Ride Your Bike to Work Week

Here we are, the first day of Ride Your Bike to Work Week. I've committed myself to riding to work every day this week. I'd actually love to always ride, but I feel I have a pretty good excuse, so I don't.

It isn't that my commute is long--it's only 3.5 miles. Besides, if distance were the only problem, I'd just get up earlier and leave earlier. Nor is it that traffic is bad--I can stay on residential roads almost the entire route. No, I have a better excuse than that.

You see, my daughter goes to school 10 miles (by the freeway--the most direct route) south of where we live. There are no buses. My work is north. She also cannot be at school any earlier than 8:15 and I try to be at work by 8:30. I've thought about using a trailer and taking her to school by bike. I'm sure I could start early enough to get her there on time. Once again, though, I'd time it to arrive there by 8:15, and I'd then be a good distance from work (probably 20 miles or so because of the streets I'd have to take).

As a consequence, in order to ride to work today, I drove my daughter to school. Then I stopped by my house and switched to my bike. I got to work around 8:45, which wasn't too late, though later than I'd like. Somehow I feel like I'm living the principle of bike commuting, but missing all the benefit. I mean, 3.5 miles! That's almost not even worth the sweat. I'm hoping I can take the "long" way home, though only about 7.5 miles.