Bike to Work Day (sort of)

It make sense last night. The logistical complications and reasons for riding were clear in my drowsy state, but during the day today, it seemed kind of silly.

I wanted to ride to work today because it would make three in a row and because it was Bike to Work Day in Lafayette. I didn’t even know it was Bike to Work Week until reading Thomas’ post about it. Anyway, I had heard on the TV news that today was the day being observed here. Also, I have seen rain forecasted for Thursday and Friday, and I’ll be out of town on Saturday, so this would be my last day for a while.

The problem was that my son had marching band tryouts today at 4:00, and needed a ride from his middle school to the high school.

So, the plan I concocted while half asleep in my easy chair was to drive my bike to work, ride home, shower for work, ride back (thus riding to work), take the car to chauffeur the boy, and ride after work.

It started out nice. I was able to find a spot right behind the building, and the ride back through campus was calm.

Ross-Ade Stadium in the Morning

After my shower, I rode back to the office, and I had to hurry to get to another building in the next block for a training class. I walked in a couple of minutes late and was quite hot and a little sweaty.

The shuttling of the teenager was without incident, and I was ready for a good ride after work.

But, I couldn’t just ride home, because then my car would still be at work. I ended up riding all around Lafayette and coming back to the office. I put the bike back in the car and drove home.

So I at least covered some of the benefits of commuting to work: exercise for me, and setting an example for others on Bike to Work Day that it is possible and easy to do. However, I also drove my car to work, which still burned gas, took a parking place, and showed that one can only ride to work if he has no other life.

Oh well!

The Route

The first leg started at Wood and Grant Streets in West Lafayette. I traveled up Grant to Northwestern, up to Stadium, and west to University Street. North on University took me around Ross-Ade Stadium (pictured), and I came down the other side on Beering Drive. A right on Tower Drive led me back to Stadium and on out to McCormick Road. A quick south jaunt to SR26 and a left on Newman took me back to Division Road and home.

Leg two was the direct route back to work.

After work, the wind was coming from the southeast, so I headed south on US231 over the Wabash River, and east on SR25 and Beck Lane over to 9th Street (past Armstrong Park). North on 9th past Central Catholic High School (which just fired its basketball coach), down to the Lafayette Country Club, up to the Highland Park area, and down through the Ninth Street Hill Neighborhood®. At Main Street I headed west downtown to the John Myers Bridge. Tapawingo, Brown, and Roebuck is the route around Wabash Landing. Finally, I headed up State Street Hill back to Grant Street and my car.

Miles Ridden: 17.2
Total This Year: 301

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