May 15, 2003 - Commute on Bike to Work Day

I ride my bike to work most days - year 'round average is about 70% of my commute trips. I usually drive if it's raining, or if I have some particular need to like a dentist appointment or something. On Wednesdays in the summer I bring my Klein in on the roof of my car so I can drive out to Mt. Diablo for the afternoon ride. Anyway, today was bike to work day and I've always ridden to work on bike to work day, rain or shine for the past 12 years or so, so I wasn't going to miss this one. And of course today is the day my rear tire decides to go flat. Right on Bancroft Road which is the segment with the most vehicle traffic. We've been at the new office for three years now so that's probably 500 round trips that I've made along this route and this is the only time I can remember getting a flat on my commute in that time.

As I was sitting there changing the tube on the grass in front of some condos, I kept thinking that the drivers were looking at me and shaking their heads and saying to themselves "Bike to work day my ass - I could get a flat tire like that guy... No thanks, I'll drive my car." Oh well... sigh. I did get some decent schwag at the energizer station - a granola bar, a bottle of water, and a lapel pin. One year I won a $10 gift certificate from Encina Bikes, and last year I got a T-shirt. There were a few more bikes on the trail this morning than usual, but there weren't any unfamiliar bikes in the rack at work. Another luke-warm response to the Bike to Work Day promotion. I guess gas will have to get a lot more expensive before people start looking for alternatives.