Bicycling

Last edited Thu Dec 11, 2014, 01:42 AM - Edit history (1)

Thus I do recommend you get on that bike again and do it again. You may want to do something shorter but five miles (if on relatively flat ground) is a good start.

Now, I live in the mountains of Pennsylvania. A five mile trip requires some hill climbing no matter where I go. Five miles of up and down biking is a lot harder then 20 miles on a rails to trails. The main reason for that is the rails to trails are generally limited to 3% Grade (3 feet up for every 100 feet you go). Look into the rails to trails in your area, they are a lot easier to bike then on the road.

I point this out for roads even in relatively flat Florida are going to be more up and down then any of the old Rail lines that are now being converted to Rails to Trails. The reason for this is simple, the old rail lines HAD to be very strict as to level, the old Steam locomotives were quite picky about level roads so the railroads made an effort to keep them as flat as possible.

On the other hand Roads are design by State Highway Departments for Tractor Trailers and Tractor Trailers having rubber tires and modern diesel engines can operate on road beds that would wreck an old Steam Locomotive. Thus the Rails to Trails tend to be smoother and flatter then roads even in areas that are generally considered "Flat" such as Florida. Thus if you can go with a Rails to Trails for a start.

Commuting by bicycle:

I also want you to think about commuter by bicycle. Not now, you do not appear ready to commute but think about it. Commuting has a huge advantage over any other type of "recreational" biking, it is something you do BEFORE you get home at night.

When people arrived home, they want to relax (also called "Rest" which is something more then just sleeping). They do NOT really want to go out, you are geared to go home, eat a light dinner and then "REST" for the rest of the day. Thus exercising during the week is a CHORE you end up doing in a time period you want to relax. Those two thoughts quickly come into conflict and you end up NOT exercising for your need to relax at night is to strong.

On the other hand, if you commute by bike, you are heading HOME when you are exercising. You are heading for rest - not interrupting your rest with a need to exercise. This is the best way to bike, make your exercise and commute one and the same. Yes, this will make your commute LONGER, but by combining them you preserve more of the time you need to rest at home.

Yes, you will also have to commute to work and thus have to start earlier, but rarely is that time part of your time to Relax.

Now, one of the problem with modern US Society is most people live to far from their work to walk or bike to work. Prior the the 1950s most people WALKED to their work. The Second largest group took the Streetcar and then walked to work. Only a small minority drove cars prior to the 1950s (The driving of cars increased tremendously during the late 1940s, but walking was still the dominant form of transportation at that time period).

Since the 1940s walking to work has steady declined. Biking to work was NEVER big in the US, increased in recent years, but still less then 1/2 of the people who walk to work (Both are less then 2% of the population nowadays). Driving is the main way people get to and from work today.

That being the case it may be impossible for you to commute by bike, most jobs are to far from where most people live to permit commuting by bicycle (and the road system is often NOT design for cars and bikes to mix on the way to where people work). On the other hand it is something you need to look into. It is a way to combine two activities into one, i.e. commuting to work AND exercising. It is the best way to exercise for it is doing exercise in a way that does NOT conflict with your need to relax and rest at the end of the day.

I commute by bike, but it is only a 3 mile ride and downhill to my work (uphill to my home, I do live in the mountains). In flatter areas people often bike 10-20 miles to and from work.

Now, people ask me if I get sweaty what I do? While I carry a spare t-shirt with me and other clothes to change into. Three mile trip downhill is NOT that long, but on longer trips I do change my t-Shirt (on 20 miles trips through the Conemaugh River Gorge, I switch to a dry T-Shirt 1/2 way through, it feels so good to get out of a sweaty T-Shirt and into a dry one, even if it is 20 degrees outside). It is generally cool in the morning so sweat does not work up that much on a short ride.

Thus you may want to look into places where you could change clothes. In a pinch I have used the handicap stalls in restrooms, when no one else was using that stall. It is NOT illegal for anyone else to use them, the law only says if someone who needs it enters, they have first use.

If you can find a private place like a bathroom stall or an office, do a complete change of clothing. You may not need to do a complete change if you did not sweat that much, but if you did you may want to do so. You know your body better than anyone and your local climate (both weather wise AND the Social Climate where your work) and see what you have to do (and given many social climates, commuting by bike may be out).

Just a comment that you should look into commuting by bike. You will have to look what roads you would take, where you could change clothes AND where you could store your bike. You are riding a Huffy so it is NOT to high on most thieves list of bikes but Huffys are still stolen by people who do not know any better, thus you should lock it up OR otherwise secure it.

Side note: If you can find a place to store your bike, remember the U-Lock is still the best lock to get. It is heavy, but they is no law that says you have to take it with you. Many Cyclists who commute by bike, leave their U-locks where they lock up their bike during the day. In the morning they ride to work, go to where the U-lock is and use their key to lock up their bike. At night they unlock the U-lock, lock it back up and leave it behind, ready for use the next day. Thus all they need is the key to U-lock.

I had a sister who had a 20 year old Schwinn that she would ride to and from work. She left it out, unlocked and no one touched it. She did this for years. She then purchased a new Cannondale and insisted on taking it into her office every day. The Cannondale was something someone would steal so she secured it by taking it into her office.

Just some thoughts that you need to review with yourself. You probably NOT up to bike commuting at the present time, but I mention it just to show you it is possible and if it is possible for you (a slightly different position) you should look into it to see if it is really possible or more hope then reality.