"My first full commute" or "How to go both ways"
 

I've been lurking around here for awhile. Gathering up tidbits of information and knowledge. I finally decided to buy a new bike last month (Bianchi Avenue). Got the fenders, rear rack, rack light...the whole deal and started commuting on occasion. However I only rode in and took the bus home. I don't get out of work until 11:00pm and didn't want to take the bike path at night. So, I've ridden the 11 miles to work on the bike path a few times. This past Tuesday I have the great idea that I'm going to ride home also (I already have a headlight from my mountain biking days).

Off I go Tuesday at 11:00pm with LED's flashing, headlight beaming and legs still thinking....what? I took the city streets to be "safer". It cuts the commute by 1.3 miles. I hadn't completey thought out the hills that I go down at the begining of my morning commute, but more on that later. The ride at night was great. Puts a whole new perspective on the city. I wouldn't say my ride home is "dangerous", but some sections are better than others. A few car horns with teenagers giggling and one drunk guys yelling "hey pedal boy" and I was nearly home. Then came the hills. Not large hills by any standard, but hills none the less. I made it up the first one in next to the smallest gear I have. Thinking to myself the whole way, "I'm not going to walk this bike up a hill". Hey, isn't that why they have 27 gears or however many I have? The next hill was worse and longer. Went down to the lowest gear I have and kept repeating to myself, "I'm not walking this bike"!

Well I made it home! A grand total of 20.7 miles for the day. Did I mention that I'm 5'10 and weigh somewhere around 260. Yeah, this is the most activity my poor body has had since I got married over six years and quiet a few pounds ago. When I hear y'all talk about the sense of accomplishment you feel from commuting....I now understand. :)

Congratulations!

The best part is that is only gets easier and you feel better every week.

Al

Attaboy! Sounds like you're well-prepared and soon this will be just another trip home. Congrats on your successful commute.

way to go! every little goal that's met means a lot. you will get faster and stronger, besides looking and feeling better. I have! keep pounding the pedals and let the hills know who's daddy! :)

hang in there. i commute 26 miles 5 days a week, and am 6'3'' 275 pounds, so i know where you are coming from! one of my favorite things to do is catch up to whoever yells at me, and pull right up on top of them, then stand up and give them a "look" I guess i look allot smaller when i am bent over the bike! scares the S@%$ out of the little punks every time when i get up close and personal :)

Congrats!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I'm back at it next week. All in all it was a great time. My wife was very proud of me and that can only lead to go things as well.

:D I'll have to try that. On second thought, I'm not sure I want to do that in the section of town I was in. I'll end up shot, and that's no good for the new "healthy living" thing I'm trying to establish.

AWSOME!

I started commuting full-time last December. (as weather allowed) I was around 245 when I started. I'm 213lbs now. My normal commute is only ~13 miles round trip. With your distance, you will see significant improvement and weight loss in no time!

Welcome to the addiction that is bicycle commuting!

Bob

Wow.

:)

(Watch out for drunks and make sure you can see the road.)

I still can't figure out the psychology of people that taunt cyclists. I guess it's the "I'm in a big bad car and you're riding a stupid bicycle" syndrome. I mean, people that wouldn't say a work to you anywhere else, all of a sudden when you're on a bicycle, you're a target for taunting, etc. It's usuallly just an immature teenager or a loser adult, so it doesn't really bother me, but it sill always makes me think "what are they thinking!!!"

Matt

Congrats! I'm 235 lbs and haven't lost any weight through cycling, but I am healthier and enjoy life more. Take it easy in the first part of your ride home, so you have energy to spare for the hills at the end. The hills will become easier with time as you learn how to tame them.

Congratulations! I've gained 15 lbs, but lost 2 inches on my waist, so make sure you pay attention to the right numbers!

Hills can be brutal, but the nice thing about the human body is that the more you use it, the more it gets used to it! Just make sure you take a day off every once in a while to let your body repair itself.

kickass man!

Yeah what Sean says rings true. Ilost weight like i had worms or something for the first 4 months, then it slowed down hard. What happened was I started focusing more on speed instead of "jsut making it", and I started gaining weight...despite my waist not growing any. My legs started thinning out, and the fat was being replaced my muscle. Then finally the weight loss is starting again since I havent had a speedo for a while, but I'm gettin one again...I don't care if my thighs are the size of small volkswagons...I like trying to beat my old times :D

You'll definately get stronger, and you'll notice how much easier it is, breathing wise too. Actually on a bike commut I finally learned proper breathing technique. I used to huff and puff like mad while doing anything...it wasnt until I was on my biek on a 3am commute that I noticed I was doing it, and slowed down for a few blocks until I could take on normal breathing...man it was so much easier after that!

congrats man... I like this story

Yeah, my other hobby is mixed martial arts. I'm not the best or anything, but the more you spar with others the more you see. At first I never saw the punches that hit me. Now I can see them at least. All that to say, most teenagers and many drunks couldn't fight there way out of a wet paper bag if their life depended on it. And yet, they are the ones yelling at me. You're right though, in a face to face situation, most would say nothing. So I keep my eyes peeled and hope they keep their distance. Once I'm clear of them, I can go back to concentrating on my aching legs. :D

Congratulations, it will only get better from here. I'm a little old geezer now but I knew from my running days that my "ideal" weight was 120-130 lbs. I was at 155 when I started & over the first Summer I dropped down to 140 & lost 2 notches in my belt. Three years later I have slowly gained muscle while continueing to lose fat. I'm back up to 150 lbs now but my waist is still a couple inches smaller. My Spouse tells me she sees a big difference. Just hang in there.