Like Riding a Bike…

 

I’m now officially a bike commuter.  This is something I’ve been processing seriously for the past few months.  I used to ride my trusty mountain bike to work a few summers ago, but that was only about a mile or so.  My commute is now closer to 4 miles with some fairly challenging inclines.  So in-order to do this seriously I needed to invest in a road-bike.  After some long talks with my lovely and amazing wife, we finally decided it was time to invest. 

I have a dear friend who is an amazing cyclist.  He rode his bike clear across America, CT to WA, as well as competing in triathlons…need I say more?  He and I have been mulling this over for quite awhile, he was even kind enough to let me borrow his road bike for a week, just to see how I liked it.  He works at a bike shop and helped me pick out this beauty…

Biking for me is as much for my personal health and obscene gas prices as it is for the environment.  Trek is heading up a campaign called 1 World 2 Wheels to raise awareness and involvement.  Here are some interesting facts…

-The U.S. could save 462 million gallons of gasoline a year by increasing cycling from 1% to 1.5% of all trips.

-Each U.S. rush-hour auto commuter spends on average of 50 hours a year stuck in traffic.

-In 2003, cars stalled in traffic wasted 5 billions gallons of fuel.

-25% of all trips are made within one mile of the home.  40% of all trips are made within two miles of home, and 50% of the working population commutes five miles or less to work.

The challenge is to change our mind-set when it comes to trips made within 2 miles of our homes.  Instead of hopping in the car, hop on a bike.  It could change the world as well as your overall health.

-The average person loses 13 lbs. their first year of commuting by bike.

-Just three hours of cycling per week can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%.

-A 140-pound cyclist burns 508 calories while pedaling 14 miles in an hour.

Last night I wanted to see some friends play across town and instead of getting in the car I took the bike, setting in motion my bike commuting status.  I travelled 11.7 miles round trip and I was surprised at how quickly I got to my destination.  It was rough going on a few of the hills, but if I keep at it I’m sure they will get easier and easier.  I will keep you guys up to speed as I begin the process of switching over to the “green” side.