BIKE: Mike
TIME THERE: 29 min.
TIME BACK: 28 min.
WEATHER: overcast, -6C, 6 km/hr wind there; overcast, 2C, 9 km/hr wind back.
WHAT I WORE: fleece pants, turtleneck, waterproof shell, double gloves, balaclava
NOTES:
Since beginning my bike-commuting challenge in September, I've typically driven my daughter to daycare, driven home, gotten my bike, and then biked to work. I would then bike home, pick up the car, and drive to pick up my daughter from daycare at the end of the day. I was never a fan of this system because I was still using my car every day, even if only for a total of 2.5 km, and I was having to scrape the frost off my car windows every day, which I really don't enjoy.
This week, now that it's gotten milder out and it's not so awful to have my daughter exposed to the elements for 10 minutes at a time, I've been trying different methods of transporting her to and from daycare. I tried pulling her in a sled as I half-walked, half-jogged there, though with all the melting during the day and freezing overnight we've had, the terrain is either pavement or pockmarked ice, and neither are great for dragging a plastic sled over. Also, the sled doesn't have straps in it so my daughter can easily roll herself out of the sled or - more likely - throw a tantrum and fall out of the sled inadvertently, hurting herself in the process. This isn't a good thing. Result: sled - FAIL.
I tried biking with my daughter in the bike trailer, but this was a terrible idea. You see, the way to the daycare is all along side roads, and these roads are maybe 1/4 pavement and 3/4 ice right now. I was sweating with nerves the whole ride as I tried everything I could to keep my balance and not tip the trailer on the icy, uneven roads. I tried riding on the road, which felt awful because I had to swerve all over the place to try to avoid the most dangerous parts. I also tried the sidewalks, which weren't any clearer than the roads and had the additional issue of people parking trucks in their driveways so that the back ends completely blocked off the sidewalks and forced me onto the road anyway. This felt remarkably unsafe, and as much as I'm willing to take calculated risks while biking myself, I am absolutely not willing to put my daughter at risk in the same way. Result: Biking - FAIL.
Finally, today I tried taking her in a jogging stroller. This is not the best jogging stroller - something I bought from Costco for $125 a couple years ago, and it has seen much better days. In fact, at least two components of it are broken: the handle that collapses the stroller so it's storable is completely out of commission, so I can't fold the stroller down for storage, and the brake lever must be tied up so it doesn't continually fall into place and make the stroller brake unexpectedly. Despite these obvious downsides, the stroller has proven it can handle the rough, icy terrain, it provides a comfortable ride for my daughter, and it allows me to get in an additional 2.5 km walk into my day on top of the 16 km of biking I do, all without fearing for my or my daughter's life along the way. So . . . Result: Stroller - WIN.
Sure, it's not the best, and it still requires me stopping at home between work and daycare to "change equipment" - shift from stroller to bike, or vice versa - but it looks like the best option so far. And I only have to leave the house about 10 minutes earlier than if I were driving, which is completely do-able, as I discovered today. The long-term forecast says that the temperature is going to drop again next week, so perhaps I'll have to drive for a few days so my daughter doesn't freeze, but with the exception of those colder days, it seems I may have solved the daycare transportation dilemma! Now, here's hoping the stroller lives long enough to get me through the rest of my bike-commuting challenge . . .
Hey Healthy Biker! I don't know if you've thought about it already, but here at the campus I'm at, a ton of people do the daycare run using those chairs that attach right onto the back of your bike (above the back wheel and behind your seat) - then they ride off to work/class right from daycare. I haven't tried it, so it may be a ridiculous idea in the winter or for a longer commute, but I just thought I'd pass it on. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion, Shelagh! :) I did actually look into those when I first bought my bike and the bike trailer. I was tempted because it looks so much easier, lighter, more convenient, and CHEAPER than a trailer! However, what concerned me is the effect the position has on the bike's centre of gravity - it wouldn't take much movement from the child to make a significant shift in the balance of the whole bike. Given my daughter's tendency to throw herself around during a good tantrum, I figured that might be a hazard. Also, there's no weather protection. Lastly, it's sitting high up on the bike, so if I fell over with it my daughter would have a long fall before hitting the ground, and that sounds really unpleasant. So I opted for the trailer - safer in case of a fall, better for the balance of the bike, but waaaaay more expensive and a whole lot less convenient.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if I didn't live in a wintery wasteland, I'd be more interested in the plastic carrier! ;)