I drove to work today for the first time in a year.

I drove to work today for the first time in a year.

September 1st 2010 I started a personal challenge to bike to work for an entire year.  I am happy to say - "I did it"

It wasn't always easy - and it wasn't always fun, but I have no regrets (and will continue to bike to work often... just not EVERY day). In the end it was a very rewarding experience.

I spent a total of 337h 7m 11s biking a total of 4337.50 miles (9.4 miles each way)

I saved $1,951.88 in gas alone and kept 5656.10 lbs of carbon out of our air.

I listened to several books during that 337 hours including:

• The Help
• Unbreakable
• Fountainhead
• Atlas Shrugged
• Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
• Lynchpin
• And more...

I had alot of time to think as well.  Here are a few thoughts:

• Most drivers in Northern Colorado are VERY considerate of Cyclists.
• The worst exception to this was a lady in a mini van with a jesus fish on the back who nearly ran me over and nearly caused an accident with another car (then pulled into the church at Crossroads Boulevard)
• The few other times there was a rude driver - it was always a guy in a big pickup truck (Maybe I confused them)
• It does get really cold and windy in the winter.  Coldest Day = -35 (yes NEGATIVE THIRTY FIVE)
• I didn't wreck once
• Most of the trash along the road is cheap beer (budweiser/coors) and McDonalds. - I guess there is a certain demographic for every brand.
• Young Cows are Very Curious - Old Cows are not (I hope I never become an old cow)
• I started a blog to document my ride.. and it didn't last long - This is my one regrethttp:biketoworkyear.blogspot.com
• My wonderful wife Nicole was incredibly accomadating to this! 

I have decided to challenge mysefl annually.  Here are the rules

1. It has to be something that I do alone (I don't need to infect anyone else with my madness)
2. It has to be something that takes me outside of my comfort zone
3. It has to be something that helps me grow

I will start/end these annual challenges on my birthday (September 14th).  So I have  about a week to figure out my next move.

Cheers

Matt Rickman - September 2011

2-22-2011

I think if I stopped reading other blogs, I might do a better job of updating mine.  So.. here are a couple of blogs that have been distracting me lately:

http://tomsbiketrip.com/

http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/

I am in desperate need of updating my statistics over to the left, but fear not.. I have been riding, have close to 2000 miles since I started in Sept.  With much more knowledge, and experience I have alot to share... But until I stop being distracted....


... till next time

1-31-11 Ding Ding Ding Da Da Ding Ding

Yes, I am the fool on the road on a day like today biking to work.
Yes, on days like today, it sucks
Yes, I am going to keep doing it.

I thought this was appropriate (My Ride in this morning):

Till next time...

Absolutely Horrible

So I have been absolutely horrible at keeping up this blog. 

So blog resolution #1 for the new year.  Write more frequently.  In the past, I wanted to write daily, and to be quite honest... I just don't really have that much to say. So my goal is a weekly post. 

I have quite a few things stockpiled, however, to write about.  The winter weather has been interesting to say the least, and I also have some new gear to review. With that I will leave you anxiously awaiting the next post....

Till next time..

Day 017: Yes I Am Precious | 09/23/2010

Today a fellow coworker/friend/bike geek told me about:

yesiamprecious.com

This girl Janeen is riding across the united states to raise money for the livestrong foundation.  Which on It's own is cool enough, but if you visit her website you will notice that her bike is rigged up to track her speed direction ascent/descent etc... AND it feeds this info real time to her website.... Very cool.

I am jealous, jealous that I would love to take the same trip, jealous of her kick ass internet-data-feeding bike and of her skills as a writer (check out some of the posts on her blog)

Inspirational and cool!

Till tomorrow...

Day 016: Cycletote Part Deux | 09/22/2010

Tonight I took our two youngest boys (Will 2. Theo 1) over to my mom and dads.  This was their inaugural ride together in the new cycletote trailer. 

It is 4.9 miles each way, and they both did pretty well.  Will started to protest a bit at about the 4 mile mark (aren't 2 year olds just precious).

