There is a nice article on the Idaho Statesman site today about bicycle commuting in Boise. Dana Oland writes that the commute by bike began due to economic and environmental concerns but is worried that those of us who have done this for a while will roll our eyes when we hear that Dana now is enjoying the surprises the bike in to work brings every day.
“I didn’t know how much seeing butterflies, or watching a heron dive into a pond on the way to work would shift my reality.”
Spot on Dana! Sure all of the other benefits are important, but don’t discount FUN.
Dana also has some advice for women who avoid commuting by bike because of the thought of helmet hair:
Debbie Hibbs, who cuts and styles at Techniques in Downtown Boise, says your hair doesn’t have to be a roadblock.
“You just have to know your hair and how to work with it,” she said.
Tell your stylist what you want your haircut to do and realize that doesn’t mean getting short hair. “You can have it long enough to put up in a pony. Or have it shorter with some layers,” she said.
Style your hair in the morning as usual, then finish with a styling product with “flexible” or “pliable” hold rather than firm.
“That will let you freshen up your hair just using your hands,” she said.
My tip: Make sure you dry your hair completely. I find that if it’s at all damp when I put my helmet on, the battle is lost.
If you have a long ride or sweat a lot, you might want to use a hair dryer and vent brush to fluff up your hair when you get to work, Hibbs said.
For more on fixing your hair after the ride in check page 223 of Dave Glowacz’s Urban Bikers’ Tricks & Tips viewable HERE.