Today may be the last day of the Team Bike Challenge and Bike to Work Month, but I won’t be taking off my helmet just yet.Riding my bike as often as possible this month has taught me that practically every day can be Bike to Work Day. If I do a little planning and figure out my route before I set off for a meeting, biking becomes even easier. Just because the official monthlong event is over doesn’t mean I’ll stay in my car from now on.
The greatest benefit for me has been all the exercise I can fit into my daily routine. I used to only be able to exercise early in the morning, late at night, or occasionally during a lunch hour. When I biked to work, however, I turned many of my trips to meetings into workouts.
After looking back at the log I kept of my bike trips, I was surprised how many days I biked more than 5 miles. In total I biked nearly 100 miles during the month. I’m sure that many people competing in the Team Bike Challenge logged even more, and that just shows how much of a difference one person can make.
Together, we prevented hundreds of thousands of pounds of toxic emissions from polluting our air and water. Let’s not forget the money saved on gasoline and car repairs. Not only did I avoid driving 100 miles, I also didn’t sit in my car at stop lights, creep along in traffic, or drive circles around parking lots while looking for parking spaces. All of these things add up, and riding a bike for just one day can save a lot more than I thought.I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my blog about my bike trips and the work I do with the county. Although I may not keep this blog up to date after today, you can still keep track of my work by signing up for my e-mail newsletter. To be added to my list, please feel free to contact John Myers of my staff by clicking here.
