Bike to work? Well…
May 16, 2008 at 12:35 pm by Ben FryIt’s time to stick it to the oil man. I don’t know about you, but I am getting alarmed, and going broke, over gas prices.
My small Civic is no longer as economical as it was just a few years ago. It still seems hard to imagine a car that gets around 30 miles per gallon (highway) could ever be considered a gas guzzler. However, with the price of gasoline rising rapidly, every time I look at my gas gauge my bank account dies a little more inside. Thirty miles per gallon (highway) just isn’t cutting it like it used to.
But could there be a better way? It seems there is an alternative.
Today is National Bike to Work Day. It’s too late for me to take advantage of this now, as I already (foolishly) drove into the office, but this could be a perfect solution to the rising price of the dino-juice.
If I would have known about this earlier, I could have saddled up the old Schwinn, put my coffee cup in the cup holder (note to self: get a cup holder for the Schwinn), thrown my backpack into the basket (note to self: saddle bags are way cooler), and lead by example.
I would be laughing at my one-day usurpation of big oil as I pedaled along the side of I-275 North on my 25-mile commute from St. Petersburg to Tampa. Of course I would be tempting death as I dodged the foolish, petroleum-dependent commuters flying by just inches away at 80 miles per hour. Biking 25 miles along a busy interstate could be, well, scary, since the Tampa Bay area is not always the most bike-friendly place.
Of course, once at the office I would need to take a shower and change clothes so as not to offend the staff. It is basically summer out there, after all, and the sweltering heat could certainly overpower Right Guard Sport gel. Since there is no shower here, I would have to settle for a bird-bath in the bathroom sink. Also, I would have to leave a little earlier to arrive on time. Like maybe two hours earlier to account for short breaks along the way. This means going to bed, and getting up, earlier. That’s not cool. . .
And the bike has no stereo or lumbar seating.
Actually, this biking-to-work idea may not be as practical for me as I wish it were. With some time to seriously consider it, a $3 to $4 commute (albeit both ways) in the car seems like maybe a better idea for now.
Of course, if gas prices rise to $10 per gallon, I’ll have to seriously reconsider it. Maybe I will. Next year.
