GO! Girls Outdoors

It was National Ride to Work Day yesterday!  Did you know about it?  I had my head down and actually missed the promotion but judging by the pictures in the paper (especially the one of the Premier looking smug), it was a great day.  Unfortunately I missed the free breakfast in the city because…yes, you guessed it…I had to leave early because I was riding to work.  

I usually ride a bike, whether it’s to work, university, social events or whatever.  My partner does as well, and often a week will go by where the car just sits in the driveway and sulks - the old car was worse, it often refused to start if we neglected it for too long.  I even achieved my three minutes of fame by getting on the local Brisbane radio one year, which was heard by at least two people that I know of, and winning a riding jersey for my troubles (riding to work, and also getting dobbed in as the spokesperson for the local Bicycle User Group, despite the fact I wasn’t a member).  I’ve always liked riding a bike to get places, even when I used to bank on a crash a week, even when I worked at a place that refused to replace the gas in the hot water heater, and even when I once caught a plane some of the way up Australia and rode home.

So, because I love riding my bike to work, I’ve put together this “Ode to Ride to Work Day”.  I call it, “Riding to Work is…”

Riding to Work is…

…eventually, inevitably, one day forgetting your underpants and free-balling all day (you might have non-existent balls, like me, but it’s still free-balling)

…looking out the window at developing showers with sad-cow eyes

…eventually, inevitably, one day realising when you get to work that you have no shoes, probably on a day with an important meeting, and then having to get a taxi home to pick them up

…choosing to apply for jobs that aren’t too close to home, but aren’t too far to ride and preferably have a few different routes linking them

…arriving to work sweaty/bloody/muddy/drenched/etc, but usually smiling

…eventually, inevitably, one day getting a flat tire and being late for something vital and important - this will probably happen on a day when it’s raining

...being the recipient of a lot of “wow, I can’t believe you ride every day”, to which the only valid and acceptable reply is “oh well, ha ha ha” (you can think “well, if you got off your bum you fatty boombah, you could probably ride too” if that’s appropriate, but by no means must you say it)

…having a really, really, really nice arse

…not feeling guilty about having seconds, thirds and fourths at group morning tea

…having a commuter bike, a road bike, a mountain bike, a touring bike, a trashy bike and the bike you used to ride before you updated to all the other bikes, and

…keeping all your bikes in the garage and the car on the street

…experiencing the satisfaction of inspiring someone else to ride, saving a little bit of the environment every day, getting fit and healthy while avoiding the gym and having a great beginning to the day before you’ve even started work.

Well done to everyone who rode to work (or even just to the free breakfast) on National Ride to Work day yesterday.  May the force - leg force, nice weather force, anti-accident force and anti-mechanical-issue force - be with you on your worthy commute.  Spread the word, be an inspiration and together we can take over the world!