Journal of a first time bike commuter: Day 2

So I had to take a couple of days off because I was going to pick up some of my Christmas stuff from my parents, and I needed my car for that. I still haven't gotten it yet. But I decided that today was a beautiful day to be out biking.

Rules learned from day 2 of biking:

1. Constant Vigilance!
pretty much the same as last time, make sure you know what everyone around you is doing. Today I successfully made a man on his cell phone feel bad because he was only looking one way to turn onto the road and not paying attention to what's going on in the other direction (where I happened to be.) By the time he noticed I was there I had already come to a complete stop about 3 feet away from his car and I was just looking at him waiting for him to notice I was there. I hope he remembers that there are people on sidewalks, many of them out walking and jogging.

2. Support the Girls!
This really only applies for females who are biking, but when you're going to work and you want to look your best, rethink changing at work. That awesome bra that makes everything look great and could possibly change the world, could also make you look very unprofessional and sloppy when you show up with the girls all over the place.

3. Focus!
This kind of ties into number 1. Don't be thinking about what stupid things you're going to be posting on your blog, or how you don't want to go see the doctor, or how funny your legs feel while riding... Focus on what is going on around you, if you let your mind wander you're susceptible to the going-ons of people who either don't know you're out there, or don't really care.

4. Watch out for your personal possessions.
Don't keep your cell phone in your back pocket, you don't want it falling out while you're crossing main street and watching it get crushed because you didn't watch where you put it. Also, don't keep your keys in you front pocket, it kinda hurts being poked in the thigh while peddling.

5. Don't judge other bicyclists.
I am kinda heavy, alright if you put my stats in the BMI, I'm obese. That doesn't mean I'm not trying, and it doesn't mean I have no right to bicycle my fat butt to work. I may not look as sleek as you do, and I may be wearing all the wrong clothes... but I'm doing this for my health and the environment... not to fit into some weird bicyclist click, but I'm not going to judge you for being apart of one.

6. Just because you're in a Prius, doesn't mean you're better than me.
I know we're both trying to help out the environment and save a bit of money on fuel prices. It's great that you can still cart around your kids and all your other awesome possessions. But that doesn't mean you should give me pity looks because I "couldn't afford a hybrid."
Sorry to the cool hybrid owners, and the other people who are awesome about bicyclists, I just hate getting weird looks from people who are driving.

Well, I think that's all the rules for today.

Remember, I am not a professional, in fact... I'm like the complete opposite. So take my rules as guidelines and do research from other sources. I'm just writing what I feel is important about bicycling.

First time bike commuter. Day 1

A few years ago, back when I had very little money, I would bicycle to work. It didn't last long, and I was horrible at it. So this year I decided to try my hand at it again with earnest.

Today was my first day actually riding to work. It's April 25th, 2011 and because I live in North Dakota, it's actually the first day I haven't worried about snow or frigid temperatures.

So this morning I woke up with extreme optimism for the day ahead. Today is the day, Today I will become a bike commuter.

My first mistake was deciding to also wear a dress, granted I have pants on too, but I had never tried mounting a bicycle in anything longer than a t-shirt before. So as I tied my lunch to my awesome new rack and admired the fenders that I recently had put on, I thought about the freedom of riding to work and not wasting valuable fuel.

So here are my tips from day one of being a bike commuter:
Feel free to learn from my mistakes.

1. Always act like everyone is out to knock you off of your bicycle and steal it.
*this worked pretty well until I forgot about that and nearly got clocked by a guy opening a door. Luckily the brakes on my bike work pretty well.

2. Remember deodorant.
*You don't want to be known as the office "smelly tree-hugging hippy" just because your motto is "recycle and bicycle".

3. Protect your produce.
* This is especially important if you pack your own lunch and have a bumpy ride to work. I found out that banana's especially don't do well being jolted around.

4. Get your bike checked over by a professional before starting anything.
* I read this somewhere else and thank God that I took care of that when the weather was still cold. The knowledge that your bicycle is as safe as it's going to be and that if anything happens, it's the driver and not the equipment is valuable.

5. Careful on the sidewalk.
*As a respectable bike commuter, one should learn to bike on the road and not on the sidewalks, however if you live in an area where you know from personal experience that many people would like to run down bicyclists who ride on the road, make sure to be careful on the sidewalk. Don't ride to close to buildings in case someone opens a door unexpectedly (see rule one). Be especially careful for pedestrians on the sidewalk, yield to people walking.


Those are all the tips I have for this morning, I'm sure as I continue to bike I will learn more and post them. I am very excited to blog about this, and I hope you who are reading it learn something and also get entertained.

*remember, I am a first-timer. If you are looking for real tips on biking, go to a blog of someone who really knows what they're doing. I am not that person. I am just an apprentice to this way of life.