summer2003

You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to bike to work – even if you live a long distance away. When you commute by bicycle, you’ll save money, get a good workout, and do your share to cut auto emissions that are behind 60% of the area’s smog. Here, the bicycling experts at the California Bicycle Coalition offer a 10-step plan for bypassing traffic jams by bicycling to work.

1. GEAR UP. Using a bike that’s been in the garage for a year of more? Have it checked out by your local bike shop pro. Most shops will perform a tune-up to make sure the bike is in working order.

2. SELECT A ROUTE. Design a route by looking at a city map, or better yet, consult a local bike map that shows bike paths or lanes. Look for extra wide travel lanes and low traffic volumes.

3. LOOK FOR ROUTE OPTIONS. The Bay Area of California offers many bus lines and rail transit allow bicyclists to bring their bikes on board if they obtain a permit in advance – so for commutes farther than 10 miles, you may be able to bike to nearby Park & Ride lot and catch a ride the rest of the way. Call 1-800-COMMUTE, and select the "rideshare" option for information on Park & ride lots where you can store your bike in safe lockers.

4. CONSIDER A BIKE BUDDY. Is there anyone at work who lives nearby that might to ride to work with you? Knowing that someone is counting on you to ride can strengthen your resolve to bicycle. It can also be safer to ride as a pair, too, since you’re a more formidable force on the road and have someone to help you in case of emergency.

5. DO A TEST RUN. On a day you would regularly take you car, drive the route and look for things like wide lanes and traffic flow. Check out the street conditions: Is the pavement even? Are there lots of parked cars? You may even try a test ride on your bicycle on a weekend prior to riding the route on a busy weekday.

6. START THINKING LIKE A CYCLIST. In many cases, this isn’t much different from thinking like a driver. The law in California gives bicycle riders the same rights and responsibilities as auto drivers. You must ride in a straight line if riding with other cyclists, blend in with traffic, indicate turns, stop at signs/lights and ride on the right side of the road.

7. PUT SAFETY FIRST. Buy a Snell/ANSI-approved helmet – then wear it. Check your bike for reflectors and other safety features. Your local bike shop can help you find the right equipment. Wear brightly colored clothing, especially if you bicycle at dawn or dusk.

8. CHECK YOUR FITNESS LEVEL. You may want physician to make sure you’re fit enough to ride.

9. TALK TO YOUR EMPLOYER. Your company may offer benefits for bicyclists, such as lockers to store your bicycle, shower and changing facilities, bonuses for bike riders and more.

10. BIKE TO WORK! A great day to give it a try is Bike to Work Day, a day in May when people throughout California will leave their cars at home and instead bicycle to work.

Cathy and Tim's Bike Ride Across America North Tour 2003
Itinerary	Cathy & Tim	Typical Day	Interesting Sites	The Riders	Life in the Bike Lane	Home

	Life in the Bike Lane is Never Dull
We may be some of the few that actually look forward to our work commute. We feel good about calling ourselves "bicycle commuters". Our commute is great exercise, we do a small part to help the environment ("2 less cars") and it is a great way to start and end each work day. Cathy cycles about 25 miles round trip 4 times weekly, Tim rides 15 miles round trip 5 times a week. We certainly run into our share of challenges; cold mornings, darkness, some rain, wind, drivers with "attitude", mechanical problems and busy schedules. The benefits far out way the challenges; cardiovascular fitness, opportunity to clear the mind, getting out in fresh air, environmentally friendly commute, meditative time, enjoying nature and providing inspiration to other by daily example. The best way to make commuting successful is by turning it into a habit. Feel free to contact us if you are interested in knowing more about our commute. Check out the 10 Steps to Riding Your Bike to Work below for more ideas. tim_mueller_home@yahoo.com and/or cathymueller@earthlink.net

10 Steps to Riding Your Bike to Work
You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to bike to work – even if you live a long distance away. When you commute by bicycle, you’ll save money, get a good workout, and do your share to cut auto emissions that are behind 60% of the area’s smog. Here, the bicycling experts at the California Bicycle Coalition offer a 10-step plan for bypassing traffic jams by bicycling to work. 1. GEAR UP. Using a bike that’s been in the garage for a year of more? Have it checked out by your local bike shop pro. Most shops will perform a tune-up to make sure the bike is in working order. 2. SELECT A ROUTE. Design a route by looking at a city map, or better yet, consult a local bike map that shows bike paths or lanes. Look for extra wide travel lanes and low traffic volumes. 3. LOOK FOR ROUTE OPTIONS. The Bay Area of California offers many bus lines and rail transit allow bicyclists to bring their bikes on board if they obtain a permit in advance – so for commutes farther than 10 miles, you may be able to bike to nearby Park & Ride lot and catch a ride the rest of the way. Call 1-800-COMMUTE, and select the "rideshare" option for information on Park & ride lots where you can store your bike in safe lockers. 4. CONSIDER A BIKE BUDDY. Is there anyone at work who lives nearby that might to ride to work with you? Knowing that someone is counting on you to ride can strengthen your resolve to bicycle. It can also be safer to ride as a pair, too, since you’re a more formidable force on the road and have someone to help you in case of emergency. 5. DO A TEST RUN. On a day you would regularly take you car, drive the route and look for things like wide lanes and traffic flow. Check out the street conditions: Is the pavement even? Are there lots of parked cars? You may even try a test ride on your bicycle on a weekend prior to riding the route on a busy weekday. 6. START THINKING LIKE A CYCLIST. In many cases, this isn’t much different from thinking like a driver. The law in California gives bicycle riders the same rights and responsibilities as auto drivers. You must ride in a straight line if riding with other cyclists, blend in with traffic, indicate turns, stop at signs/lights and ride on the right side of the road. 7. PUT SAFETY FIRST. Buy a Snell/ANSI-approved helmet – then wear it. Check your bike for reflectors and other safety features. Your local bike shop can help you find the right equipment. Wear brightly colored clothing, especially if you bicycle at dawn or dusk. 8. CHECK YOUR FITNESS LEVEL. You may want physician to make sure you’re fit enough to ride. 9. TALK TO YOUR EMPLOYER. Your company may offer benefits for bicyclists, such as lockers to store your bicycle, shower and changing facilities, bonuses for bike riders and more. 10. BIKE TO WORK! A great day to give it a try is Bike to Work Day, a day in May when people throughout California will leave their cars at home and instead bicycle to work.

Cathy and Tim's Bike Ride Across America North Tour 2003