As LCDC (Low Car Diet Challenge) approaches this year – I have less than 24 hours to register – I have been vascillating about whether to sign up, or not.

Originally, I had this great plan where Tim and I would run the whole business car free. We would have supplies and materials delivered, and transport tools using bike trailers and our employees vehicles where necessary. I had been planning for months about how to make it work. We had jobs scheduled in town for September, so we could bike to work and the hardware store easily.

Then in June, we had to re-arrange our schedule to accommodate a client in McBaine. So the job I had scheduled in June in McBaine was pushed back to September, and the jobs I had scheduled close to home for September were moved up to June. It just wouldn’t work any other way for this client.

I resigned myself to working the McBaine job and not participating in LCDC this year. It was just too much to drop the kids at school on the bikes, ride 12 miles (about 50 miutes) to McBaine, work, ride back from McBaine to get the kids, and ride home. The cycling would just cut too much time from my day.

However, as is my habit, I kept mulling it over and over in my mind not willing to give up that easily...there had to be a way to make it work. Then it dawned on me one day, last Monday to be exact, as I was pulling up to the job site in my car at 10:00 yet again. Driving wasn’t much, if any faster, than riding the bike would be. With riding the kids to school; chatting with moms and teachers while there; riding home; running inside to get another cup of coffee, check email, take a nature break, or grab stuff I forgot; driving 20 minutes to the job site, possibly stopping at a drive-through on the way; I had never made it to the job site before 9:50, it was usually closer to 10:00. If I packed everything up carefully the night before, and just dropped off the kids and headed to the job site on my bike, I could probably make it in the same amount of time.

I decided to test this theory on Wednesday, 08/29/07. I prepared all my stuff the night before and was ready to give it a try. The kids and I headed for school on our bikes meeting up with friends along the way, as we always do. As I started walking the kids into school, I realized I left Annarose’s bookbag at home. I’d have to ride back to get it. Argh! "Oh well," I assured myself, "I should be able to make it back here by nine. It won’t be too late to ride."

I headed back home at 8:47 cranking hard (averaging 24mph – I have cycling computer now. Fun!) to make good time. Got home, ran in for nature break, grabbed bookbag, cranked it back, and arrived at school at 9:06. Wow! Only 19 minutes. Cool. I took AR’s bookbag to her and headed out the front door, excited about the ride. However, on the way out Dr. Mehr informed me that it was an early release day, because of the heat. "What heat?" I asked, "they made the kids stay in a whole day yesterday when it was 98 degrees. The forecast high today is 10 degrees cooler and it’s a heat release?!" I fail to understand the logic of the freight train bureaucracy that governs our school system.

This changed my plans. I wasn’t going to ride to McBaine, arrive by 10, then have to leave at 11 to get the kids. I rode home and got the car. Dang.

Thursday, 08/30/07, try again. Same thing as yesterday, only this time I realized I forgot AR’s bookbag (again!!!) at Maupin and Greenwood. I sent the kids along with the other cycling mamas and papas and sped home to pick up the bag. I cranked it hard up Broadway (got up to 29mph, love that computer) and caught up with them on East Parkway.

I dropped the kids at school and headed directly to McBaine. I took the trail, made great time averaging 17mph. Tim called, I had to slow a bit to talk with him, I can only maintain 15mph while chatting on the phone. At Brushwood Lake Bridge, I hit a bump and some stuff flew out of my basket, had to stop, go back and get it. Took the opportunity to grab an apple out of my bag and ate it on the go...I was starving by this point. Note to self, "Eat bigger breakfast, include protein." Made it to the job site, 11.7 miles in 43.28 minutes (I figured out how to use the stop watch on my cell phone too!) It was 9:45, earlier than my average car time.

The ride home was much slower, good thing I left at 2:35. I was hungry and tired after 5 hours of hauling wood and stripping nails from lumber in a building we are deconstructing. The whole way back I was thinking of the snacks I would bring tomorrow, wishing I still had an apple. I stopped for water and almonds. Note to self: "Tomorrow bring Camelback and carb-based snacks for ride home. Protein loaded almonds aren’t converting to energy fast enough."

I couldn’t wait to get back to town so I could get some ice cream and chocolate. I debated, Candy Factory or Sparky’s? Hmm...or both? I didn’t remember it being so far from Forum to Stadium.  Jeez, did they move Stewart Rd? I didn’t remember that hill on Elm being so huge, I might have to walk it. I kept looking down to see if my back tire was flat, because I couldn't understand why it was such an effort to keep pedaling.  My nether-regions were sore, ugh.  Note to self: "Carhart's are great for working in, horrible for cycling in. Wear something more cycling friendly tomorrow, change into work clothes at jobsite."

I considered leaving Max and AR at school and going straight for the sugar, but thought better of it. I arrived at school, filthy (I work construction, remember?), sweaty and tired.  I almost fell off my bike.  I had a few minutes to spare and Erika was sitting under a tree by the bike racks.  She smiled and asked, "So, how was it?"  I don't remember what I replied, as I collapsed in heap next to her.  It felt to great to sit down, catch my breath whlie some of the sweat dried.  A few minutes later, the bell rang.  "Oh Jeez," I thought "I have to stand up now?" My knees creaked, I felt woozy.

I walked to the front of school to pick up the kids informing them "We are going for a treat downtown, if you want to, or not." No resistance there, what a surprise.  Somehow I found the internal fortitude to get back on the bike and ride the 4 blocks to Sparky's.  I had a cake batter waffle cone at Sparky’s and half of AR’s chocolate chip cookie at Main Squeeze.  Much better.  We rode home, and all was right with the world.

By the end of the day I had ridden 31.5 miles.  It's painful, but doable.  The big question is: Can I do this five days a week for the next month? To be continued...