Living Car Free - Getting Around?

Thought this would be my biggest worry ya know living in an urban core of the city with 520 SQ. MI. of sprawl. After a year I can make snap decisions and not even car Err care.

15 miles naw takes to long LOL.

5 miles ok I can be there at that time.

One might think I have to walk more with out a car. This is not true my roller blades and bicycle get me where ever right to the door. I walk less, actually.

I can wear the same gear whatever transportation model used. Yes it looks funny on the bus but hay I am safe. My lifestyle moves 10mphs no faster maybe slower.

I am still am impatient I know I can quicken my time. (Which is why I donated my car). I spend more time outdoors and exercising even in summer which reduces stress among a million other things. I spend my down time multitasking. Yes even sing to my self :) I found creative fun to getting around.

When I ride in a motor I feel like warp 9 (slow drivers). We are there? I feel like a camel[] Think environment I drink more water than the average fish. There is no on time, only late and early.

When in doubt call a cab and shut up already you cheap skate.

I put 20 miles. I feel very comfortable riding 40 miles in a day, then turn around and ride 40 the next day. A few years ago I would have put a much lower number, but you get stronger every year if you push yourself just a little. I remember when just riding to the market (2 miles) was a big adventure, now it's something I do all the time without even thinking about it. And like wheel said, you get faster too. You get so you know how long it takes to ride every where so you get there on time--not too early or too late. And he mentioned multitasking. Sometimes I think and plan while I'm riding. Other times I just turn my mind off and enjoy the ride.

Firstly I am car-lite.
I voted 20mi+, but this varies with season. In summer I get very worn out if I must travel 25mi mid-day. There are summer days I do 35mi total for going to work and errands, but it can be tough. Some days in cooler months I have traveled 80mi just for work, errands, visting friends and going to a show.
Al

I put 15 miles as a one-way limit and mainly only cos of time restrictions - that would take about an hour. I couldn't really put a daily limit though cos there are too many variables. Also I don't count my 10 mile round trip commute as cycling miles as i do them everyday and it's just part of my life. Cycling beyond that gets counted and I've done the commute plus a 26 mile round trip for an evening class before.

Firstly I am car-lite.
I voted 20mi+, but this varies with season. In summer I get very worn out if I must travel 25mi mid-day. There are summer days I do 35mi total for going to work and errands, but it can be tough. Some days in cooler months I have traveled 80mi just for work, errands, visting friends and going to a show.
Al
Al, you are for sure one of the all-time bike studs. I think you might be around my age (51) and you put in so many miles without either whimpering or bragging. Very inspirational. What is your weekly average mileage? And, if it's not too personal, what is your age?

Al, you are for sure one of the all-time bike studs. I think you might be around my age (51) and you put in so many miles without either whimpering or bragging. Very inspirational. What is your weekly average mileage? And, if it's not too personal, what is your age?
Hey, I'm only 36. The miles I mentioned above are the atypical 'long' transportational mileage days, which I try to avoid by not doing multiple opposite sides of town trips a day.
I always ride at least 18mi a weekday. Throw in ~20mi transportational extra a week and another ~100mi recreational but average less than 150mi a week total.

No basis to brag even if I wanted to as there are many commuters who ride much further and many recreational rides who ride much futher as well.

My previous comment here was partly to get wheel's attention - wondering outloud how to handle long mileage demands in the summer - especially mid day.

Al

The opening post of this thread could be a poem!

The opening post of this thread could be a poem!

Thanks ,
I do write, not very well.
Yea I am always amazed at AL and others who can pile on the miles. I find it takes so much time out of my life and energy. Although I know if the goal was there I could do it. Next semester is going to hurt I can already tell. I am going to have 140 mile a week commutes.
And they say College is a challenge. I say just getting there is hard enough

I used to ride 20 miles per day, going to the uni and back. No big deal - and lots of energy to do more riding if necessary. :)

I think it depends much less on the actual number of miles and much more on the conditions (traffic, road surface, weather, terrain). 10 miles in heavy traffic uphill in rain on a narrow road is going to tire and stress anyone out. 30 miles on a beautiful country road with a tailwind will be over before you know it, and you'll be longing for more.

In conditions I am in, 20 miles per day is completely doable and is nothing to brag about. I used to do it when I was a student, and it was just refreshing and didn't even take that much longer than driving or subway + bus would have. Main reasons that prevent me today from going somewhere by bike is not distance but bad roads (for whatever reason... traffic is the main one usually) or the risk of bike theft etc. Unless we're talking 30-40 miles one way... that does start getting "too far". :) But I rarely have to travel distances like that.

Like 100 miles + is hard, because then it comes an overnighter. Otherwise I am set up for many miles without troubles.

As things currently stand I'm probably averaging around 60km/day (around 40 miles) with general riding anyway. It's not unusual for me to just get on my bike in the morning and ride 250km just for the heck of it. It's never really too far if you just put your mind to it.

Captain Obvious reporting in: I haven't really had any difficulty whatever with round trips up to 30 miles, but the longer the trip is, the more time it takes to ride it, and the more time you have to spend outside in the weather.

if a one way trip is gonna be take more than a 2 hour ride i seriously reconsider how necessary it is for me to go in the first place...