Last year I biked to work several times.

Of course by this time last year the weather had changed to consistently warm and sunny, where as this year it’s been warm and sunny one day, and snowing the next.  I’m not kidding.  This has been a year of bizarre weather in Cleveland.  Last Thursday we set a record for the high temperature.  83 degrees Fahrenheit.  Saturday morning it was snowing when I drove into work.  That’s messed up.  Weekends in particular have been either wet, or really cold limiting the distance riding I could do.

So its been hard to get bike rides in consistently.  I had done at least one 50 mile bike ride at this point last year.  My longest ride has been 18 miles this year.  And I’ve only been biking for three or so weeks.  Which is probably about the same time frame as last year.  But I’m not sure I’m in the same biking shape I was last year.  Although I weigh less than last year and I have a new bike which is driving my enthusiasm.  I just need the weather to catch up with my enthusiasm.

Monday I think is the day.  Sunday night/Monday morning its not supposed to dip below 54 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sunrise is 6:26am – so it’ll be light quickly after I leave.  Only a 10% chance of rain and very slight wind.  In the afternoon it’ll be low 60’s.  Perfect biking day.  So this morning when the 5:30am alarm went off and I couldn’t fall back asleep (I’m certain its vengeance from my brain for trying to sleep more yesterday… see my last post), I was thinking about what it would have to be for me to start biking to work temperature and weather wise, and when I would have to leave.  It is a 24 mile ride to work.  Not that far.  It should really take me 90 minutes or so bike it, and that’s being pretty fair.  That’s 16 miles an hour riding.  Not a crazy pace by any means.  but I would give myself a little less than two hours.  Get up at 5:30am (packed the night before) and hit the road at 5:45am and I should be good.  That gives me 1 hour and 45 minutes to leisurely bike to work.  No problem.

Last year I jump started my biking with a 50 mile ride.  To kind of prove to myself I could.  I don’t need that this year.  But I need to do something that guarantees a longer ride for me.  I think biking to work is it.  And I’m excited about it.  I like that.  Makes me smile.