100 miles in a month

I've been riding to work and back, via bike, for about two weeks now. My fitness level before this was pretty low but I'm sure much better than most. I mean, we usually walk everywhere, so my legs are pretty fit for a lazy lady. Quite honestly, I like walking if the weather is nice & the weather is always decent in Texas. It's the best when it is fall though. Speaking of fall, it usually comes pretty fast in Texas. One day its 95 degrees and the next in the 70's. It's time for me to get some long sleeves and jeans already! I barely even have a jacket! They are more like cardigans. 

Anyway, back to fitness. Did I choose to ride to work. Yes. Did I want to? Not really. Without giving too much detail, we don't really have a vehicle. To be quite honest, I'd be wasting a lot of money (that I barely make) on gas. So biking is the only option right now. When it gets REALLY cold, I'll worry about what to do then but for now, biking it is. It's not that far of a ride really. 2 miles since I take the back way, away from the highway. Takes about 20 minutes which doesn't feel too long when you're listening to the radio. I'm always listening to the 80's radio station when I ride. No other channel feels right when riding a bike. 

Some days I wake up and dread the ride. Whether it be the weather or the fact that I didn't get enough sleep, it sometimes can be a dreadful ride. But that really is a small percentage of my rides. For the most part, I like it. Cruising down the roads, carefree and having twenty minutes to myself without a thought in the world. Well besides avoiding getting hit of course. It's really nice. I don't have any horrible hills going to work (although there are tiny uphills) and riding back is a breeze. 

Since I've decided to take this "forced fitness" seriously, we've been saving up to get new bikes. Mike also rides his bike to work but on a BMX bike. His lower body is incredibly toned. He's kind of beastly. But it would be nice if we both had better bikes. Mine is borrowed and a bit rusty so I'm sure having a new one will make my ride a bit better. I added SpokeLit LED bike lights for safety at night and I LOVE them.

*Excuse my roughness. This is what I look like after a bike ride. *

I got the spoke lights from Academy for 6.99 each and I'm planning to get more. Mike use to make fun of them but he's seemed to come around and has been hinting that he wants his own. I got the disco version (because it was the only one they had) but I'm thinking I want to invest in some blue lights. Why blue? So people will think I'm a cop and try to avoid me. At least, that's what I hope they will do. And I'll get a white helmet as well. You think it will do the trick? I hope so.

It also made sense to add a bike trailer to our bikes for my son to travel in. I did a lot of research for the trailer within my budget and decided to go with this one by Allen Sports. Before I go any further, let me just say that there was a Schwinn trailer, on clearance at my work weeks ago & Mike had talked me out of it. For whatever reason, he thought we didn't need it because I didn't have a bike at the time. I thoroughly regret that decision and have learned my lesson. If I know I will need it in the future & it's a good price, I WILL GET IT :) Anyway, the moment I went to Walmart to pick up this trailer, these people had no idea what they were talking about. Said they didn't have it (although I called and confirmed they had 9 in the back) and when they did go get it, it was a different brand that was "cross referenced". Apparently, Walmart puts like products under the same code if they don't have an item? Um, I specifically came to get this particular item, not another brand. Before turning into monster, I decided to google the items reviews. Once I decided the InStep Pronto trailer had great reviews, I bought it. My son absolutely LOVES IT.

I won't lie though. I don't know who writes the reviews but I can feel my son back there. He's not even 40 pounds yet and I definitely feel a load while I pull. I think I just hoped for a smoother ride. The first time we went downtown, I yelled at my boyfriend who was laughing at me. The downtown ride, however, is full of hills. It's kind of horrible. The more I do it though, the easier it should get. This trailer is made to carry two children, maximum total weight= 100 lbs. I've actually put two children in here which probably totaled 70 and I was grunting. But when it's just my son, it really isn't that bad. The best part about this trailer is that he absolutely loves it. When we go anywhere, he thinks we're on an adventure. For his birthday, we just rode downtown (had lunch and ice cream) and to my dads house. That's all and he had so much joy in his face, it was infectious. He kept laughing and giggling in the trailer & when Mike zoomed him around an empty church parking lot he was yelling, "WEEEEEE! This is sooo much fun!!!" His last words before falling asleep that day were, "Thank you for the best day ever." This trailer is most definitely a keeper & I recommend everyone with a bike & child buy one :)