Had a nice dinner with my mom and dad (@nicoolmama has school every night, so I am a single parent in the evenings).  Then we rode home. The boys were happy to see their momma who had just got home from school.  (and I think they were just happy to be home thinking maybe dad was a little nuts hauling them around in a trailer hooked up to a bike)

I cannot express how happy I am with our cycletote trailer.  Cycletote is one of those many hole-in-the-wall companies that have a brilliant quality product but because they don't have a real marketing budget is a secret from most the world.  If you need anymore proof about their quality we are going to be ordering another one. (you know we have 5 little monsters to haul around)

Till tomorrow...

Day 015: Obesssion | 09/21/2010

I have this problem.  When I get into something, I am absolutely consumed by it.  

Fortunately I am really into being a good dad and a good husband to @nicoolmama.  But I am also becoming even more passionate about cycling.  So I thought I would she a couple of new-to-me things I have found out on the 'net that fit in with my biking passion:

http://aaronteasdale.blogspot.com/

This guy took his family on a 5 week bike journey from Glacier Park in Montana to Banff National Park in Alberta.

Urbanvelo.com

A very cool urban bike scene website!  Major kudos for posting free electronic versions of your print mag. (see my post on magazines)

Bern Helmets

http://www.bernunlimited.com/index.php

Kick ass cool looking bike helmets.  I can't vouch for anything on these other than they are damn cool looking.  I have never been a fan of the traditional bike helmet, not only are they fugly, they never seem to fit right, are uncomfortable and at best good for 3 seasons.  I am ordering new helmets for me @nicoolmama and the 5 kids.

Till tomorrow...

Day 014: B.iCycle | 09/20/2010

Hopefully fellow B.iCycle users will find this useful.

For readers that don't know what I am talking about Click Here:

When Apple released iOS4 with multitasking it meant that I could switch away from my cyclometer app (B.iCycle) and do other things on my iPhone (like switching Pandora stations) while riding.

However.  Due to the way the multitasking works on the iPhone, if you are running an app that uses location services (the GPS) once it it turned on, it stays on.  This causes a pretty significant battery drain, if you don't need the GPS to stay on.  For a while I solved this by going into the settings and manually turning location services off. But what a pain.  

Then I discovered that when you double click the home button (the easy way to quickly switch between apps) you can then hold down on the b.iCycle app and it will make all of the apps start dancing around.  Click the - minus sign and the app will stop multitasking (and subsequently stop using the GPS)

One other tid-bit of info that I will share...

I have found that if I fire up B.iCycle, clip my iPhone to my bike, and give it a little bit of time to lock onto the GPs signal, that it seems to work more reliably.  I used to fire it up hit start and ride off . . . I was annoyed that it would frequently loose signal.  

Now I start the app, mount it to the bike, then pack up the panniers, fill the H20 bottle and then ride off.  This extra time has made B.iCycle considerably more accurate.

Till Tomorrow...

Day 013: Cycletote | 09/17/2010

Today I picked up our shiny new cyletote bike trailer. 

I rode across town and picked up two of our kids (Daphne and Jack) from school.  I ink they were as excited as I was to have the new trailer.

I am a little worried about Daph (9) and Jack (5) fitting in the trailer, not because of weight (the trailer is rated to carry 175lbs.) but size. The cycletote is designed for smaller kids (like our 1 and 2 year old). But I head off for their school.

It is a blast riding through old-town Fort Collins on my way to pick up the kids and I make note that we really need to get down there as a family more often.  

I arrived at the school a few minutes early, parked the bike/trailer and waited for the kids to come out.  The school bell rang and as soon as I found my two little monsters they snugly hopped in the trailer (very snugly) and off we went.  

11 miles (and a few slow hill climbs) later we were home. There were two highlights to the trip:

1 - enjoying the ride across town on spring creek trail

2 - calling 911 after a truck (who hopefully wasn't watching our trailer circus) slammed into the car in front of it (subsequently causing a three car 'pile up')

All-in-all a great afternoon! And the kids were asking when they get to ride in the trailer again.

Till tomorrow...

Day 012: Found=Wallet | 09/16/2010

Today as I sauntered over to subway to get my sandwich and cookie fix for the day, I noticed a wallet sitting all alone on a bench.  

