2 years till a cost savings!/ Rain day

After being told I was being picked up yesterday by a new but very caring co-worker (whom works in another building & was actually off work!); I didn’t ride home yesterday.

I was actually a little frustrated! After enjoying my best, problem free morning commute, to date…. I was ready for another pedal. Brett couldn’t understand why/how I was being offered a ride for bad weather… He uttered that such action would never occur for a guy! I was prepared to ride home as it wasn’t really raining right there. However once we got to my ½ mark, it was raining pretty well. I would have smelled like a wet sheep!

Once she got me home & we yanked my heavy hunk of a bike out of her SUV, we talked & I explained my sincere appreciation for the concern, along with my growing desire to bike when possible for the health benefits. So I got the message thru to one very kind caring individual!

I still haven’t had any luck getting any interest in a car-pool 1-2 days (or bad weather days) per week. This is also frustrating. Any ideas on how to get a car-pool, or ride when You want/need one rather then when a helpful individual Wants to give you one?

It was supposed to rain all day today…. So I drove the car I have access to. This is the last week I will have car access.( I must be more girly then I thought…its nice to be having a ‘good hair’ .. since I drove!) Maybe I should have pedaled just top get the experience, but as of yet I don’t have any rain gear. I do feel a bit stiff. My hips are twinging, that little pain that is a precursor to cramping. I think I will walk around the track 1 block from my house when I get home.

I used a gas saved calculator for bike commuters to figure out how much gas I was saving biking 5 days per week, 16 miles per day w/ gas at $3.10 & the bugs MPG as 30 miles per galleon. The annual savings was around $422. Figuring what I have spent so far on the $40 walmart bike I was given for free.. And vaguely contemplating future bike needs purchases.. It will be 2 years until I realize a financial cost savings.

So far:
$40.00 tune-up
$20.00 front basket (for back when I was meandering to the Farmers market for local produce, eggs & raw honey)
$83.00 rear folder baskets & platform they hang from
$9.00 screws & locktight
$ 6.35 raw wool Arron sweater from Goodwill

Around $160 so far.. & I am borrowing Brett’s old helmet, would love some skinny smooth tires… could use a better front light… & after all that.
I have already told myself 1 thing. If I ride my bike at least 3 days per week( even after I get a running vehicle).Then come December, I am putting a better commuter bike on lay-away!!

I know I am gaining MAJOR health benifits. Less carbon footprint, Biking is a great destresser! Anyway I am just tracking costs vs savings.