Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Four Months of Commuting...



Saturday was not a ride day for me. As a board member of the Washington County BTC, I was obliged to make an appearance at Kissler's Bikes Saturday morning. The owner has made a gift of his capital equipment (fixtures, tools, even a trailer!) to the BTC. Susan Otcenas has been gracious enough to provide us temporary storage for a few months until we manage to get a cycling center open. The only catch: getting all that stuff from here to there.

So...I biked over to Kissler's and helped load up trucks and trailers, then drove Hal's van out to Susan's where we unloaded. After I got back to Kissler's I loaded up, put on my rain gear, and then went down to the local Free Range Tofu supermarket to pick up some things for dinner. (Rachel only eats happy granola-eating animals that practice yoga after their massage every day.) I got dumped on with one of the few major showers of the day.

But...as I was returning home with a back pack full of flour, meat, wine, and other items for dinner, it hit me. After four months, the rain isn't as wet, the wind isn't as foul, and the hills aren't as steep. It just seems right now, for me to use my bicycle when I commute. It seems downright wasteful to take a trip of only three or six miles in a car.

Add to that the realization that it was costing me about $5 every day in insurance and preventative maintenance just to have my car sitting in my driveway. Hey...you mean I can get paid to lose weight, keep my blood pressure down, stay happy, and fight global warming?

How can I make this message clearer?

Current music: Shine by Edenbridge.

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