After looking inside I couldn't find a phone number for the owner (note-to-self: put contact info in your wallet).  I did however see a credit card with the logo of a company that is down the street from me.  

I got caught up in meetings when I got back to work so I wasn't able to call over to the mysterious wallet owners company until about 10 till 5. I spoke with the receptionist and from the sound of it, there had been some mystery on their end about the missing wallet as well, but they knew who it belonged to.  I told them I would bring the wallet by and 20 minutes later I rolled up to the front entrance to find the receptionist and the wallet owner anxiously waiting (I knew it was the actual owner because I had seen his drivers license picture).

I handed the wallet over and the owner seemed genuinely grateful. With a sincere thank you from the man reunited with his wallet I rode off.

I felt really good about helping someone out and thought I would share it with my blog readers. (oh and the owner did not offer any sort of reward - which I was glad for, I was happy to help and my motivation was karma and pay it forward)


Till tomorrow...

Day 011: Trees Everywhere Rejoice | 09/15/2010

I don't think this has anything to do with biking to work.  It probably has more to do with a JD Infused birthday resolution.  

I don't know about you, but for some reason I get all nostalgic looking back on my birthday and energized looking forward, But I have decided I WILL NO LONGER BUY PRINT PUBLICATIONS. (Yeah, I know pretty big deal right)

I will shed all of my beloved magazines (I am a sucker for good magazine design and production). I will no longer buy paper books....

All of my reading content will need to come in an electronic form. 

I love that I can carry my book and magazine library with me everywhere I go on my iPad. In a butterfly-flapping-it's-wings sort of way, I am making my statement to publishers everywhere to start or continue providing content electronically....

If anyone is interested in the details, I use (all on my iPad) iBooks, nook, kindle and Zinio.

      

Till tomorrow...

Day 010: Birthday | 09/14/2010

You say it’s your birthday.

It’s my birthday too, yeah.

I am glad it’s your birthday

Happy Birthday to you.

Once I had kids, my birthday seemed to diminish in importance. (I have always thought that birthday should be a celebration for the MOM.. but I digress). And I am ok with that.  My nicole made the day special and am looking forward to my party with family this friday.

Anyway, short post, today was my birthday.  I had a great ride into work today, no wind, nice cool fallish feel in the air, listening to Jack Johnson radio on pandora and all of the songs seemed to play at the right time.  

I am going to have a drink and take a walk (a tradition that I copied from an old episode of Mad About You, many years ago.)

Till tomorrow....

Day 009: Punctuation | 09/13/2010

Quick post today.  I have a goal in sight.  Beyond my goal to ride to work for a complete year (even on the snowiest of days).  

After I complete my mission, I am going to punctuate the experience by (here is the hint) by reaching something that I see every day riding.  Kudo’s to anyone that can figure it out.  As I get closer (like many months from now), I will talk more about this part of the bike to work year mission.

Till tomorrow...

Day 008: Encouragement | 09/10/2010

I started talking nonsense (happens often) about only writing a blog post every week, instead of daily like I had promised.  Fortunately my better half Nicole (nicoolmama.blogspot.com) kicked me in the ass and told me that was nonsense.  

So laziness aside. I am committed again to writing a post every day (that I ride).

Part of this project and this blog is to force myself to write more...

Till tomorrow...

Day 007: Thank You | 09/09/2010

Thank you, to all of the vehicles on the road that give us goofey assed cyclists space.  There is maybe 1 in 100 motorists around here (Northern Colorado) that don’t seem to think a cyclist needs space on the road. But I don’t want to focus on that 1%.

I want to focus on the other 99% of motorists out there sharing that long line of black (or grey or brown) pavement with me.  Thank you.

Thanks to the trucks I see every morning that give more than enough space.  I can imagine that not everywhere is as cyclist friendly as colorado.  But maybe, just maybe a motorist from a not-so-cyclist-friendly part of the country will read this and give some space.

Thank you.

Till tomorrow...

