Yeah. I know. It's all about bicycles with me. Sometimes it is. I don't expect everyone to do as I do (though some part of me wishes that more would). I do hope that my stories help others realize that driving a car ANYWHERE is not the only option. ANYWHERE. From 19th Avenue in San Francisco to Mount Desert Island in Maine--there is a way to get there without a car.
Travelling with my bicycle on transit, I have so much flexibility. Traffic is just something out the window. If the bus is a little late--and I miss my connection (like I did yesterday)--then I have a backup plan.
Yesterday, I had a site visit to do at a rural property south of Sacramento. I hatched up a plan to travel from my office to the site using a combination of transit and my bike. Seeking to be honest and considerate, I ran the notion by my supervisor first and got his approval. "The agency doesn't have a policy on bicycling. I don't see how it's any different from you walking from an airport terminal to a rental car agency. Just be careful out there." So off I went, with my bike, to the bus stop about two blocks from my office.
The bus was nearly ten minutes late and arrived at the transit center after my planned connection had already left. I was able to catch light rail instead, which didn't take me as far as the planned bus route, but at least it was in the right direction. I was already planning to ride my bike five miles from the bus... instead I got to ride nine miles from rail. No biggie--there was a bike lane most of the way out of town and no wind.
When I got out of town--about thirty minutes into the ride--I had to remind myself that I was at work. I rode on rural roads through pastures and oak savannah. Beautiful, picturesque. It is the sort of ride I might do for recreation. Despite missing my connection, I arrived at the site in time to stop under a tree and eat my lunch. It was truely a wonderful afternoon.
I met my contact at the wildlife refuge and rode around with her in an SUV for a few hours, doing the sort of work that I do on refuges.
At the end of my visit, I looked at my watch. If I had driven one of the agency SUV's from my office, I would have been diving into rush hour traffic. I would have had to return the vehicle to the motorpool, on the other side of the city, before returning home.
Instead, I got back on my bike and headed back to light rail. From there, my bike and I took the train downtown, to within three blocks of my apartment. I was home from work about twenty minutes earlier than normal, ready to set about preparing supper.
So. I do the bike commute thing. It's great and I think many more people should try it. I ride my bike to the grocery store--people should try this, too, even if it means buying or making a basket for your bike! Each week, I take my bike on Amtrak so that I can go home to Oakland to see my family and work on my house. I ride my bike to the hardware store pulling a trailer. And now, I am seeking to bring my bike into my workplace. Our agency is seeking to show a smaller carbon footprint and 'be greener'. Well. I can get on that bandwagon and shoulder a little of the necessary work to make it happen!
Out of this, I get a fun ride mixed in with my regular work schedule. It's a nice diversion from sitting at my desk, composing more emails.
Maybe you aren't ready to take your bike on the bus for a cross-town excursion. Maybe you aren't equipped to carry all of your groceries home from the grocery store. That's fine. It's like anything else--work in increments. Set goals that move you toward indpendence from the gasoline pump.
This sort of independence is more than just being prepared to do a bike ride that might make you sweat. There is something to being prepared to walk into your workplace with your bike helmet. Believe it or not, though you think you look like a goober with that thing on, a lot of people respect a person who rides into work.
It might be a big deal to sell your 4x4 and trade the Jeep in for a Specialized Stumpjumper. I know there is a lot of testosterone wound up in off-road riding, mud-bogging, muscle cars, or just driving around in the sort of equipment that helps people understand just how tough one is. We all have our insecurities. Those will start to vanish when you've been riding a bike ten miles a day for a month and gas prices hit $5/gal.
Cycling is something a lot of people do for fun. Cyclists on the road, following the rules, and using their bikes as a means to accomplish missions that we ordinarily do from the seat of a motor-vehicle... those folks are honestly trying to take one for the team.
Go team Human.
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