Smart exercise: it's just a bicycle

I had several errands to do this morning, and wondered how I’d get it all done plus have the time to get on the home treadmill later for some needed exercise. Ahh, then the epiphany. Get the bike out.

It’s so easy that it’s a no-brainer. I get to cruise around town - anything within a 10 mile or so radius of home - feeling rather smug about my ‘greeness’ and frugality. It’s the most sensible, cost effective form of alternate transporation since feet.

Off I went to deliver a couple blouses to the dry cleaners, make a bank deposit and then stop by the department store to replace the dead toaster … oh and I found a screaming deal on a Calphalon pot and a replacement duvet insert.

There are, of course some not so easy parts, to be perfectly honest. Jerks talking on cell phones while driving scare the living crap out of me - especially as they come careening out into my lane of traffic.

Then there is the serious lack of bike racks when you get where you’re going. I have a rather nice hybrid bike that I got for cost - $400 smackers, which didn’t include all the fancy panniers and racks. But being the brassy type, I take the bike in the stores with me. Don’t provide me with a reasonable place to lock up, then I’m comin’ in.

Nobody has hassled me yet, including riding through the ‘yard’ at Home Depot. I think I take them by surprise - sort of my own kind of shock and awe. Plus I have several lines of B.S. ready if somebody does get in my face.

I also take a baseball cap or a Buff in case the helmet really needs to come off. One can’t have helmet hair, can one? I can also say that if you’re using it for errands, such as to the grocery store, do get the panniers. Grocery bags swinging wildly from both handle bars is a recipe for disaster. Been there and done that … as the apricots go rolling all over the edge of the road and I’m trying to get the loaf of bread unwedged from the front wheel spokes.

As soon as I had arrived back at the ranch and walked in the house, the phone rang and it was Mens’ Journal writer Peter Heller. I was huffing and puffing a bit so he asked if I was alright. I explained what I’d been doing and I think he nearly laughed himself out of a chair somewhere. Alright, Peter - here’s the picture proof.

So I highly recommend it. Hey, for a few short errands, you can do it faster on your bike than your car. Seriously. And just  think of the treadmill boredom you can loose, plus going just fast enough to have fun and slow enough to stop and smell the flowers … or stop and be a regular nosey-parker about every last little thing along the route.

maven