Commuter Challenge winner for July

Our July commuter challenge winner is Doug S from Mansfield MA. He commuted a total of 862 miles in July. 

 I asked Doug to write in about why he commutes. Here's what he had to say. Way to go Doug!

Inspiring others to ride is one of my goals.  It’s a tough sell most of the time.  Whenever the topic comes up with potential recruits, I offer to meet them and ride with them, no takers yet.  Once I even offered to bring my tandem in and pick them up on the way, (that was kind of whacky, in retrospect, Im glad they declined).  At work I am known at work as the bike guy, out of about 1000 people here, there are only a couple who ride in, and they only do it a few times a year.  In one way, its cool because on more than one occasion co workers have actually said that I was their hero when they saw me setting out to ride home in the snow or in the rain.  One day I was in a store miles away from where I usually ride and a guy came up to me and said, “Are you the guy I see riding in Sherborn in all kinds of weather?”   I said yup!.  He thought that was awesome, I said he should try it too.   Another time someone else from a car said he thought it was great to see me in all weather, nearly every morning at the same intersection.   Once a coworker said, seeing me on my bike riding home made him think that all is right with the world.   I was riding to work during a light snow storm and someone drove up and slowed down to ask me if I noticed that it was snowing, I said, yeah, so what?.  Of course, others have made various negative comments regarding the wisdom etc of riding in the snow.  I turn it around and ask what they are doing in something that will kill someone.

 

July commuting:  my usual route is 28.5 miles each way.  Typically, I ride about 4 days a week. On a good day, it will take 1 hour and 1/2 each way, usually it takes me about 1 hour and 40 minutes each way.  Some days, I only do one way, in this case I will drive in, leave my car at work and ride home, then ride back in the next AM.  Fortunately, we have showers and a gym at work so I can shower when I get in.  I ride year round, except if the temp gets below 20F or if its raining at night.  Below 20F, no matter what I do, my hands and feet cannot stay warm enough to survive the ride, if I only had to go a few miles it would be OK.  When its raining and dark, even with good lights, I think the visibility from cars is too low.  In the dark I use some good lights.  I believe its most dangerous at dusk, when Its pitch dark, as long as its not raining lights really make you show up, whereas in low light levels, its much harder to be seen.

 

Some of my commuting miles this month were accumulated riding to and from bike races.  The most recent one was the Norwell Circuit race in Norwell, MA.  That day was a tough day, I did the masters 35+ race and the 45+ race (Im 52). It was about 23 miles to and from the race.  Overall, that day I logged about 93 miles.  I only completed part of the 35+ race because of a flat, but in the following 45+ race I managed to get on a break on the last lap and held off the pack (or at least those who were not in the first break) until the hill finish, where a handful of guys passed me putting me from 5^th to 11^th place.  I have to thank the team I was working with (Blue hills cycling club) for holding off the chasers as long as they did and allowing me to get away.  I was really stoked with that finish.  It was hot too,  based on my weight upon leaving and when I returned home, I lost 5 lbs of water, in spite of drinking 9 28 oz bottles of sports drink.

(As you may know, these races are not for sissies, in the 35+ race the local retired pro, a former US national champion participated, he ripped everyone’s legs off and of course won).  He rode there also, with the regional crit champ, who said that they were planning to go from the gun, then he asked me if the thought of that made my heart rate jump, I said “the sight of you two riding up made my heart rate jump”.

 

Some might say gee, that’s a lot of time on the bike every day. Sure it is, I just think Im lucky to be able to do it, its like a bonus that no one takes.  Its accomplishing several things at once, Im saving gas and money, not contributing to global warming, staying fit, setting a good example for my kids….. I just don’t get why more people don’t see it this way.  Sure, some cannot because of health issues, no showers at work, etc.  Like, I don’t get why people who are out of shape decide to take the elevator up one floor.

 

Whats the real time cost?  If I drive it is at least 45 minutes, sometimes an hour and 10, depending on traffic.  Driving every day, that would be 1.5 to 2.3 hours every day vs. 3 to 3.5 on a bike?  By my math, that’s an extra hour and a half to 2 hours.  Its funny, much of my thinking about commuting revolves around rationalizing why people should do it.  Sure riding can be hard work, but how hard do people work to afford their cars?  How many hours a week do you work just to own a car?, most do that w/o thinking, how hard did you work in school to get into your profession?

Its too hard is not an answer.  I think its the same stupidity that reigns where a developer clears off all the trees even the big ones, builds a bunch of mcmansions, then gets landscaper to plant all kinds of little trees that need all kinds of attention…..