Here are some of the small lessons I have learned so far in biking to work:
1. A bandanna is very useful. Keep one on you at all times.
2. Wear sunscreen.
3. Always check the weather for the day, and have a back up plan in case it changes.
4. Keep a roadside emergency kit. Mine includes:
a. an extra tube
b. tire-changing tools
c. fix a flat
d. a bicycle pump
5. Invest in a lightweight, good quality rain jacket

Safety First

The first thing you want to know about biking to work is the traffic laws in regards to bikes. In New Jersey, you do not have to register your bike, but in some states you do. In New Jersey, bikes must follow all traffic laws. That means traveling in the same direction as traffic, yielding to pedestrians, obeying all stop signs and traffic signals, yield signs, construction zones, and traffic signs. You can get pulled over by a cop for not obeying traffic laws. If you're under 17, you must wear a helmet. If you're riding after dark, your bike has to have a front and back light visible for 500 feet.

Also, you must use hand signals to indicate turns and stops. Just to refresh, here are the hand signals for bike riding (also helpful when your blinker is out):



You don't have to give the signal continuously. Just give the signal at the right moment before your turn, such as when the light changes, or you are moving from a stopped position to start moving again, or if traffic is approaching you from behind.

Remember, you are an ambassador for commuting bikers everywhere, so practice these laws to set a good example. The more cars see good bicyclists on the road practicing the proper biking procedures, the safer everyone will be.

Fridays are a Grreat Day to Bike to Work!

Think about it...you're already in a good mood......it's Friday! Everyone's a little relaxed today. No one's going to notice if you show up a couple minutes late 'cause this was your first time riding in.....They probably won't even notice that you've got a little sweat on your brow or you wore your comfy shoes instead of your good ones. It's a great day to get some exercise and sunshine before walking in the door, so you finish your week off like a rock star and wrap up that project on time. Ever heard of casual Friday? Great excuse for wearing your riding jeans (and trust me, you'll find that perfect pair of riding jeans). But I think the main thing is that biking to work is such a great way to relax and enjoy the day, that it really makes you appreciate the end of the work week. Instead of Friday's being a day that you just slog through to get to the weekend, it becomes a day to look forward to and enjoy from start to finish. Also, Friday evenings usually aren't packed with week day activities, so you have some flexibility over what time you get home. Also, there tend to be fewer commuters on the road on Friday, as people take Friday off more than other days.

So think about it... would you like to bike to work on a Friday?

If I can bike to work, anyone can bike to work

I really thought this was impossible. I mean, I live in New Jersey for crying out loud. Everyone needs a car. Public transportation in the suburbs is about a rare as a Bengal tiger and about as fickle as the weather in New England. It just doesn't get you to where you need to go. The other joke I hear is that walking is the South Jersey driving. You see a lot of people walking for miles and miles because there just isn't any other way. My work place is 11 miles from my house. No way to walk. The quickest way to get there is to take Route 73, and open battlefield filled with driving commuters out for blood. No way to bike that, as people would rather put their own children's lives at risk than put their cell phones down for a second to use their blinkers. For two years that we have been in this office I thought I was stuck in my car. Then, as chance would have it, driving a car no longer became an option for me. I had to find another way. I turned the matter over and over in my head, read the maps, checked public transit schedules, and google mapped the heck out of the situation until I found a solution.

 I want to write this blog to show you that biking to work is a thing that you can do too. It's not as scary as it seems! Maybe you'll learn a thing or two from my tales, and not make the same mistakes I did. I want to let you know that biking to work is a really rewarding experience that most of us with access to a bike or a bus can do. I'm going to tell you tips and tricks that I learned in order to hopefully make your life a little easier.

I'm not some biking enthusiast. I'm not some weird hippie. I'm just a chick with a bike that had to find an alternate route to work when her car went down. So let me tell you some of the lessons I learned along the way, so hopefully you'll consider biking to work on Fridays....

Fridays are a Great Day to Bike to Work!

Hi, everyone! Join me on my adventures in the jungle of suburban South Jersey as I bike, battle, and blunder my way through the workday commute all in an effort to go and save a little green. We'll meet friendly cross guards, pissed off drivers, and furry little friends who don't move very much as we pedal and push our way across the pavement. I'll tell you the best way not to get stuck in a tornado, and what to do if you get a flat. This is the real urban safari, as each day brings a new adventure and each bump in the road is just another obstacle to overcome.