Ride Your Bike to Work Day

I know, I know. The "official" Bike to Work Day was May 18, and I definitely drove my SUV to work that day.

But I made up for it on Tuesday! I rode my bike to work! All by myself!

When I had this brilliant idea, I didn't think to check the forecast. In this case ignorance was bliss, because I probably would have chosen an air-conditioned, petroleum-fueled commute if I had know what kind of weather they were predicting...

When I set off at 6:15am, I thought that I had lucked out since it was a bit overcast. Even by that point I knew it was going to be pretty warm, but mentally I registered cloudy skies as a cooler ride.

Stalker people: The starting destination is the Monona Terrace, not my home, because I'm wily like that. 

I have ridden (rode? rided? hmmm...) my bike to work before, but I did some research and learned that if I plugged my starting and ending destination into Google maps and did the "walking" directions instead of the "cycling" directions, I could shave about three miles off of the route that I normally do, and it would be on much more quiet, bike friendly roads.

I'll take it!

I made sure that I had plenty of water with me and a good podcast to listen to, and then I was off!

I think this is as good a time as any to talk about how I have a propensity for getting lost. My sense of direction is more mediocre than terrible, but I can't go anywhere for the first time or on a new route without making some kind of U-turn, or pulling over on the shoulder with my hazard lights on to look up directions on my phone.

Behind the wheel or behind handlebars, it's no different.

I'm good on bike paths. Bike paths tell me where to go. They're straight, they're smooth. They're relatively carefree.

But then I make my way onto real roads, where riding a bike is the equivalent to screaming, "Hey man! I know you want to hit me with your car but you can't!" through every driver-side window.

And Madison is a bike-friendly place.

I managed to not get spite-slammed by a car on the little stretch of road in my commute when I have to act like a real vehicle, but then I started seeing "ROAD CLOSED" signs right where a needed to go.

Where are the blinking hazard lights on my bike when I need them?!

Ahhh, the Wisconsin countryside. And a road that is supposed to be paved.

So I pulled over, whipped out my phone, and tried to consruct an ad hoc detour, which did not happen in nearly as calm of a fashion that you are imagining. This is the stuff that seriously stresses me out  - not knowing where to go on a bike and showing up to a restaurant without reservations.

I need help.

Luckily there was a path up a dirt road that snaked me back by the Verona Public Library, and then put me out on a residential street that met back up with the road that I wanted to be on in the first place on the other side of the construction. Phew!

I managed to get to work in plenty of time to take a quick shower and gear up for the ride home.

I also managed to check the weather while I was at work, and realize that I was possibly in store for a REALLY  hot ride home. With a 40% chance of thunderstorms.

Nonetheless, I had to get home somehow, and a little rain and a little heat can't stop me!

That's a lie - it totally can but I really didn't have a choice at this point.

I made sure my water bottle was filled to the brim, I changed back into my cycling gear, I put on my sunscreen, and around 5:45 I set out to re-trace my tracks back to my apartment.

You know that feeling when you pull into a parking spot at the grocery store on a hot day, and between getting out of your car and walking into the store, the heat from the blacktop is radiating up your ankles like flames, and then when you look out ahead of you, you see those wavy ripples in the air because the ground is so hot?

Well, all of the roads of Tuesday had those wavy ripples, and even when I stopped to chug down a few gulps of water, I couldn't get rid of that hot scratchy feeling at the roof of my mouth.

I finally made my way home, and luckily the thunderstorms held off for the hour I was commuting back.

Never has a lukewarm shower felt so good, or so necessary.

Grease marks, sweat, and suncreen make for a hot photo, I know. Maybe I'll pitch the idea for the next SI Swimsuit edition.

For the emotional rollercoaster that this ride turned out to be, it was a total blast. I love multi-tasking my workout and my commute since they are normally opposing forces in my life (Rush my morning workout to get to my early meeting? Or frantically try to get home so I can make my 6:30pm yoga class?? AGHHH!!)

But when I know where I'm going, it's really peaceful to cruise along the tree-lined paths instead of fighting to merge with other cars on the highway or trying to make the yellow light at the last second. As one wise woman once said, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands." - Elle Woods

See? So many benefits to riding your bike to work.