Buying a car has been bad for my bike commuting. I’ve driven most days since buying it.
I did get back on the bike yesterday, and I wore my “Zombie Raccoon” Bike Commuter Cabal jersey for a 30-mile round trip yesterday (errands along the way).
Today, I was back in the car, mostly due to a poor night’s sleep.
The Big Dummy is prepped for tomorrow.
My average weight for the week ending 7/25/2015:
263.3 lbs
Down from last week:
1.5 lbs
Down since I re-started on 6/1/2015:
11.3 lbs
I’m back down, but still not riding enough. This morning’s weigh-in was 259.6, the first I’ve been under 260 in a while. That’s kind of scary.
My average weight for the week ending 7/18/2015:
264.7 lbs
Up from last week:
0.5 lbs
Down since I re-started on 6/1/2015:
9.9 lbs
I went too long without posting. I’ve been driving to work too often. I gained a little weight.
My average weight for the week ending 7/11/2015:
264.3 lbs
Down from last week:
0.5 lbs
Down since I re-started on 6/1/2015:
10.3 lbs
Weight until goal:
89.3 lbs
I mentioned I was going to start posting my weekly average weight posts again… well, here we are. My new start was 6/1, when I weighed 274.6 lbs.
This round of weight loss is mostly due to less beer consumption and a bit of self-control on what I eat.
Yesterday, I rode the single-speed Space Horse up to the coffee shop to meet with my daughter. We hung out a bit before I rode home. Later I met up with Tim for a single-speed ride around the parks before we stopped for a couple of beers.
When it was time to head home, I had a flat. Boo! After getting a bit dirty, the flat was changed and I rolled on… and stopped at another bar for another couple of beer. Oops.
Writing these weekly updates will hopefully keep me focused on the goal, rather than the beer.
After buying a car on Monday, my bike commuting took a hit. I drove the car everyday until yesterday (Friday). On Friday, I rode the bike. I did it partially because I like riding my bike, and partially because Diane wanted to take the car to check it out. She hadn’t driven it yet.
The ride in was pleasant, if a bit cloudy. Along the way on Camp Ground Rd, I saw some “road treasure.” Road treasure it rare on my commute, but often times you’ll find something interesting. A number of years ago, I found a slightly scuffed, but functional iPhone. I returned it to it’s owner. Friday, I found a cheap screwdriver. I’ll keep it.
Shortly after arriving at work we had torrential rains. I’m glad I made it in first. The rain came and went all day. I’m glad Diane didn’t leave the sunroof open on my car.
The rain stopped about ten minutes before I left work. There were plenty of puddles on the way home, but I never got rained on. The fenders kept my bike mostly clean.
I changed my commute route slightly. There was a short stretch near home that was the most stressful. Routing around that saves me stress, and adds 2.5 miles to my round-trip commute. I’ll take it. So the new round-trip commute is 28.5 miles.
After moving to the house I live in now and selling my truck, I started acting like a teenager. I didn’t worry about money (let alone retirement). I wasn’t responsible. I drank too much beer.
Some of those issues have come home to roost. I gained weight. I have an old debt nagging me. I have no retirement money.
The new job offers me a 401k with company match. The salary is enough that I can work on the old debt even with a car loan I just took on. I’m going to buckle down and be a grown-up. <Sigh> That’s not what I wanted to do with my life. 😀
I’m cutting way back on eating and drinking out at bars and restaurants. I’ll sign up for the 401k as soon as I’m eligible. I may have to put off buying any new bikes for a while. I’m even considering selling the Big Dummy now that I have a car.
Diane has triggered some of this, but she didn’t ask me to change. It just seemed to be the right thing to do. She will probably outlive me. I don’t want her suffering and broke after I’m gone.
This still isn’t the “simple living” I envisioned a few years ago. Diane doesn’t live that way. It’s hard to say that I do when I have five bicycles and two laptops.
After a few years of living car-free, things have changed. My life changed. I married Diane. I got another dog that doesn’t easily fit on a bike. My new job is farther from home.
Although Diane has her Explorer, it is hers. It’s also older, and I wouldn’t trust it on a long trip. The benefit is that it was paid for in cash.
Yesterday, I paid a visit to CarMax (where I bought my Nissan Frontier in 2009) and bought a 2012 Honda Civic.
After getting the car, I went to the grocery store and thought over the decision. I’m still going to get around by bike for most things. The car gives me an “out” for those days I just don’t feel up to riding. It also gives me the ability to drive to Michigan to visit my mother without the hassle of a car rental, or the risk of the Explorer breaking down.
Although it’s an econo-car, it’s the nicest car I’ve owned. It has only 21,000 miles on it. It has more gadgets than I know what to do with. It connects to my phone with bluetooth. It has a sunroof. Fancy.
Diane and I took it for a drive last night, and brought both dogs with us. Yes, my car got the “dog hair treatment” on the first day.
If I regret the purchase later, or if life changes again, I can sell the car, assuming I pay off enough of it by then. I did with the Nissan.
I did drive the new car to work today, but I’ll be on the bike tomorrow.
The (mostly) no-beer June thing paid off, as did the longer commute and watching what I eat.
On 6/1/2015 my weight was 274.6. It slowly dropped from there. Weekly averages below:
| 6/6 | 274.3 |
| 6/13 | 271.3 |
| 6/20 | 269.9 |
| 6/27 | 268.7 |
| 7/4 | 265.8 |
My average weight for the month of June was 270.4.
I look forward to posting weekly updates on the weigh-in every weekend.
I still ride a bike too! As you saw in my previous post, I re-configured the rSogn to be my daily commuter. It works, but I now have two bikes that aren’t rideable. I need to fix that. I’m also planning on another bike for later in the year.
I had Friday off work, so Tim and I rode single-speed bikes around town. Unfortunately I consumed way too many liquid calories after the ride.
Five more months to lose weight before Gravel Grovel.