Totally un-hair related  ;D

Whoo-hoo!
I just got my semi-annual insurance bill for my car.  Now, granted that usually is not cause to celebrate, but in this case it is.  I recently met with my insurance agent to review all my insurances.  We got to talking about biking.  When he heard how much I bike, he changed the insurance on my car to be similar to someone who has a motorcycle and uses the car less during the summer months.

This change saves me almost $200 a year on my insurance!

::happy dance - happy dance::

Now, what to do with this "new found" money.   ;D

Oooh great! Is LongLocks going to get richer? LOL!  ;)

Where else would a long-haired person spend their "undesignated" money??  ;D

I'm with you, bikerbraid!
I intentionally work 1 day extra per month just so I can buy at least one pair of Susan's fabulous Hairsticks!  (I honestly don't NEED any more - have some in every conceivable color, I'm sure... but... can't seem to pass up a gorgeous pair! - that is, providing I can get to them first - my goodness - that is getting harder and harder to do, isn't it?!)
Congrats on your savings!
nightowl

I wish I had a credit card! LOL! I do earn money for teaching, but I am saving that money to start a school for disabled children. So no hairsticks for me till my mum feels generous  ;)

Wow, Leia, what a big heart you have  :-*
Good luck with your school!

Anais

Bikerbraid,

How did you start out biking?  I'm hoping that by next summer I can bike at least one way to my job (12 miles), but the meager foothills have so far proven too difficult.  It would really save on gas though, and what a great way to unwind after work.  

Valerie

That's wonderful BB, you not only get healthier by biking but you save money on the boring stuff and have the extra for all kinds of terrific hair goodies! ;D

wrote on Oct 19^th, 2004 at 5:06am:

Bikerbraid, How did you start out biking?  I'm hoping that by next summer I can bike at least one way to my job (12 miles), but the meager foothills have so far proven too difficult.  It would really save on gas though, and what a great way to unwind after work.   Valerie

Congrats on thinking about doing this!  I started biking 6 years ago.  I spent one summer just trying to build up my endurance.  By the end of the summer I could finally bike 25 miles with just a few stops.  The second season, I started out biking weekends - about 10 miles each day and quickly worked up to 25 miles.  After about 5 weekends, I rode to work.  I probably was not really ready for the hills I had to do, but I was too determined to realize it.  I thought I would die before I got to work.  (I wasn't much good that day at work - close to anxiety attacts all day worrying about the bike trip home - which ended up being WORSE than the ride in!).  But I kept biking - trying to bike at least 3 - 4 days each week, even if it was just a little 10 mile ride.  I biked to work at least 1 day each week that summer.  I found that biking every other day was easier to handle.  

Fast forward to 6 years later, I bike 3 - 4 days a week - consecutive days are not a problem.  I actually extended my ride from 10 miles to work to 12 miles in order to add 4 more hills.  I still take the easiest ride home each day - but that is because I have traffic to deal with and HEY - it's the end of the day - I'm entitled!

I also found that having a bottle of gatorade and a granola bar to consume after getting to work helped a lot in re-energizing me for a day of work.  

Good luck with your biking.  Just keep riding and before long those hills will be easy to ride up!  [And don't forget to wear your helmet!]

My husband is mad into biking and he's been biking into work for the last year or so. He got me into it as well recently, and we bought new bikes together. (The first time either of us have ever owned a NON hand-me-down bicycle!)

It's been great "craic" (as we say out here - irish word for fun). We were going around on the weekends doing between 10-15 miles up until recently. It's SO hilly out here....the hills are an absolute killer. We don't have the nice wide American roads....and they are extra windy. Makes for an interesting excursion!

Well done Bikerbraid on all the mileage!

Bikerbraid, a short 10 mile ride?  I have a lot of work to do.   ;D  

Rua, can you tell me how you pronounce 'craic'?  I love slang from other countries.  

Craic is pronounced like "crack".

When americans come to visit, they think we are saying crack as in the drug. LOL
It's not. It's just the Irish word for fun.

For example,

"We went to the pub last night. It was great craic!"

Rua's lesson in Irish slang! LOL

Thanks Rua, I can't wait to use that one.   ;)

Conversing with people from around the world is sooo much fun.  I only wish I could hear everyone's voices and their accents.

Way to go on the insurance break, O Woman With Thighs Of Steel! ;D It's amazing how people can't wait to cut you a break as soon as they find a common link!

I get cranky after biking only 10 km, my poor backside gets sore, heehee.

/Lazy Kate

I don't ride my mountain bike as much as I used to or should but my wife does ride her mountain bike to work and also to do a few errands.

I only live a mile from work so I mostly walk but if I lived farther away I would ride my mountain bike.

I wish more people in the world would either walk or bike to get to where they are going but I see a bad trend of more people relying on their vehicles for transporatation :(

I can see where a person might live ten miles from work or more but I think people who live like five miles or less should either walk or ride a bike to work.  They would find out that they would save more money and maybe even feel better by the exercise they get from it 8-)

That is my two cents worth ;)

Jerry

In the 8 - 9 years I've been biking I have seen a significant increase in commuting bikers.  It has also helped that all city buses now have bike carriers on them so a person can bike part way and ride the bus part way.  Our light rail even has provisions for bringing a bike onto the train.  The Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) are well known for being bike friendly.  Many roads are designated bike routes and we have commuter bike trails (off road, paved paths that are even plowed in the winter).  Rising gas prices has probably helped encourage the use of bikes, busses and light rail, but hopefully people will discover that it is a great way to get around and reduce their dependence on cars a bit.  This summer, I have only filled my car with gas about 3 times, so my savings on gas is added to my insurance savings.