Summer is over. Perhaps not officially, but my kids went back to school last week. “Bye-bye” summer.
Month three of the Bike Locally Challenge is over. My numbers were down from month two, but solidly within what I need to keep the Globe:
• Miles: 66
• Groceries and other errands: 12
• Talk about my bike: 7 points
• Social media and blogging: 3 points
• Attend Bike to Work seminar: 10 points
• Interviews: 20 points
• Rides with novices: 30 points
• Total Points: 148
My days of anonymity are over. I, and my fellow Bike Locally Challengers, will be featured in the October edition of Marin Magazine. According to my son, I will be famous.
My casual ride to the Larkspur ferry is over. During summer, I rode down Doherty past Redwood High School. It was me, the blacktop, a bunch of birds, and an occasional deer. That route is now overrun with teens. Teens riding bikes. Teens driving cars. Teens moving slowly with headphones on.
I now go over South Eliseo Drive behind Bon Air Shopping center. The Ghillotti Brothers are ripping up the street with giant diggers. But, I’ll take an Italian working heavy machinery over teen drivers any day of the week. It is nice trip for me. The creek to my right, Mt. Tam in the background, and the Ghilotti’s building something. It is the beauty of Marin and reminder of my childhood home in New Jersey all in one.
The peaceful lazy days where I got ready for work while the rest of the house slept or watched television are over. Replacing them is chaos — making lunches, waking up the kids, getting them dressed and fed. I ran late and jumped in the car. One day off of the Globe. Luke asked me to drive him to school on Friday. Another day bike day lost. I feel the dominoes begin to fall; I have visions of Tom Boss repossessing my Globe.
The final two months of the Bike Locally Challenge will be challenging for me to overcome. But, the solution is simple. Just get on the bike and go.
Two more months, 100 more miles, and 50 more other points to go. Get over it.
Posted by pmeringolo 
