Cold as Ice

It was a bit chilly this morning in SD. Guessing somewhere in the 40's. I know other parts of the country think we are wimps to even talk about the weather unless it is something like 10 below, but nonetheless, it was chilly. I broke out the knee warmers and jacket this morning. Probably could have used to full-finger gloves too. I'm not a big fan of getting decked out in cycling gear, but those knee warmers are so nice! Those plus a cycling vest are probably the 2 best pieces of cycling clothing to have around here. Even in the 40's and 50's, the knees can get damaged from the cool air if you are working them hard without any protection. The vest is great to keep the wind off your chest while the back can still breathe. I wore the jacket this morning since I had on a short sleeve shirt. With a long sleeve jersey or arm warmers, the vest would have done the trick.
The cooler times of year are my favorite for riding for some strange reason. Maybe it is knowing that you are one of the few "real" cyclists when you are out there when others are taking the bus or driving. You know what they say, "the weather is never too bad, you're just not dressed appropriately."

Slow Ride, Take It Easy

It's been one of those months, or two, where normal bike commuting has been interrupted with various obligations that made driving the car more common that I wished. As soon as I get in a good groove of biking to work, I am off the bike for several days of driving. The rhythm of the commute is so different between the two. While biking, I feel more free, able to get a better grasp on the thoughts for the day. While driving, it is all about watching the road, the other drivers, lights, and more lights. Seems like it is all stop, go, stop, go. I have to admit, though, that driving is actually faster for me (at least in the actual time from home to work and back home. I know there are arguments that overall, biking is faster. At least once you factor in the time for earning the money to pay for the car, maintenance, etc.) When driving, it is easy to get into a "hurry-up" mentality. Late? Just drive faster! Late, and riding a bike? Well, too bad...you can only pedal so fast. That's one big thing I have learned about cycling. You are forced to slow down and pace yourself. You have no choice but to "take it easy" sometimes. If you're running late, well, you're gonna be late. You have to physically and mentally adjust to cycling for transportation. In an auto-centric society such as ours, it can be difficult to explain to others (boss, spouse, etc) why you need to leave or arrive several minutes early or late because you are cycling. "Why don't you just drive?" That's the expectation. If only we were all in the slow down frame of mind...

Draggin'

The mighty dragon raised his head, ready to unleash a fiery death upon the town dwellers below. But wait; what's this? A lovely young maiden stepped from the crowd. She offered herself to the dragon, pleading that he spare the others and take her instead. The dragon was so taken by her beauty, that he began shedding tears of joy. Unfortunately, his tears were so massive that they flooded the town and all perished...
Oh, wait...you mean "dragging", not "dragon", huh? What I meant to say is that I have been dragging the last few days. I was feeling so rundown yesterday that I could not pull together the strength to ride in to work. Had to admit defeat and take the car. I know I should not complain, but the heat in San Diego has been unforgiving. After days of it, I am completely drained. It just has been too hot to get a good, restful sleep. Sometimes, as much as I hate to admit it, I need a break from the normal bike commute.
So, what do you do when you're just too tired to ride? Commuters can be notorious for riding in "no man's land". We are riding in a constant physical effort zone that does not offer much physical improvement, but is a hard enough effort to wear us down over time. Alternating easy and hard effort days can help. On the easy days, ride at a pace that feels too easy, maybe even guilty. Use lower gears and spin easy. On the hard effort days, push it a bit and throw in a few really hard effort bursts. This can help to "wake up" your muscles. I'll admit that I am a victim of "no man's land". I find it difficult to ride easy when I have to get to work, plus I have hills to climb, no matter what. But, I am trying to be aware of it and force myself to ride easy on the easy days. Altering your route, even by just taking a different side street for a block or two, can provide the visual variety you need. Bike commuters will often seek out different routes to work or home. Sometimes even a longer route can be just the change to revive the soul.
If you are already worn or burnt out, go ahead and skip a day or two. Take public transit if available, bum a ride with someone, take the car if you have to. You body needs to recover or it will only get worse.
You know it's true - eat right and get plenty of rest. Riding takes a lot of energy. Make sure you are replenishing you body of the water and nutrients it needs. Riders just starting out may not realize how much more food they need to eat. Just make sure it is healthy food. You'll need carbohydrates and protein. Eat sensibly and you should be fine. Commuting by bike does not give you the excuse to eat an extra doughnut or cookie at work, although I have been guilty of it once or twice.
If you are more mentally than physically tired, a non-commuting type ride may be in store. After work or on the off day, plan a leisurely ride with no real time commitment. It can be a planned destination ride or just a wondering ride with no set route. Either way, this is a ride to break away from the daily got-to-get-to-work-right-now routine. Let you body and soul rediscover the pure simple joy of riding a bike.

Ride to OB

My DD and I recently took a bike ride on the OB bike path. It now starts on the east side at Hotel Circle. The path is a nice, flat ride right into Ocean Beach.

Are Bike Commuters Happier Than Others?

Article here from Planet Green. For the most part, I would say we are. There are the physical benefits that translate psychologically. It also depends on if you are commuting by bike because you choose to, or if you have to. Individuals getting around on bike because they cannot afford any other method may not be happier because of. For them, it is just a hard fact. But, in general, for those choosing to bike rather than driving or public transit, odds are they are happier for it. :-)

Quiet Streets

The ride in today was nice...quiet streets for most of the commute. Why? The K-12 public schools finished up the school year yesterday! My ride in to work takes me near the elementary and high schools. What a difference in the amount of traffic with no school. Hard to imagine how may parents there were driving their kids to school! Oh well, I will enjoy the summer commuting while I can.

Financial Woes Trump the Cycling Whimsy

Financial woes have forced corporate to pool all money together, so the cycling whimsies will be put on hold. It is time to go extreme ghetto. Instead of an Xtracycle, we're now going to have a go at bucket panniers. It's a far cry from the load carrying capacity of the Xtracycle, plus you cannot give other people a ride on buckets, but at least it should allow for trips to the grocery store. There are plenty of ideas and designs on the internet about converting buckets into panniers. Here are a few...
IBIKETO - http://www.ibiketo.ca/guide/how-tos/how-make-panniers-out-buckets
Crazy Guy on a Bike - http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Buckets
Instructables - http://www.instructables.com/id/Best_Cat_Litter_Bike_Buckets/
Wheel Revolution - http://wheelrevolution.blogspot.com/2007/05/bike-bucket-diy.html