I turned 30 and we had our second child within a week. This blog post was supposed to be the 30 things that I want to do in the next 30 years. I figure listening to Tim McGraw’s “My Next 30 Years” is close enough. In an attempt to be more efficient, adventurous, healthy, wealthy, and happy, I have started to experiment with a couple of ideas that I have read about in other blogs or heard on podcasts.
One of the blogs that I have been reading is Mr. Money Mustache. The blogger is a 30 something year old man, who happens to be retired or as he prefers to say “financially independent". One of his posts was about the financial and health benefits of commuting to work on a bike.
After reading the blog post a couple of times, I made a trip to the local bike shop. I spent 20 minutes talking to an employee. He suggested a couple of books and some possibilities for different bikes. He also had me take one out for a spin. The next 3 weeks were spent researching. What I discovered was that a.) lots of people are commuting to work by bicycle, and the number is increasing every year b.) you do NOT have to wear spandex c.) you don’t have to live in Portland d.) the cost of the bike can vary from $400 to $5000. After letting enough time pass to make sure this was not an impulse decision, I ordered my bike.
(Notice: no spandex needed to ride)
Besides the 2 weeks after my son’s birth, I have been riding 3 times a week to work. Throughout the last 6 weeks I have learned by trial and error. The first night I rode home was nerve racking. I had the blinking LED lights to be seen by other drivers, but no head light to see in front of me. A trip to the bike store and forty dollars later, problem solved. Where to park my bike was the next issue. This was quickly resolved when the store manager showed me a secure spot in the receiving area of the store. Apparently he is somewhat of a bike enthusiast and has gone out of his way to help me.
Another obstacle was the 2 miles riding on 17th St which is the busiest street in Idaho Falls and not particularly bike friendly. My wife suggested there might be an alternative route that would be less dangerous (a little embarrassing that I didn’t figure this out on my own). After spending a half hour pouring over Google Maps, I found a route that eliminates 17th St with the added benefit of reducing my commute time by 5 minutes.
My current dilemma is what to do about the approaching warm weather. I am concerned that I am going to arrive to work drenched in sweat. One of the possible solutions I have been kicking around is asking the gym located behind my work if they have a “shower only” membership. I doubt it, but it is worth a try.
I have listed some of the challenges not to intimidate or discourage. Quite the opposite, I feel that having resolved each issue I have had greater pleasure on my rides to work. The health benefits of biking are obvious. Financial benefits are more subtle. If you figure that each mile driven costs approximately $0.50 ( the IRS 2015 figure is actually $0.575), my daily commute is 10 miles, and there are 240 working days in a given year. That adds up to a potential cost savings of $1200 a year. I won’t be biking all 240 working days due to weather, kids, and general laziness. My goal is to bike 3 out of 5 days over the next year. That is a savings of $720 this year, which would pay for my bike. Other millennial bloggers might emphasize the environmental impact of not driving a car. That is not why I choose to bike. My reasons are self centered.
Ultimately my goal is not to convince you to buy a bike and ride to work. What provides a fulfilling and worthwhile life is trying new things and continuously learning. My 86-year-old grandpa exemplifies this. After stating his desire to draw, his daughters surprised him with art lessons for his birthday a couple of years ago. He has set up a make shift art studio in his basement where he makes paintings for his children and grandchildren. Too often I read articles or listen to podcasts and think, “That sounds kind of neat. Maybe one day I should try that.” My goal is to quit dreaming and start doing.
- Jared Moore
(This is the painting that my Grandpa Moore made for me last year. It is a constant reminder to never stop learning.)
No comments:
Post a Comment