a pig. |
|
T frequently back.....like today. My car is at the body shop.
It's 2 miles and 20 minutes to there and 3 miles and 40 minutes home. The longer side of it is due to traffic flows, traffic itself, being uphill, things like that. As things go, I have it lucky. I can wear my bike clothes in and the most I need is warm ups to fight the cold of a computer space. But if I had to wear something else at work? Well, that would probably mean something neat and at that point, wrinkles become a big issue because what I carry, I carry on my back and it gets rolled and stuffed. Now, if it was something of needing to do lab work, that would be okay because then, I'd stuff some coveralls (boiler suit, showing my merchant marine upbringings) into the pack or even put panniers on my bike. I have yet to put panniers or a rack on but I have considered it a few times, as recently as Wednesday. But haven't yet. 32.5 miles one way.....that's quite a distance. It would take me over 2.5 hours to do it.......and that's just too much day to day. I won't call you nuts if you do it BUT..... You are working 12.5 hours a day. How fast can you cover that distance, what will it add to your awake time, and how tired will you be after you do it? In August, I was doing my exercise after work on my bike, say about two hours......and I learned very quickly to be done before 11 am, because between the heat coming down and the heat coming off the pavement, it was a virtual oven. In addition to the clothes and books I carried in my pack, I am also carrying an 100 oz CamelBak Unbottle, inserted in the pack. 
I found I was draining that by about 70% at least (my two frame bottles would not do the job at all) daily, even 10 minutes away from home. It's that hot................. ...........................and you're talking about doing a distance that i see as extreme and away from civilization. It does not sound like a wise notion. ____________________________________________________________ ("And always wear your helmet!"––Devo Leader, (w,stte), some Honda commercial) |
|
Quoted:
T frequently back.....like today. My car is at the body shop. It's 2 miles and 20 minutes to there and 3 miles and 40 minutes home. The longer side of it is due to traffic flows, traffic itself, being uphill, things like that. As things go, I have it lucky. I can wear my bike clothes in and the most I need is warm ups to fight the cold of a computer space. But if I had to wear something else at work? Well, that would probably mean something neat and at that point, wrinkles become a big issue because what I carry, I carry on my back and it gets rolled and stuffed. Now, if it was something of needing to do lab work, that would be okay because then, I'd stuff some coveralls (boiler suit, showing my merchant marine upbringings) into the pack or even put panniers on my bike. I have yet to put panniers or a rack on but I have considered it a few times, as recently as Wednesday. But haven't yet. 32.5 miles one way.....that's quite a distance. It would take me over 2.5 hours to do it.......and that's just too much day to day. I won't call you nuts if you do it BUT..... You are working 12.5 hours a day. How fast can you cover that distance, what will it add to your awake time, and how tired will you be after you do it? In August, I was doing my exercise after work on my bike, say about two hours......and I learned very quickly to be done before 11 am, because between the heat coming down and the heat coming off the pavement, it was a virtual oven. In addition to the clothes and books I carried in my pack, I am also carrying an 100 oz CamelBak Unbottle, inserted in the pack. http://media.rei.com/media/923834.jpg I found I was draining that by about 70% at least (my two frame bottles would not do the job at all) daily, even 10 minutes away from home. It's that hot................. ...........................and you're talking about doing a distance that i see as extreme and away from civilization. It does not sound like a wise notion. ____________________________________________________________ ("And always wear your helmet!"––Devo Leader, (w,stte), some Honda commercial) The time factor is my biggest realistic barrier. I usually get home about 0630 and go to bed about 0900....So, 2.5 hrs each way is just under the wire. On the upside, I work 1700 to 0530, so at least it's not in the blazing ass TX sun. I live in Central TX, and the road (FM116) is ok, but it's pretty barren as far as civilization goes between Copperas Cove and Gatesville. I might just go get a 300 buck bike I can give to my son if I can't hack it after doing it daily on my off days. |
|
My bike is a 18 year old steel Huffy Cherokee bought from Target for about $150. It has served me well over the years but I am considering getting an aluminum bike, $500-$1000.
Two reasons. First of all, to have another bike I can use. A month or two ago, the car was in the shop, so I rode my bike. Got back home after dropping the bike off.......and the tire blows out. So I am then to foot and taxis. Secondly, been thinking of the lighter, faster bike, a proper mountain bike for many years now. I still would be keeping my Cherokee for my harsher environment tasks, though. Two things and then some on the bike. First of all, you have to be better organized than you are with the car. Everything you carry has to be attached to you or the bike, you just can't throw it in like you might with a car. As I was thinking tonight, I just can't jump in the car and go, it takes me longer to get ready to use the bike, because of the pack, because of the clothes, because of the helmet. Secondly, I'm going to assume that you are armed to some extent. Have that gun on you, not on the bike, because it is too easy to be separated from the bike. You aren't seat belted to it. And then some..........are you a target to anyone? Will you be an easier one, if you are, on your bike? Remember, motorists alone aren't too crazy about bikers............it is, as a base line, already a stressful environment out there if you are on your bike. Will the arrogancy of some motorist trip off the defenses that one normally reserves for an agressor? These are the questions one must consider for themselves. I love my bike! _____________________________________________ (Why did Sheryl break up with Lance A? Because she didn't like how he was going to pedal her around town., (w,stte), joke) |
|
Quoted:
My bike is a 18 year old steel Huffy Cherokee bought from Target for about $150. It has served me well over the years but I am considering getting an aluminum bike, $500-$1000. Two reasons. First of all, to have another bike I can use. A month or two ago, the car was in the shop, so I rode my bike. Got back home after dropping the bike off.......and the tire blows out. So I am then to foot and taxis. Secondly, been thinking of the lighter, faster bike, a proper mountain bike for many years now. I still would be keeping my Cherokee for my harsher environment tasks, though. Two things and then some on the bike. First of all, you have to be better organized than you are with the car. Everything you carry has to be attached to you or the bike, you just can't throw it in like you might with a car. As I was thinking tonight, I just can't jump in the car and go, it takes me longer to get ready to use the bike, because of the pack, because of the clothes, because of the helmet. Secondly, I'm going to assume that you are armed to some extent. Have that gun on you, not on the bike, because it is too easy to be separated from the bike. You aren't seat belted to it. And then some..........are you a target to anyone? Will you be an easier one, if you are, on your bike? Remember, motorists alone aren't too crazy about bikers............it is, as a base line, already a stressful environment out there if you are on your bike. Will the arrogancy of some motorist trip off the defenses that one normally reserves for an agressor? These are the questions one must consider for themselves. I love my bike! _____________________________________________ (Why did Sheryl break up with Lance A? Because she didn't like how he was going to pedal her around town., (w,stte), joke) I'm pretty organized, because I have to be, but I understand your point on that. We aren't allowed to carry on state property, so I am never armed, sadly, on my way to work. If we have to draw weapons, we draw state weapons at the unit. I'm not a "target" that I know of, per sey, but I'm building a reputation of being enthusiastic at shake downs and searches, and I've "Gotten into (someone's) money" on a couple of occasions, which is code for, I really angered one of the offenders for one or more of my busts, so realisticly, I could become a target at some point. I hadn't reall thought of that aspect of it. |