A news anchor bikes to work.

It’s 16 miles round trip from my home, Cul de sac Corner to WSLS-10.  My car gets about 19 miles to the gallon – less in stop and go driving.  So figure it takes about a gallon of gas a day to go back and forth to work.  Today that’s $3.67.

Today is Clean Commute Day, and I am a cyclist.  If not I, then who will ride a bike to work?

“It,” I told myself, “is not so much about saving money as it is the environment and making the proper statement.” 

So after I drove to Blacksburg and back to help my son with a college issue, I parked the car to go “green” all the way down Franklin Road.

Carlin in his driveway pre-ride
To be clear, for someone who cycles 3-5 times per week, and 8 mile ride is no big deal aerobically.  It’s like a warm up for a Saturday ride.  Heck, I have friends who ride 100 miles before work!  I have done the ride on weekends in about 25 minutes.

But riding your bike to work as a news anchor – now that’s a proposition.  There’s the whole thing about the suit and tie, and make-up and of course – the hair.

I can’t walk in the door sweaty.  I can’t walk around here in spandex, and my hair – well it has to meet the HD standard.  Have you ever seen human hair after it’s been inside a bike helmet?

Then there’s the part about riding back home after work, which for those of us on this shift is at midnight. 

With all of this in mind, I affixed a super bright light to the handlebars of my old road bike.  I also have a bright flashing red light for the back and lots of reflectors.  Lights? Check.

Clothes are a little harder.  In anticipation of Clean Commute Day I brought an extra coat and tie, and slacks to the station on Thursday.

Then I loaded a small backpack with shorts, t-shirt and docksiders.  For the actual ride I wore typical spandex cycling shorts and a jersey with a picture of Goofy on it.  I clicked my special biking shoes into my pedal, and exited the subdivision.

Less than a mile into the ride, the chain came off. 

No problem, just grease on my fingers.  It was windy, but the 8-mile jaunt was uneventful as I rode down Starky Road to Franklin and into downtown.

The plan was to ride directly to the Kirk Family YMCA for a shower, change into the shorts and t-shirt and walk the bike back to the station, where I would put on the suit and tie.  But because of some trouble hooking up the light, the chain falling off, and other scurrying around trying to remember everything, I was late. 

Therefore it was first to the station to record three radio reports for WPSK, then to the Y, where I showered, realized I forgot a comb or a brush, and THEN back to the station, where I locked the bike outside, attended an editorial meeting in shorts and THEN put on the suit.

As I write this it is 11:37 at night.  I am about to go into the restroom, take off the suit, put on the (hopefully no longer sweaty) bike clothes, leave the suit on the rack,  put the rest of the stuff in the backpack and head for home. 

Did I mention it’s windy and like, 50 degrees outside?

That’s a lot of work to save $3.67.  Good thing I’m saving the environment.