Bike to Work

Friday I was up early and planting the last of my tomato plants before heading to work.  It was over 70 degrees before 8am and the wind was blowing strong out of the south, it would be a hot one.  No matter, I needed to start biking again and so I packed my backpack with the essentials for the day and headed out, straight into the wind.  Almost immediately I could feel in my legs that I hadn't rode bike for several months; working out on the elliptical and treadmill are not the same and I haven't been doing much of that lately either.  Still, I made the 3 mile trip in about 15 minutes.

We needed to buy new bikes since the chain would not stay on my bike any longer and the frame of my husband's bike was bent.  After putting the purchase off for a year, we decided it was time to "bite the bullet" and buy some bikes.  Enough with the excuses, I need to bike to work again.

There are many benefits to biking to work, in fact the International Bike Fund has come up with 60 Benefits of Bicycling.  Riding bicycle can help maintain weight, tone muscles and build bone mass, it is very good for the heart and the brain as Velocommuter.org says,

"Physical activity alters brain chemistry and leads to feelings of wellbeing. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of depression, and depression increases the likelihood of a sedentary lifestyle."

Traffic and parking are not an issue for me, but for many that would be a real benefit.  Here are my top five reasons for biking:

 Five Benefits

1. Smaller carbon footprint
2. Healthy exercise
3. Save money on gasoline and car maintenance
4. Relax and de-stress
5. Enjoy summer to the full