Day 006: Archetype | 09/08/2010

I am not an archetype cyclist. I am not one of those guys or ladies with that perfect toned cyclist body, decked in the latest italian branded cycling gear. I am not overly athletic. I eat healthy, I am a vegetarian, I don’t smoke, I occasionally have a drink (but if I had to never have another drink again, I wouldn’t lose a moment of sleep).


As far as cycling goes, I am an average Joe.


I write this, hopefully to encourage more average Joe’s out there to take up cycling. You don’t need a $2000+ bike, you don’t need to be decked out in all of that gear. Just get something (with two wheels, cranks, pedals etc..) and go. Ride. Feel the wind. For anyone that hasn’t ridden a bike in a while, it will take you back to your childhood, it is liberating and fun.


You don’t have to be the archetype. I am not.


Till tomorrow....

Day 005: Procrastination and listening to books | 09/07/2010

Quick post tonight because I procrastinated in working on this today and now am tired.  I also spent most of the evening working on some Pro-Bono work I am doing for my brother's restaurant Wholly Stromboli. 


It's ironic that I am procrastinating on writing this post since I am currently listening to the book The Now Habit which deals with procrastination and how to stop.


I like to listen to books while I ride.  With the Motorola S9-HD bluetooth headphones and my iPhone, I can listen to books, iPod music or Pandora and also take the occasional call while riding.  I can still hear traffic well enough that there is little safety concern.


Lastly, I am going to pick a song of the day... because I can:


Today's song:
Jungle Gym - Jack Johnson


Till tomorrow...

Day 004: The Route | 09/06/2010

I thought I would share my route in case anyone wants to join in on the fun. (I am having visions of Forrest Gump running through the Arizona desert and his throng of followers).  

My route starts in Old Town Timnath, Colorado and finishes in Loveland, Colorado.  I take Colorado Highway 5 south out of Timnath to Cross Roads Boulevard, under I-25 and continue on to Rocky Mountain Ave.  Rocky Mountain Ave. takes me right to my office at 5200 Hahns Peak Drive. Total distance 1 way: 9.4 miles.

Till tomorrow...

Gear 1

I took my daughter (9) to Lee's Cyclery this weekend to buy her a new bike. She picked a Trek Skye:

While I was there I managed to pick up about $200 worth of accessories that i "needed" for my daily commuting.  Three pair of socks, a Pearl Izumi beanie, new pannier's and a big smile on my daughters face and we were out the door. 


People think that commuting to work saves $. While I definitely think this is true if you commute frequently, there is a price of admission to commuting that cannot be ignored. Here is a quick overview of my bike setup for commuting.  


My Setup:

• Trek 4500 Mountain Bike (purchased in 2000)
• GEAX Easy Rider Tires
• Trek Interchange Rear Rack and Panniers
• iPhone 3GS
• B.iCycle cyclometer app for tracking mileage/speed/etc...
• Motorola S9-HD Headphones for listening to music/books

Fortunately I already had all of these items from my casual riding repertoire, however I have quickly realized that I need more than a couple of bike jersey's and bike shorts. After re-remembering during my shopping expedition at the bike shop what they charge for bike clothing, I promptly hit eBay to find a bargain.  I have a handful of biking clothes now on the way.


I still have a few items that I am "shopping" for: Sunglasses, Lights, Bike Trailer for hauling the kids to/from school, a few other odds-and-ends and most importantly some additional cold weather gear. Hopefully I have a few months before the cold weather gear becomes a real necessity.


Till tomorrow...

Day 003: A hint of winter | 09/03/2010

As I rode off this morning there was a definite hint of winter as mother nature blew her cooler breath across northern colorado.


It is challenging during these seasonally transitional times to dress appropriately.  I left this morning with riding shorts on, a bike jersey and a long sleeve shirt.  However whereas I started out cold, by the time I reached my office 9.4 miles later, I was hot.  


Speaking of gear, this weekend I will write more about my riding gear, and some of the cool biking gadgets I have found.


Till tomorrow...

Day 002: Fast ride in | 09/02/2010

Had a quick ride to and from work today.  It is rare that I have wind at my back on both trips.  A picture speaks 1000 words, so here goes:



Till tomorrow...