Shortly after I wrote this employment status update, I learned that, after making it to the final interview (round of six) for a very competitive position, I was not their top choice. With that option off the table, I accepted a part-time, work-from-home position.
Given the “work-from-home” status, the only commuting (other than walking across our front room to the desk) involves biking to and from a weekly meeting with my supervisor who lives about four miles away.
After this morning’s blistering hot commute, I am two for three on biking to the meetings. I wimped out two weeks ago, given the smack-in-the-middle of the day start time. I would have traveled there during peak sun and returned home during peak heat. Blech!
My current situation is a bit different than my previous bicycle commutes.
Previously — Biking to an office where I worked all day:
- I traveled to and from work at off-peak sun times, so I didn’t really worry too much about sun protection.
- It made sense to bike in one set of clothes (especially during sweaty summer weather) and clean up and change when I arrived at work, then change back into the “bike clothes” (nothing fancy, just gym shorts and a t-shirt) for the evening commute.
Current — Working from home and biking to/from meetings:
- I’m trying to encourage early morning meetings to minimize heat and sun, but I don’t get to dictate when we meet.
- It doesn’t really make sense to bike for thirty minutes, spend time getting cleaned up and changed, meet for an hour or two, and then change again to bike home . . . .
- So instead, I have to pick outfits that work both for the bike and for the meetings.
- These are one-on-one meetings with my boss who also works from home, so I don’t need anything too fancy in terms of attire, but I also don’t want to arrive wearing gym shorts and an old t-shirt.
I’m not a heavy sweater by any means, but 90°F, with 50% humidity and a heat index of 94°F (the temps I faced when returning home this morning), will make most anyone perspire. It was a bit cooler on the way there, but also higher humidity. I arrived, hydrated, wiped the sweat off my face the best I could, and spent the ninety-minute meeting in sweaty clothing. Not the end of the world, but I was very ready to get home and lose those clothes!
Changing seasons — both the cooler temps and less intense sun — will mitigate some of the above factors, and come winter, I might be angling for middle of the day meetings.
Though there are a few kinks to work out, I’m happy to have a job and to face the challenge of incorporating [work-related] bike commuting into my life again.
