Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Well, it started out as an errand. I had to deliver a letter to the post office, so it could get on its way as soon as possible. So that's an excuse for a bike ride, right? And while I was going to visit my favorite postal clerk, it was also an excuse to buy several stamps for the company business.
The clerk was her usual friendly self, and our conversation led me to think of going to the gym or taking a bit of a ride. Since the day was bright and a warm 60° F. Since the afternoon marked the beginning of a long holiday weekend. Since I wanted to put off the 7 files of proofreading work waiting in my inbox.
So I headed to the bikeway along the Mad River. But at Eastwood Park, instead of heading south to the gym, I remembered the photos of the new bikeway construction recently posted by the Wright State Riders, and I crossed the lagoon to reach the connector now in development.
The new bikeway is in the third stage of development. The gravel underlayment has been covered by a rough asphalt layer that's nearly level with the surrounding turf. It's fairly clean, though dirt clods on the surface indicate that construction equipment is still active. I squeezed past a small front-loader that was at rest while a crew took a break, and continued on through sparse forested areas and meadows, and then out of the park by passing underneath Harshman Road at the Mad River bridge. The bikeway takes a sharp right, paralleling the street, and the pavement comes to an abrupt end overlooking a stretch of railway, just in sight of the old Harshman Mansion off of Springfield Pike.
From earlier supervision from car trips, I know the path continues between Harshman Road and the mansion as a graded cut into the turf, and that it turns east before it reaches Springfield Pike and ends before it reaches the small cluster of homes that once were known as Huberville. Supposedly, the bikeway will take over one of the lanes of Springfield Pike as it passes underneath the railway and Highway 4. Then it will break away again up to Huffman Dam, where it will join the Huffman Prairie Bikeway that joins Huffman Metropark with Wright State University and Fairborn.
More information on construction as of 18 Feb 2013.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 61°F at 13:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, tights, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time/distance: no estimates
Heart rate: no data
21 November 2012
17 November 2012
Why I'm not commuting
Saturday, 17 November 2012
Today was cool, but great for a two-layer ride. And this was my first ride in a couple weeks, during a long fallow period of riding because of classes taken at Wright State. And for other reasons.
What's been keeping me from commuting
It has been 9 months since I commuted to work regularly by bike. My last work commute was a day before Eastman Kodak "offered" me "early retirement." On the same day they served lay-off notices to the first 30% wave of their employees. Over that period, I've been rethinking what it must mean now to use my bicycle in a meaningful way that relates to commuting by bike, now that my workplace is my home.
I've been busy in the past 9 months, busier even than when I was a direct employee. The time saw a change in mindset from job hunting to building a viable business. Eastman Kodak provided 8 weeks of coaching for the job hunt, hosted by Judith Schimpf, a sensitive facilitator at Lee Hecht Harrison. I ended the sessions early to start taking Summer classes in marketing at Wright State. I started with the basic Introduction to Marketing, taught by Dr. Wakiuru Wamwara-Mbugua, whose pre-professorial experience included several demographic and interest group studies. Then I completed the Summer with Entrepreneurial Small Business, taught by Dr. Kendall Goodrich. His background includes management positions in large companies' marketing departments, and his advice superbly guided the building of a Business Plan for what was to become my company. And now I'm studying College Algebra, a pre-requisite for taking Managerial Finance.
At least since the Entrepreneurship class, my business Documentorium has been gestating. I've become more receptive to contracts instead of a direct position (though Chuck is much less comfortable with the idea than I). I've designed a simple business card and brochure, with stationery to match. I've gone to two trade shows now, and I have planned and started an approach to contacting target clients. I've been practicing my Elevator Pitch in phone calls and meetings. It's getting honed and focused as I use it. Best news: I've been active with a couple contracted jobs, though I'm not working full-time yet in a writing capacity. So where I have available time, I spend it in administrative and sales activities.
What's been my biking activity—and hope
In this time of transition, I've biked to the local post office when I had books to deliver after they sold from our Amazon storefront, Words and Beyond. I biked also a few times to the Second Street Market. But for the most part, my bike leaned on the wall while I drove to classes at Wright State University and to errands.
I know that the direct route to Wright State is not one I want to use for biking. Way back in 1980, I had taken the route along Colonel Glenn Highway and Airway. Even then the traffic was extraordinarily heavy, and it's worse—much worse—now. There is good news, though; construction is underway on a dedicated route that can end at the university. Perhaps as soon as late Spring 2013, Five Rivers MetroParks will complete a connector between Eastwood Park and Huffman Dam. Then the route will be indirect, but safe—a ride of 12 miles that should be easily done in 50 minutes.
