http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:52:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-371 kelly Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:05:13 +0000 http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/#comment-371 Good for you! Having been car-free for 3 years now, life is much nicer without a car. There are solutions to all your problems/questions but you need to think outside your "use a car for everything" paradigm. First, buy a bright yellow gortex jacket and a good headlight and tail light for your bike. You will be very visible at night. On the few days it actually rains during your commute (and you can count them on less than 10 fingers), get a pair of gortex rain pants. It also helps to have one pair of water proof shoes and gloves. You're set. It is beautiful riding a bike in the rain. If you are wearing the right gear, you will arrive completely dry and content and soooo glad that you rode that bike. I would not advise riding on the creek path at night. You have bike lanes on Shoreline and Middlefield, I think the two main roads for your commute. Once you get used to riding on a road with traffic, you will not notice the traffic. Wear a helmet with a little rear view mirror so you can check on the cars behind you. It is safest if you ride your bike using the same rules of the road that cars use, so drivers know what to expect from you. With all the money you are saving by not driving a car you can afford good gear and a good bike, and good roller blades. If you use old worn-out blades and an old clunky bike, you are not giving your car-free experience a fair chance against a car-dependent life. There are many ways to carry things without a car. We have two bike trailers (those kiddie trailers for in half and can be stored in a closet). I have expandable metal baskets on each side of my bike that each hold a bag of groceries. My xtracycle is the best thing on the planet, hauls everything but probably not your kind of bike. A great backpack works too. You can also just get stuff delivered, actually you can get Everything delivered. Hang in there. Good for you! Having been car-free for 3 years now, life is much nicer without a car. There are solutions to all your problems/questions but you need to think outside your “use a car for everything” paradigm. First, buy a bright yellow gortex jacket and a good headlight and tail light for your bike. You will be very visible at night. On the few days it actually rains during your commute (and you can count them on less than 10 fingers), get a pair of gortex rain pants. It also helps to have one pair of water proof shoes and gloves. You’re set. It is beautiful riding a bike in the rain. If you are wearing the right gear, you will arrive completely dry and content and soooo glad that you rode that bike.
I would not advise riding on the creek path at night. You have bike lanes on Shoreline and Middlefield, I think the two main roads for your commute. Once you get used to riding on a road with traffic, you will not notice the traffic. Wear a helmet with a little rear view mirror so you can check on the cars behind you. It is safest if you ride your bike using the same rules of the road that cars use, so drivers know what to expect from you.
With all the money you are saving by not driving a car you can afford good gear and a good bike, and good roller blades. If you use old worn-out blades and an old clunky bike, you are not giving your car-free experience a fair chance against a car-dependent life.
There are many ways to carry things without a car. We have two bike trailers (those kiddie trailers for in half and can be stored in a closet). I have expandable metal baskets on each side of my bike that each hold a bag of groceries. My xtracycle is the best thing on the planet, hauls everything but probably not your kind of bike. A great backpack works too. You can also just get stuff delivered, actually you can get Everything delivered.
Hang in there.

]]> http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-5085 kelly Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:05:00 +0000 http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/#comment-5085 Good for you! Having been car-free for 3 years now, life is much nicer without a car. There are solutions to all your problems/questions but you need to think outside your "use a car for everything" paradigm. First, buy a bright yellow gortex jacket and a good headlight and tail light for your bike. You will be very visible at night. On the few days it actually rains during your commute (and you can count them on less than 10 fingers), get a pair of gortex rain pants. It also helps to have one pair of water proof shoes and gloves. You're set. It is beautiful riding a bike in the rain. If you are wearing the right gear, you will arrive completely dry and content and soooo glad that you rode that bike. I would not advise riding on the creek path at night. You have bike lanes on Shoreline and Middlefield, I think the two main roads for your commute. Once you get used to riding on a road with traffic, you will not notice the traffic. Wear a helmet with a little rear view mirror so you can check on the cars behind you. It is safest if you ride your bike using the same rules of the road that cars use, so drivers know what to expect from you. With all the money you are saving by not driving a car you can afford good gear and a good bike, and good roller blades. If you use old worn-out blades and an old clunky bike, you are not giving your car-free experience a fair chance against a car-dependent life. There are many ways to carry things without a car. We have two bike trailers (those kiddie trailers for in half and can be stored in a closet). I have expandable metal baskets on each side of my bike that each hold a bag of groceries. My xtracycle is the best thing on the planet, hauls everything but probably not your kind of bike. A great backpack works too. You can also just get stuff delivered, actually you can get Everything delivered. Hang in there. Good for you! Having been car-free for 3 years now, life is much nicer without a car. There are solutions to all your problems/questions but you need to think outside your “use a car for everything” paradigm. First, buy a bright yellow gortex jacket and a good headlight and tail light for your bike. You will be very visible at night. On the few days it actually rains during your commute (and you can count them on less than 10 fingers), get a pair of gortex rain pants. It also helps to have one pair of water proof shoes and gloves. You’re set. It is beautiful riding a bike in the rain. If you are wearing the right gear, you will arrive completely dry and content and soooo glad that you rode that bike.
I would not advise riding on the creek path at night. You have bike lanes on Shoreline and Middlefield, I think the two main roads for your commute. Once you get used to riding on a road with traffic, you will not notice the traffic. Wear a helmet with a little rear view mirror so you can check on the cars behind you. It is safest if you ride your bike using the same rules of the road that cars use, so drivers know what to expect from you.
With all the money you are saving by not driving a car you can afford good gear and a good bike, and good roller blades. If you use old worn-out blades and an old clunky bike, you are not giving your car-free experience a fair chance against a car-dependent life.
There are many ways to carry things without a car. We have two bike trailers (those kiddie trailers for in half and can be stored in a closet). I have expandable metal baskets on each side of my bike that each hold a bag of groceries. My xtracycle is the best thing on the planet, hauls everything but probably not your kind of bike. A great backpack works too. You can also just get stuff delivered, actually you can get Everything delivered.
Hang in there.

]]> http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-369 Brooke Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:40:30 +0000 http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/#comment-369 You could also utilize the free Caltrain shuttle from the Shoreline area to the Mountain View station after dark if that gets you closer to home. Good luck! You could also utilize the free Caltrain shuttle from the Shoreline area to the Mountain View station after dark if that gets you closer to home. Good luck!

]]> http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-5084 Brooke Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:40:00 +0000 http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/#comment-5084 You could also utilize the free Caltrain shuttle from the Shoreline area to the Mountain View station after dark if that gets you closer to home. Good luck! You could also utilize the free Caltrain shuttle from the Shoreline area to the Mountain View station after dark if that gets you closer to home. Good luck!

]]> http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-367 megan Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:35:49 +0000 http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/#comment-367 GOOD FOR YOU!!! Love the log, it's kind of like tweeting.. uh oh!! GOOD FOR YOU!!! Love the log, it’s kind of like tweeting.. uh oh!!

]]> http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-5083 Anonymous Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:35:00 +0000 http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/2008/07/30/my-30-day-no-car-challenge/#comment-5083 GOOD FOR YOU!!! Love the log, it's kind of like tweeting.. uh oh!! GOOD FOR YOU!!! Love the log, it’s kind of like tweeting.. uh oh!!

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