Another school year, another goal

Hello again everyone. It's been since April since I've updated this blog, and just in case you are unaware of it, today is the first day of September. So, that means it's been like . . . uh . . . since late April since I've updated this blog. Forgive me, but  I'm an English teacher and that pretty much gives me license to avoid mathematical quandaries such as calculating how many days it's been since I last updated this blog.

To let readers know, I did accomplish my goal last school year of commuting by bicycle each day I taught. I didn't teach every day, however. I was absent due to illness a few days, and we had an abundance of snow days which was an easy out for me. These, and the week of spring break, and the two weeks of Christmas break, and the three days off for Thanksgiving break, and  . . . let's see, I'm sure there are many more days we didn't attend school which any devoted business person could easily name off with considerable disgust which now escape me. That being said, each day I taught school I rode my bike.

Actually, I've got to confess the above statement is not true. I walked to school one day because a student at our high school slashed my bicycle tires and I didn't have a back-up bike and/ or tire to ride. I walked that day. But, heck! I thought that was a valid reason for not commuting by bike. I rode through rain (not that big of a deal now), through the cold Kansas winter (again, not as big a deal as I feared), and through the snow and ice (which was the most difficult, due to inappropriate bicycle for that situation).

I don't know yet if I'll make it my goal again, but so far, approaching two full weeks of classes, I've commuted by bicycle to school again. I am confident no student will mess with my bike again. If not, I'll try something different.

That's all for today. Leave a comment below and let me know your commuting stories. And, until your tires get slashed,

Keep on commuting by bike!

MWBC

Look alive!

It's Friday! You know what that mean. It means you're thinking about taking that two wheeler off the daily commute path and pedaling it down a rail trail, or to a local pub, or just around the town or neighborhood without any discernible purpose.After all, Saturday comes right after Friday, and Saturday is the weekend when most of us don't report in to our jobs, and instead we ride our bikes for pleasure; another kind of riding that's not considered "commuting".

Well, I don't have much to add except, get out there and do it! Even if pleasure is one of the biggest benefits we enjoy from commuting anyway, it's nice to purposefully seek out some time to spend just pedaling around and looking at what's in peoples' yards, looking in through their house windows as we roll by, looking at the neighborhoods and the people who live in them; that sort of thing.

While you're out there, be sure to ride defensively. Assume cars don't see you. Establish eye contact. Use a rear view mirror. Be predictable and try to communicate your intentions to drivers. Obey the traffic laws. Wear reflective clothing. Enjoy the ride!

Keep on commuting by bike!
-MWBC

Okay, now the gloves are coming . . .on!

I feel it's important to continue writing about the apparel I don for my near daily commute of close to three miles and fifteen minutes each morning and afternoon the days school is in session. The reason I think it's important is because I am attempting to change the perception of commuting by bicycle in my own little corner of the world and in my own little way. I wish to show those around me they can ride their bikes nearly every day of the year; they don't have to spend large amounts of money purchasing the "latest" gear and bikes; and the type of bike best suited for commuting around here.

What does this have to do with apparel I wear to and from my destinations on the bike? Well, it's important for people to see me wearing "regular" clothes. Take that descriptor with a grain of salt because my wardrobe is definitely threadbare and secondhand, thus disqualifying it from being "regular". Well, people may in fact wear secondhand clothing and still be "regular", but my problem is that my clothing is not fashionable. Anyway, what I mean to say is that I simply wear the clothes I'll be teaching in that day, out on the bike for my commute.

Rather than buying and wearing special jackets and pants,and shoes which are advertised as being cycling specific, I choose to wear my slacks and dress shirts, blazers and leather shoes on the bike. Most of the problem, at least here in the mid west, is the dramatic temperature change from morning to afternoon. When I leave in the morning now, I am wearing a white tee shirt;a semi-turtle neck;  a button up long-sleeve dress shirt;  a blazer of one design or another, a pair of black driving gloves; my slacks, shoes, and helmet. It goes without saying I choose to wear a highly reflective work approved vest as the outermost layer on my torso. This morning I added an additional article of clothing: a black synthetic "scarf" or muffler. It's one of the most versatile things to wear I can find. I love it for preventing the wind from going down the back of my neck. It also seems to act as a heat stopper and allows my body to heat to remain near my chest without escaping up out of the neck of my shirt.