Reconsidering the bike commute
So working from home means rethinking what a commute is. One alternative: take a morning ride to prepare for work at home or a late afternoon ride to mark the end of the workday at home. Another alternative: use more errands as opportunities for bike commuting. Another alternative: rethink my comfort level, so I can dress in casual business instead of cycling lycra and arrive at a destination without needing a shower.
Today's ride conditions
I started out around 3 p.m., took the bikeways to the gym that was known as Cardinal Fitness (now it's Every Body Fitness), and turned around for the return trip. I checked my time about a mile after the turnaround: 4:19. Then after coming up from the bikeway and riding the neighborhood streets back home, I saw Marty Moseman and talked with her for a bit before I got home at 5:10.
Temperature: 53 to 59°F at 16:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 15 mph from the south and east
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, light tights, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time: about 2:00:00 for about 26 miles
Heart rate: no data
Bikeway users: no data
Today was cool, but great for a two-layer ride. And this was my first ride in a couple weeks, during a long fallow period of riding because of classes taken at Wright State. And for other reasons.
What's been keeping me from commuting
It has been 9 months since I commuted to work regularly by bike. My last work commute was a day before Eastman Kodak "offered" me "early retirement." On the same day they served lay-off notices to the first 30% wave of their employees. Over that period, I've been rethinking what it must mean now to use my bicycle in a meaningful way that relates to commuting by bike, now that my workplace is my home.
I've been busy in the past 9 months, busier even than when I was a direct employee. The time saw a change in mindset from job hunting to building a viable business. Eastman Kodak provided 8 weeks of coaching for the job hunt, hosted by Judith Schimpf, a sensitive facilitator at Lee Hecht Harrison. I ended the sessions early to start taking Summer classes in marketing at Wright State. I started with the basic Introduction to Marketing, taught by Dr. Wakiuru Wamwara-Mbugua, whose pre-professorial experience included several demographic and interest group studies. Then I completed the Summer with Entrepreneurial Small Business, taught by Dr. Kendall Goodrich. His background includes management positions in large companies' marketing departments, and his advice superbly guided the building of a Business Plan for what was to become my company. And now I'm studying College Algebra, a pre-requisite for taking Managerial Finance.
At least since the Entrepreneurship class, my business Documentorium has been gestating. I've become more receptive to contracts instead of a direct position (though Chuck is much less comfortable with the idea than I). I've designed a simple business card and brochure, with stationery to match. I've gone to two trade shows now, and I have planned and started an approach to contacting target clients. I've been practicing my Elevator Pitch in phone calls and meetings. It's getting honed and focused as I use it. Best news: I've been active with a couple contracted jobs, though I'm not working full-time yet in a writing capacity. So where I have available time, I spend it in administrative and sales activities.
What's been my biking activity—and hope
In this time of transition, I've biked to the local post office when I had books to deliver after they sold from our Amazon storefront, Words and Beyond. I biked also a few times to the Second Street Market. But for the most part, my bike leaned on the wall while I drove to classes at Wright State University and to errands.
I know that the direct route to Wright State is not one I want to use for biking. Way back in 1980, I had taken the route along Colonel Glenn Highway and Airway. Even then the traffic was extraordinarily heavy, and it's worse—much worse—now. There is good news, though; construction is underway on a dedicated route that can end at the university. Perhaps as soon as late Spring 2013, Five Rivers MetroParks will complete a connector between Eastwood Park and Huffman Dam. Then the route will be indirect, but safe—a ride of 12 miles that should be easily done in 50 minutes.
Reconsidering the bike commute
So working from home means rethinking what a commute is. One alternative: take a morning ride to prepare for work at home or a late afternoon ride to mark the end of the workday at home. Another alternative: use more errands as opportunities for bike commuting. Another alternative: rethink my comfort level, so I can dress in casual business instead of cycling lycra and arrive at a destination without needing a shower.
Today's ride conditions
I started out around 3 p.m., took the bikeways to the gym that was known as Cardinal Fitness (now it's Every Body Fitness), and turned around for the return trip. I checked my time about a mile after the turnaround: 4:19. Then after coming up from the bikeway and riding the neighborhood streets back home, I saw Marty Moseman and talked with her for a bit before I got home at 5:10.
Temperature: 53 to 59°F at 16:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 15 mph from the south and east
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, light tights, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time: about 2:00:00 for about 26 miles
Heart rate: no data
Bikeway users: no data
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