Getting a late start on the bike commuting this year. Part of it is because my commute jumped from six to about 20 miles. Part of it is because my bike – a 1983 Fuji Monterey that I got in, well, 1983 – is showing its age; it’s a bit of a hangar queen these days. Don’t get me wrong; it’s earned it. I’ve got more miles on that bike that on some cars I’ve owned.
So I test drove some other bikes this past week, and have finally taken the plunge on a new ride. More details – perhaps in a revived “Hot Gear Friday” – coming soon.
Next step – find a park-and-ride about 5-6 miles out from the office, drive and park there, and ride the rest of the way in (the office has a shower, thankfully).
Goal: by the end of summer, be doing the whole 16 mile haul (it’s shorter via bike trails and lanes) at least once a week.
From the sacred books of the Environmental Fascists: bicycle riding causes Global Warming.
If you ride your bike you burn calories.
If you burn calories, you get hungry.
If you get hungry, you run out and by the favorite food the American Male: the hamburger.
If you eat the hamburger, you are eating red meat.
If you eat red mea,t you are cutting down on the cow population.
If you cut down the cow population, you force the production of new cows.
If you produce more cows, they will eat more burritos and become flatulent.
If you have a bunch of cows milling around breaking wind all day, you release tons of Green House Gases™ into the air.
Oh the humanity….
NightWriter; isn’t that exactly what we need in January in these parts?
Mitch; I got you beat. 1979 Schwinn LaTour III. Still in great shape–OK, I’ll admit, at 2-3″ shorter than you and perhaps “somewhat lighter,” I’m guessing I’m not going through spokes as quickly as you are. :^)
(and yes, my ride used to be my dad’s……)
I look forward to the new Hot Gear Friday. Given that you’re riding city streets, the “give” in steel or carbon fiber would sound good to me if I were shopping with you. You’ll feel every bump with aluminium.
Good for you Mitch!
I sure hope the GOP doesn’t hit you with that bicycle tax they want; you’d be hit twice.
Nick – Heh. I may cut out the middleman – er, middlecow – and skip staight to the burrito.
DG – while I oppose raising taxes on princple, I’m not averse to *some* sort of tax on bikes. What, exactly? I’m not sure – and I’m not sure it needs to be a state thing. But something to help cover lane-striping and the occasional bike path seems reasonable, provided it covers what it’s supposed to cover, sort of like the gas tax covers road construction (or was supposed to), rather than getting shunted into the general fund.
Now, there are Republicans who like to ding on biking because it’s perceived as a liberal stronghold. That, I push back on (and, resoundingly, win).
“is showing its age; it’s a bit of a hangar queen these days”.
Well, Mitch, maybe if you give Xibit a call, he’ll pimp it for you! 😉
Do a hot gear Friday on it, Mitch. “New stuff” is always cool, whether it has a cylinder index, Ghz/GB, a caliber, or just general ‘mechanical/electronic thing’.