Contrary to what the mail order catalogs would have you believe, summer is not over. In fact, were not yet 6 weeks into it, and there are over 7 weeks of summer still left on the calendar. And after summer runs out, Chicago often experiences some of the most glorious early fall cycling weather imaginable!
So maybe you're one of these people who have made grand pland to become bike commuters this summer, and things have, well, not worked out quite the way you planned. Or maybe you just can't see yourself as a bike commuter, but you have a feeling that biking could be kind of a good thing to do for yourself, your neighborhoods and the environment.
Well, I am here to tell you that cycling is not and all-or-nothing proposition. Here are some tips for incorporating biking into your routine this season and through the fall:
- If possible, keep your bike where it's easily accessible, with all your gear near at hand (helmet and lock at a minimum).
- If you think you may want to pick up a few things, but don't want to invest in a lot of bike luggage just yet, carry a backpack.
- Don't try to build your whole day around the bike. Start by planning short trips: post office, library, coffee shop, small shopping errand.
- If you were planning a major shopping expedition, see if instead there are a few things you can pick up locally, and put off the mega-mart trip for another week.
- If you are traffic-averse, ride your bike to places you can reach using small neighborhoods streets.
The point is, just because you drove your car or got on the bus today doesn't mean you can't cycle tomorrow. It doesn't mean you have to cycle everywhere for the rest of your life (you can, of course, if you want to); all it means that you will use your bike sometimes, when it makes sense to you. I find that I am much more likely to use my bike if there is no external pressure on me to do so, such as a guilt-trip from someone who cycles more than I do.
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