my new bike!

For my birthday I got a road bike! I'm pretty indecisive when it comes to big purchases, but the Fuji Roubaix was on sale at Performance, plus through the powers of twitter I got an extra 10% off. I tried the bike out, remembered how awesome road bikes are, and it was a pretty easy choice after that. I haven't had a chance to ride it very much; I got a flat tire the first time I took it out, and since then it's been rainy and cold.

I forgot how different being on a road bike is compared to my commuter bike. The road bike is so much lighter, my center of balance is completely different, and I got the small clip pedals (my commuter has campus pedals) so I have to be more efficient at clipping in as well. I am hoping for sunny weather this weekend so I can start getting used to being on a road bike again!

Worst Day of the Year Ride

Ever since we got into biking we've wanted to go down to Portland and bike in the city that's always voted #1 in the nation for cycling. I grew up close to Portland, but never spent a lot of time there. So back in February me, my husband, and our friend Matt decided to participate in the Worst Day of the Year Ride.

The weather actually turned out to be sunny and perfect for riding. We started the morning with donuts, coffee, and a drumline at the starting area. It was a relaxed 18 miles, and a perfect introduction to biking around the city. I can see why Portland is considered so bike friendly; tons of bike lanes, those fancy green sections at stop lights, and overall it's very flat and easy to navigate. Plus there are tons of trails, beautiful scenery, and even the bridges are bike friendly. I (very unsafely) took this picture.

About half way through the ride my left pedal fell off my bike! Luckily there was a bike shop just up the street that fixed it for me no problem. The event started and ended at the Lucky Lab brewery (all the different breweries are another reason to love Portland). After the ride there was chili, bread, and beer. It was a great day, a great ride, and I can't wait to bike around Portland some more. Cheers!

Lunch time bike ride

The weather in Seattle has been ridiculously gorgeous the last few days, and so to make a Monday of being stuck inside the office more bearable I decided to do something I've been wanting to do for a long time.

I got on my bike, in my work clothes, and headed to South Lake Union (about a mile away) for some delicious kahlua pork sliders and spicy pork tacos from Marination Mobile. I ate in the sun and made it back to my desk in less than an hour. It made me so happy I'll have to do it again very soon.

The Rain

Waiting at a stoplight on my bike in downtown Seattle.

I always think of January as the worst month of the year in terms of weather here; this January was an exception (thanks El Nino!). The temperatures have been mild, the rain has been nice to me and mainly fallen before or after my rides, and it's even starting to get lighter. I am grateful.

Even when it is rainy in Seattle it's rare for it to be pouring. Biking in drizzly rain can actually be fun. Cars seem to be more aware of me, and there's something refreshing about biking past all the umbrellas and rain gear. When you just accept the fact you're going to get wet it's really not bad at all, although I much prefer it to happen on my way home when I'm not trying to get to work on time and it doesn't matter if I show up drenched. I am lucky though that my commute only takes me 30 minutes. Any longer and I'm sure I'd be less tolerant.

I did ride one day where it was pouring. I didn't realize until I was already on my bike and soaked within minutes. The only dangerous part was that the bike lanes were waterlogged, which meant I couldn't see where the potholes were. One big pothole you don't brace yourself for can lead to falling, but luckily I took it slow and made it home safely enough. Although I resolved never to bike in a downpour again.

I am relieved that the sun is starting to come up sooner and go down later. Biking in the dark just takes a lot more concentration, a lot more lighting, and a lot more gear. I can't wait for the spring when it doesn't take me 10 minutes to put on workout pants, rain pants, biking shoes, booties, workout shirt, bright yellow windbreaker, biking gloves, smartwool hat, and helmet.

The one thing I will miss about biking at this time of the year though is the amazing sunrises and sunsets. They make me giddy as I ride into work and home. Pedaling hard while taking in the view brings me home refreshed and recovered from a boring or busy workday feeling strong and alive. I haven't found any better way to end an 8-hour day of sitting in a very gray office!

A beginning

Three facts you should know about me: I'm a girl. I live in Seattle. I bike. The first fact is important because the ratio of Seattle bike commuters makes me a minority; more men ride to work then women by a ratio of 3:1. The 2nd fact is important because my daily biking adventures happen in Seattle, it's a city I love, and as a biker, the city loves me back more than almost any other city in the US. The last fact is why I wanted to blog in the first place. To convince others that if I can bike, then seriously, anyone else can too.

I biked a lot as a kid, some in junior high, but once I got my driver's license I let my bike sit in the garage never to be used again. Fast forward 10 years. My husband bought a bike last February, and I fixed up my sister's road bike to try riding too. I started bike commuting when my sister came for a visit in April, and quickly showed me that biking in traffic is not as terrifying as it seems, and that even the most intimidating hills can be tackled if you have a high tolerance for pain.

Since May I've biked about 2,000 miles, lost 50 pounds, and completely fallen in love with my bike. The freedom to get around without relying on a car or bus or any other type of vehicle is entirely liberating and exhilarating. Yes, biking can be scary, yes, driver's can be mean, yes, the rain and cold weather can make it hard, but nothing compares to the feeling of flying down a hill, the wind in your hair, the fresh air, and the grin on your face.

With this blog I plan to track my daily commutes, discuss the greatest and worst things about bike commuting, hopefully meet fellow bikers, and convince others that leaving the car at home and getting on a bike is one of the best decisions you'll ever make.