Today I accomplished something that I've been wanting to do for some time. I rode my bike to work. And then I rode it home at the end of the day. Ever since I started biking seriously I've looked for ways to ride more and drive less. Well, sort of. I've always thought it would be cool to live in an urban area that put home close enough to work and shopping that I could do most of my daily travel by bike. Living in suburban hell and working 25 miles away kind of put a damper on that, but I'll admit I didn't push to hard to commute to the few local places I shop.
But now I work just less than 14 miles away, and most of those miles are rural roads. Ever since I took the job I've been toying with the idea of riding in. Today I did it and had a pretty good ride, but I don't think I'll be doing it again anytime soon.
I learned a few things on the road today.
Number One: An hour long commute sucks, even if it IS on a bike. By the time I got near the house, I was just pissed off that I was still not home. Honestly, the ride was pretty enjoyable, but 14 miles is just too far for me to do it often. If I lived 5 miles closer, it would be hard NOT to ride to work. It was great to watch the sun come up while on the bike. Riding an hour home after a full day's work on the other hand was just a chore, and that's not what I want riding to be.
Number Two: Road riding for me is a very social activity. Riding an hour by myself sucked - I started talking to myself (well - more than normal) on the way home. I think it would be better with an iPod at least. The experience really made me understand that interacting with my friends - even the limited talking in a fast pace line - is a big part of why I ride.
Number Three: There is a heck of a lot of traffic on Houston Lake Road in the afternoon. Don't any of you people WORK?
So, there it is. I did it, but it will be a while before I do it again. I might consider doing a half-and-half commute. Drive in with the bike, ride home, ride in the next day and then drive home. That might not be so bad. Plus, if we ever move for employment, I know my ride-to-work radius is about 10 miles when buying a house.
