From Smart Commute Week to Smart Commute Life

With yet another Smart Commute week upon us, I thought it a good time to reflect on the transition from simply participating in Smart Commute week (taking a full week of your life to experience an alternate form of getting to work) and focusing on the transition from a one-week experiment into a full-blown lifestyle change.

For me, the switch came three summers ago when I decided to focus on getting healthier and saving money. A noble enough endeavor, I thought, and a good way to get outside during the week. Little did I know that, three years on, this would become an entirely new lifestyle, completely at odds with my previous, slothful state of laziness and relying solely on my car to get me from point A to point B.

It initially came about as a bit of a dare in that no one seemed to believe that I would be able to follow through with the routine of getting up, preparing for the day and riding the eleven or so miles one way into town each day.

Admittedly, I found the adjustment a bit jarring at first; not quite sure how best to time my departure based on the weather, temperatures or simply how my body was feeling. I quickly learned that the Weather Channel was my new best friend: the first person to greet me in the morning and the last before drifting off to sleep at night. I became so aware of and dependant upon the Weather Channel’s forecast for my daily preparations that I couldn’t help but feel betrayed when the forecast proved inaccurate.

But gradually I adjusted to the new relationship and life outside the car, quickly learning that you do not want to push too hard on the way into work in the middle of summer, lest your co-workers wrinkle their noses in disgust upon your sweaty, stinking arrival. Also, despite the stigma of non-cyclists attached to wearing chamois (or, as they prefer, ‘spandex’) shorts and jersey, it was the ideal outfit to ride to and from work, leaving the change of clothes in my backpack the dry, workday alternative.

It certainly takes a bit of getting used to and planning but, ultimately, the rewards far outweigh the perceived drawbacks inherent in a smart commute lifestyle. For starters, you simply feel better about yourself; not only from a physical standpoint, but mentally as well, as the endorphins surge through your body both before and, perhaps most importantly, after work. This becomes the ultimate stress reliever and cool down from a long day at the office.

Also, your pocketbook will thank you for easing the strain of weekly or bi-weekly trips to the pump, especially during the summer months. Of course you will come to have new expenses in the form of bike repairs and blown tubes, but I would much rather shell out $6.95 for a new tube than $54 every week or so for gas. I’m certainly no math wizard, but I do believe the following speaks for itself: nearly $200 per month in gas verses $30 a month (on a particularly bad month) for new tubes.

But ultimately it simply boils down to being outside and using the time normally spent in your car enjoying the fresh air, scenery and benefits of a healthier, ‘smarter’ lifestyle. So what are you waiting for? Let Smart Commute Week be just the start of Smart Commute Life!

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