This morning when I left I felt the cold, and by the time I arrived at school I was nearly hot. That's one of the tricks of commuting by bike. It's difficult to be prepared for nearly every weather situation, but there are a few situations I want to always cover. First, the rain. I always carry an old two piece rain suit in my backpack folded as compactly as I can manage. It's old and believe it or not,the crotch is all ripped out. It's totally the wrong color for commuting by bike: gray! But, luckily I've taken the time to attach quite a few reflective adhesive trailer stickers to it. By stickers I mean the adhesive white and red rectangle ones used to attach to trailers and the rear of work trucks and gates and the like, not the ones depicting our favorite cartoon personalities such as Scooby-Doo.

I like the many layers approach to dressing for the cold. That's because I can always remove articles as the need arises and I have adequate temporary storage for transporting them when not in use. Layering clothing seems to make the body breathe a little easier and reduce the overheating effect.

That's about it. Each day more or less determines how I'll dress. In the upcoming weeks I'll add a windbreaker type article which I'll wear to keep the cold wind and air from freezing my arms and chest. After that has exhausted its usefulness in the cold, I'll begin topping off all this with a zippered leather jacket. The difference is dramatic!

One thing I would like to add to my list of accouterments is a balaclava. My ears do tend to get cold and ache in the truly cold weather. But, I don't like to wear caps and such under my helmet.

Just don't despair. All the stuff I wear and use is not cycling specific gear and has been purchased or given to me from a variety of sources. I definitely don't wear spandex. I utilize platform pedals with no clips. That's because they allow me to wear whatever shoes or boots I wish to wear, rather than using clip-less pedals and the accompanying shoes, which means I'd be forced to carry extra shoes for teaching, or keep a pair in the desk or somewhere else in my room. Instead I keep a boot brush in my desk to maintain the leather if it needs it.

You don't have to wear cycling specific clothes in order to commute by bike.You just need to realize what you need and determine if you have it, and then use it. Part of the reason we commute by bike is save a little bit of money. I figured I saved roughly $3 per day I ride my bike. If we go to school 180 days, that's a savings of $540. That's money I'm spending in other places. That's not the only reason I commute by bike, of course. The main reason is I just like it so much. For those who remain uninitiated, it's difficult to understand. Some folks may decide to try it and become discouraged and give up. Try not to. You can do it. I'm no expert and I'm not anything special. I'm just a guy with a goal.

Keep on commuting by bike!
-MWBC

of Lately, the temps have been quite cool in the morning, and dark.

Cool August Mornings

It's that time of year when I leave for school in the morning just before seven o'clock and the temperature is just a little below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. That temperature is cool enough to warrant a jacket. Yesterday, I thought I might as well start wearing my gloves too. It's just at that temperature when it's too cool to go without a jacket, but one quickly becomes almost too warm from wearing it on a ride.

Of course after school it's around 95 degrees and there's no way I want to wear a jacket. So, I fold it, sort of, and stuff it into my backpack, which I carry in my right side collapsible metal wire basket. I cram it into the same compartment where I keep my rain gear stored. My gloves are unnecessary after school as well, so they go in there as well.

My students have enjoyed diverting me away from the lesson and plans for the day by asking me about cycling and my experiences, equipment, etc. Of course, I'm all too willing to talk about it.

Last night, I returned to school from 6:30-8:30 for our open house. I met many parents and a few of them were curious about what their children had related to them about my commuting by bicycle. One big dad, looked like he might have worked the parts counter at the local implement dealer, he was genuinely curious about the type of bicycle I used. I was impressed that he knew to suggest "Is it like a commuter?" I probably am being unfair to the poor guy for being impressed. But, for the town I live in, I think it's kind of impressive. His build didn't fit that of a cyclist: big, 250 or more pounds, big gut, goatee, camo cap. But, I'll give him credit, he acted like it was the most natural thing in the world to commute by bike.

Another mom commented that not many people in this area ride their bikes to work. Yes, there are more and more riding for recreation, but very few of us are commuting daily to work by bike.

