thwarted by weather and work

no bike commuting since last saturday (jan 8). :( i've been discouraged by forecasts of snow and then actual snowfall and the resulting slush, confused /nervous car drivers, and lack of space on the shared roadways. plus 12+ hour work days and eating takeout on top of that has not made this week a particularly active/healthy one.  it's amazing how distinct the contrast is between how i feel this week compared to last (i.e. much worse!), even though it doesn't seem like a handful of rides to and from work would make that much of a difference, but i guess it does!

cycling avec flurries

january 6, solo - time: 30 min to the downtown YMCA, route: thought i might try to stay on butler, but then got annoyed with the veehickles, so i weaved through the river side streets and alleys to smallman to penn to liberty to market to 5th avenue.
when i left the house, weather.com said 21 degrees/feels like 14. i considered, for about an hour, while lying in bed, whether or not i would ride, and finally just decided to suck it up and dig out my long johns. still haven't bothered to find a solution for my mouth and nose aside from wrapping a scarf around my face, but other than that, i stayed pretty warm. it started to flurry around 30th and smallman and by the time i got out of the Y all showered and dressed for work, my seat and the ground had a little dusting of snow on it. decided to walk my bike the last bit to the office, wondering if i'll be game for riding home in tonight if more snow accumulates... we'll see!

biking experiment

at the end of december, i decided to get rid of my bus pass in an effort to encourage, er force, myself to commute more by bicycle in 2011.  not the most opportune time, weather-wise, in pittsburgh, but as others have pointed out, if i can get used to riding to work in below freezing temperatures, then in the other seasons it will be a no-brainer. much of the challenge is logistical: what do i wear? how do i handle showering and changing for work? how do i carry all my stuff? i'm working these things out bit by bit (wear warm, wind resistant clothes, especially for the fingers and toesies, go to the Y if there's time or do a quick wash up in the ladies room at work, shove things in a messenger bag until i get panniers, etc.).

so far, i've ridden to work twice - last wednesday (technically not 2011, but still...) and this morning. i think i can stick with it, but as with most things, if i express my intent publicly and widely, i'm much more likely to follow through ('cause who wants to be a slacker in front of all of her family and friends?). for now, i'm going to shoot for twice a week for now and reevaluate periodically... i'll keep track of dates, routes, time, and riding companions here and if you think you might like to join me, i can put out the word the night before so we can meet up along the way.

"stats" to date:
december 29, w/jennifer - time: ?, route: back way (river side of butler, under 40th st br) through central l'ville, joining butler @39th to penn to liberty to market  to YMCA on 5th
january 4, solo - time: 34 min, route: back way through central and lower l'ville to smallman to penn to liberty through mkt square & ppg plaza to office back door on 1st ave