I bought a bike today — a Trek 7.2 FX to be precise. It seems to be maybe a step above a box store bike but isn’t even within shouting distance of the top of the line. In any case, folks I’ve talked to said I’ll probably be happy with it. And, after one day, I am. I rode about 4 miles home from the store. Then, tonight, as my wife attempts to (re)sleep-train our daughter, I rode another 8 miles or so. (On the one hand, I’m probably being a crappy husband and father by bailing on the cry-fest. On the other hand, sleep training is a situation where too many chefs definitely ruin the broth.)
But, it occurs to me how different a community looks depending on your mode of transportation. Prior to my recent fitness jag, I had mostly seen Lafayette (and Monticello before it) from the car. Running in the vicinity of my house for the past few months and riding a bike tonight, the town looks a lot different depending on my mode of transportation. It’s probably not that great of an insight, but you notice far more details when you’re not zipping along in a car (topography becomes a lot more significant, for example). There are a lot more casual exchanges with fellow citizens who are out and about. Again, nothing hugely significant, but it just feels nice to say “hello” to people. In his book Insomnia, Stephen King had a few paragraphs on the subject of overlapping types of communities within a single geographic area.
I’ll also take this opportunity to recommend a couple of tools I like. First is Gmaps Pedometer. It uses Google Maps to allow you to trace a route and figure out your distance. Second is breakingthetape.com. It allows you to track a variety of things including distances and times for running, cycling, and swimming. It will also generate several kinds of reports for you.
You are right about the topography. My commute between Irvington and downtown Indy looks flat as a pancake from a car, but the little rises and falls seem quite a bit more impressive when I am riding a bike.
Somehow the rises seem more impressive than the falls. Downtown Lafayette has pretty steep hills to the south and to the east. So, regardless of the route, I’m in for a bit of a slog riding home from work this afternoon.
For logging cycling miles, I’ve grown fond of My Cycling Log. Bikely integrates to that site as well for mapping.
Gmaps seems harder to enter routes on than Bikely IMHO.
To your main point though, I have noticed the same thing about talking to people. I do enjoy saying “Good Morning” to others as I go by, and when I get the same from others it makes my day a little better.
Also, getting 25 minutes of exercise before work always gets me in better mental shape for the day.
Doug, Good job on your time of 1:02:14 (or 10:02/mile) in the 10K at the Flora Hog Jog last Saturday morning! It was great weather for the run (although rather hot when you got out south of town around Bringhurst where there is no shade whatsoever!) and it was nice to see 392 registered runners for both the 2 mile and the 10K. Pretty good for a young 30-something.
Whoo hoo on the new bike! I bike-commuted for years before becoming self-employed. Enjoy!