Rob Raux - Observations

Commuting to Ann Arbor on a Bike - 2 Month Update

Another long delay in posting but again what can you expect from someone like me. Surely you can’t imagine that I’d keep posting consistently. Even I don’t expect that.
I have stuck to biking to work. I usually average about 3-4 days depending on how I’m feeling. The weather has been quite good for it. In the meantime I’ve managed to already get a flat tire (bad luck I suppose). I’ve also managed to ride home in a few thunderstorms, which because of the warm weather was quite nice. I don’t think I would have enjoyed them nearly as much had I been riding to work.

I have logged well over 500 miles now and I feel great. There is little that can compare to having the ability to exercise so much each day while fitting it into my schedule. I don’t think there is any other way I could manage to stay in such good shape.

The bike has held up very well, I’ve been diligent about cleaning and taking care of it. Since I rely on it to get me from place to place I like to think that it deserves the upkeep but perhaps I just enjoy keeping it clean and well lubed.

In any event, the biking to work has gone better than I could have hoped. I currently use two panniers with garbage bags and/or grocery bags in them. The electronics I keep in a ziplock bag. There have been no issues with this setup despite the storms and despite the fact that I sometimes bike with up to 30 pounds on the back. Fortunately the rack can take 40, I just need to make sure those tires are perfectly inflated everyday. It makes a huge difference otherwise.

I have a couple of routes that I’m interested in biking over the weekends. The first is a 30 miler through Chelsea and Dexter. The second is approximately 21.5 miles and spends a significant time along Huron River Drive. This drive is supposedly one of the nicest to bike along in the area. Hopefully I can find the time and motivation to try these out soon. Perhaps if the weather cools down out of the 90’s I will be able to bear it.