I did see a guy yesterday riding in his suit and tie. That solves a whole lot of problems.

Was`nt it Lord Hailsham!
A politician from a couple of decades ago, used to commute to the houses of Parliment and 10 Downing Street... Wearing his Bowler Hat and gentlemens umbrellla clipped to his bike. LOL.

i used to be an avid runner but it occurred to me at one point that the line between physical pain and physical exertion while running is an extremely narrow one. i suffered through shin splints and back pain, experimenting with pricey running shoes and techniques. then it occurred to me that a lot of what i thought was exertion was actually the sensation of beating my joints and back to DEATH.

then i discovered cycling and i can't begin to tell you how much more satisfying frictionless exercise is. set your bike up properly, invest in some good equipment, and rest easy that you are getting a workout that is not doing more harm than good. if that doesn't motivate you nothing will.

Most folks think you are goofy for running too; but that never stopped you from running.

I run and bike as well. I know a little about running and alot about looking goofy and my advice is "Let them think what they want --- 'cause they will anyway".

You will be riding the bike tomorrow. Right ?

Dan

I've decided to do a test run on Saturday. It is an 18 mile trek if I can cut through Ft Belvoir (security issues) or 23 miles if I can't. I'm not concerned about the mileage but the time. I've gotta make sure I can get there in time to Sh*@, shower and shave and be at my desk on time.

The "looking goofy" I guess refers to my wife, the first time she saw me in spandex she doubled over and fell on the bed she was laughing so hard.

I think a test run is a good idea. Whether you can get through Fort Belvior is unknown -- I'd suggest calling them. I used to commute through Fort Meyer, and all they required was a Government ID, which I had. Right before 9/11, they were getting ready to require a special permit to travel through their facility.

Since my post-9/11 route does not use the fort, I never found out whether or not the plan to issue a free permit was carrried out or whether everyone is banned from the fort.

Fort Meyer has beautiful 19th century military architecture. I miss riding through there -- and the gate guards were always polite and friendly.

I hope your commute is pleasant and practical for you. If I didn't commute, I wouldn't ride at all -- or get any other significant excercise.

Have a good ride --

Paul

Sipper - I have the same situation, so I'm considering biking one way and driving back the other. I have to do it at least once, just to say I did, but I think it may become addictive.

An hour is a long way, just one way.

I like the suggestion of a trial run.

An hour isn't bad, especially if you think of the time you would lose going to the gym after your commute, or going on a ride after. The net loss isn't bad at all.

Sometimes, with increasing frequency, I ride extra miles in the morning and the evening, pushing my commute to 2 hours each way.

I carry my clothes in my backpack every day, and leave my shoes in my locker at work. The more stuff you leave at work, the lighter and more fun the ride. RainmanP had a good suggestion for keeping your clothes neat. I was in the Navy, and did MANY pushups before learning how to fold mine without wrinkles. Forget the gas and everything else, your ride route by itself sounds like it would be worth the riding.