A student had commented he'd ride his bike if I would fix his tires for him. That reminded me of my experience when I first moved here four years ago and began to try commuting by bike. I purchased new tires and tubes from Wal-Mart (unfortunately, this is our local bicycle shop) and I even installed some of that Slime puncture seal product they sell. I had the most difficult time keeping those tires inflated. I was averaging about two (2) flats a week just riding to and from school; a distance of roughly three miles one way, all of it on paved surface. When I didn't have trouble getting punctures, I had trouble with keeping the tire seated on the rim. The tube had a tendency to push its way out between the rim and tire. I was frustrated with a capital F! This went on for a few weeks. Finally, the cheapskate I am took the plunge and ordered some Schwalbe touring tires off the internet. Problem solved. Since that time two years ago, I've had only one flat tire. I repaired it, and have had no trouble since. Now, if you are one to beleive in jinxes, I can expect to go out to the garage to hop on my bike this morning and find a flat tire waiting for me since I spoke so highly of my good fortune with those tires.

If I could recommend something to anyone out there wanting to know how to get started and keep going commuting by bike, my advice would be this: buy a high quality USED bicycle (because it will be less expensive) and make your investment in your tires (spend the good money for the ones customer reviews label as bomb proof). Virtually eliminating the worry of a flat tire will be a liberating experience. That's one big thing I ride unprepared for, is a flat. I don't carry an air pump with me or a patch kit. I don't even carry an adjustable wrench with me to remove the wheels (yes, my bike is old enough it doesn't have quick release wheels).

Anyway, get out there and make it happen. You and I can be the trendsetters and show people it can be done. Have a great weekend and happy riding.

The second day shakedown

There is an overused cliche' attributed to the Chinese or Confucius that says the longest journey begins with a single step. As of yesterday, this blog represents my first step toward some unknown destination. The good news is I've taken that step. The bad news is my destination is unclear.

On the previous post, I mentioned full disclosure about being a teacher. The reason I felt I needed to inform readers of my occupation relates to my goal of riding my bicycle to work everyday for the year. When I say that, I feel a little tinge of guilt about it, because realistically I don't commute to the high school all summer, for an entire week in Spring, an entire week in late December/ early January, and about every holiday that honors an important dead person. So, obviously, for me to achieve a goal of riding my bicycle to work everyday for a year is significantly less of an accomplishment than someone who truly works year round.

Nonetheless, I still feel it will be an accomplishment. Allow me to disclose further. Last school year I did manage to ride my bike every school day except for three. These three days were in early January, the first week back to school after our Christmas/ New year's break. Thick ice coated the roads. I could have gone on and rode. I've pedaled on ice before. However, I began to think about my pride and how it may interfere with my ability to make a good decision. Was I being stubborn and taking a risk which could affect my family? Already I take a risk almost daily by taking the bike instead of my pickup truck. Now, let me say cycling is not dangerous, but everytime there's a bike/vehicle collision the bike loses. EVERYTIME! Add to that the increased risk of a fall on the ice, and I opted to drive my pickup those three days until the road crews were able to make the roads navigable for me. I consoled myself by saying I was demonstrating good decision making for my students.

So, technically, even with all the scheduled days on the calendar when school was not in session, I was unable to ride my bike to school everyday for one full year. But, that doesn't take away from the minor hardships I endured getting to and from school all the other days. It still would have been much easier for me to simply drive instead of biking.

I'm almost out of available time to write this morning, but before I go I wish to relate to the readers all my support and encouragement if they are thinking of undertaking a similar endeavor. Ride your bike to work if it makes sense. If you live over five miles from your workplace, it might not be the best idea. However, you likely are made of sterner stuff than I am and can absolutely do it. I gleaned that five mile figure from the many websites I comb through about bicycles and commuting and running errands, so it's not mine. But, it seems like a good rule of thumb. The biggest factors involved in commuting by bicycle year round, for me, were time and weather preparedness.

Tune in tomorrow, or the next day, for the next entry in The Midwest Bicycle Commuter. Hey, I don't get paid for this, and if I want to skip a day I will! Keep those wheels spinning and enjoy another full day of your life. From Kansas, I'm out.