wiredfool

November is the month where I used to stop commuting by bike, at least when I had the option to do it. 40 and Rainy just doesn’t inspire. And so, I don’t think I’m going to manage to continue my summer fitness program, otherwise known as towing the kids to preschool in the bike trailer. I managed it for a good three months, from the middle of July to the middle of October.

It doesn’t seem like much, only 11 miles a couple of times a week. But there are hills (up to a 15% grade). And repetition helps. At the beginning of the summer, I’d been off the bike for a long time, and debating what I needed to do to get back riding. I considered getting a bike with lower gears, just to get up the hills around here even without a trailer (a 39×28 only goes so far). I was considering a triple, or a compact road double. But now, when riding alone, I’m rarely hitting the bottom two gears. I still need the little one when towing a kid, but only on the steepest of hills. Here to Langley is about 18 minutes on my own, a little over 20 with a bare trailer, 23ish with Nate, and 26 with Tim. 10% harder, 10% slower with each increment.

A little at a time. Slow improvement. I know I’m looking forward to being able to do this again when the good weather rolls around again. I can’t believe it took me this long to figure out a good time to go riding with the kids.