Keefer Madness

Bike to Work Day, and I'm Gonna Do it!

// May 15th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Cycling, Local (Raleigh Durham)

So today is Bike to Work Day, ending Bike to Work Week in the middle of Bike to Work Month. Well today, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before – bike to work. Sure, I’ve driven part way and parked the car at Crabtree Valley Mall, then biked the just over seven miles in. But today, I’m going the whole distance – door to door.

There’s a lot of unknowns: the total mileage of this bike commute, the total time it’s going to take and how much traffic I’ll encounter. But I’ll start to find out here in a little over a half hour. My guesstimate is that is going to take me about three hours to get from my home in Durham to downtown Raleigh. My route is pretty convoluted, but keeps me in residential neighborhoods almost the entire time. Wish me luck, and expect another post somewhere later today with the details of my maiden Durham to Raleigh commute. See you on the road.

Raleigh Bike Commute – 3.6 Mile Bike Commute in 2 Minutes

// May 14th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling

In honor of bike to work week (and day tomorrow), here’s a News & Observer staff photographer’s frame stop video animation of his bike commute from his Raleigh home to downtown Raleigh.

3.6 Mile Bike Commute in 2 Minutes

Bike Commute in the Morning

// April 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Personal Crap

Well it’s been quite awhile, but I’m going to start and end my work day tomorrow with my bike commute. I’m so sick of the crappy weather – near freezing temperatures and lots of rain.

Granted, just glancing at the weather for tomorrow, my morning commute is going to be on the chilly side – around 40 degrees, but my afternoon commute will be around 70 degrees. Welcome to central North Carolina, home of the 30 degree temperature swings of both spring and fall. Oh well. I’ll survive tomorrow’s commute and be healthier and saner for it. Despite the cold, I’m looking forward to the early morning ride as the sun rises to start my day, and then looking forward to the warmer return commute, spinning out some stresses of the day and starting the weekend off right – in the saddle.

Brier Creek to Downtown Raleigh – Anyone Have a Safe Bike Route?

// March 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Local (Raleigh Durham)

Alright everyone, I posed this question awhile back, but didn’t have the captive cycling audience that I do now thanks to my posts now going out to the Twitter and Facebook audiences. Currently, my fair weather commute plan means driving with the Allez Comp, or on occasion, the Tarmac Expert in tow, parking at Crabtree Valley Mall, and then biking into downtown Raleigh.

As the days get longer, and the stress levels rise, I’d love to have a full bike commute on occasion this summer (or later this spring). Anyway, is there a viable, safe and efficient way to bike from the Brier Creek area all the way into downtown? 70/Glenwood Avenue is obviously the most direct route, but it’s neither viable, nor safe. Is there a relatively parallel route to 70, or even to I-40 that is safe for biking, yet still relatively efficient?

Bike Commuting – Great Supplemental Training & Benefits

// July 30th, 2008 // No Comments » // Cycling, Health & Fitness, Personal Crap

So I haven’t been very strict as of late watching what I eat, but after lady night’s training ride, I was the lightest I’ve been since college.

While obviously watching what you eat helps, for me – sheer volume of exercise and calorie burning has been my solution.

The past two years, I’ve been spending more and more time in the bike saddle and I don’t see that changing any time soon. I’ve been regularly riding three times a week halfway to work with a total round trip of about 15 miles. That’s netting me 50 minutes of elevating my heart rate, over 1000 calories burned, plus the hilly route is helping me train a bit for my crits and road races.

All of this is in addition to the benefits of less gas burned in the 4Runner, more time outside and some great stress relief.

All in all, I’m finding bike commuting is benefiting me in health, training and a bit in the wallet. I highly recommend anyone that can integrate bike commuting, even once in awhile to do it.

Biking to Work

// July 3rd, 2008 // No Comments » // Cycling, Funny Stuff

Here’s a local humorous take on biking to work courtesy of the News & Observer:

Biking to Work

Commute Confirmation

// June 13th, 2008 // No Comments » // Cycling, Personal Crap

So I’ve made several posts about my recent switch it habits to integrating a three day a week hybrid car/bike commute. I’m loving it, and I’ve lucked out so far with sunny weather on all but a single ride home.

But anyway, a recent group ride crash shredded my left glove. The right had already been ripped slightly in my Downtown Winston Salem race crash. I loved the gloves I’ve been utilizing on every single commute, training ride and race – a couple year old pair of Specialized BG Pro Gloves. I’ve had a hell of a time tracking down a pair of this year’s version of the Specialized BG Pro Gloves, but finally found a pair that my local shop near work was able to transfer from another store. I picked up the new Specialized BG Pro Gloves today and they’re a great upgrade over the older year gloves I had been wearing.

While there, I explained to one of the guys my current biking habits – crits, training and commuting. Seeing as the bike shop, was a Specialized dealer, I asked if they had the Specialized Globe City commuter bike. They did not, but the guy said I don’t need a commuter bike. He basically said it didn’t make sense for me at my level of training, nor at my age. He said my current Specialized Allez Comp was a much more suitable ride on the hills from Crabtree Valley Mall to Guzi and in general, the Globe would be heavier, and its upright riding position less efficient.

He basically confirmed what both Amanda and I had already planned. The Allez Comp for now continues to be my bike for all things road – commuting, training and racing. Short term, I’ll get a set of wheels specifically for racing and the hardcore training rides and my current set become my commute and everyday wheels.

Long term, the Allez Comp will become a training bike and commuter. I’m hoping in the next couple years I can upgrade to a race-specific bicycle.

But the cool thing is our plans and thoughts were on the right track. It was nice to get some commuter confirmation.

First Bike Commute In Under My Belt

// May 23rd, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Cycling, Personal Crap

So I’ve been talking about commuting by bike for awhile. I got up early this morning and got my first ride in. All in all, it was really quick, and completely painless. My commute is a bit hilly, seeing as I’m parking at Crabtree Valley Mall. It’s actually in a valley. Anyway, anything that was uphill on the way to work will be downhill on the way home.

Traffic was completely thin. Only one car passed me, and the only significant cross traffic I encountered, I had a traffic light. I showered at the private gym here in our building and was at my desk by 7:15. Here’s to getting out early.

The only thing I’m going to look into changing is bringing my work clothes the day before. My backpack was bulky with a towel, change of close and various other items. I think I’ll try to regularly have the clothes and other stuff ready for me here at work so I don’t have to lug it all in on my back. It wasn’t the end of the world though.

So yeah, with one commute under my belt as of an hour ago, I’m completely satisfied. I really didn’t add too much time onto my normal commute, and burned less gas and more calories (about 600 one way!) I’m looking forward to making this a regular thing.

Man Braves Cars, Bureaucrats to Bike on Tollways

// January 31st, 2008 // No Comments » // Cycling

Seems awfully dangerous to me, but more power to this Dell employee down in Texas who commutes to work every day back and forth on a tollway. I’m slightly jealous – not of the danger he faces, but the fact that he is able to commute, and has for his whole working life. I can’t imagine taking I-40 or even 70 to work everyday on a bike. Plus, I think it’s illegal (and unwise) to do so here in the state of North Carolina.

Man Braves Cars, Bureaucrats to Bike on Tollways