Bike to work!

This is Bike to Work Week. May is Bike to Work month.

I'm gradually increasing the frequency at which I go to work and home by bike. It's fun, and it makes me feel so good.

Yesterday, it was raining, but it wasn't cold, and it wasn't raining heavily, so I was perfectly comfortable.

Today, the weather is lovely.

I feel myself getting stronger. I hardly ever shift to a lower gear to climb the hills. And there are some steep climbs on my route. It's ten miles each way. It's mostly uphill to work.

Here are some really good tips for commuting by bike.

Yesterday at work, a guy who works down the hall, made a comment about my riding into work. I didn't know him, but we had a pleasant conversation. I'm encouraging him to do it soon, and he said it sounds nice. We work at the top of a very large hill, so the uphill portion is intimidating to him, understandably. But it's gotten easier for me, and it will for anyone.

I can really feel it in my tush after I pedal really hard up a hill. I know this is because I'm building muscle, so I'm glad.

I resumed commuting by bike last year, when I was working at Seton Hall University. It's only 1.5 miles from home, so it was a very easy, quick ride. I did it because it was fun but also because it took less time than driving. With driving, I had to park somewhere. I was able to lean my bike up against my desk, so riding was a clear winner. Even though I didn't push myself on that very short ride, I gained five pounds of muscle in that period. My waist didn't get bigger, and my thighs did, which is how I know it's muscle.

If you have any questions or concerns holding you back from cycling to work, please let me know. I can help. I was a bicycle mechanic when I was young, and I'm good at giving tips. Don't think of me as sophisticated. I can help people at all levels.