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I cycle to work sometimes on a mountain bike with thick knobbly tyres, but it's only 11 mile round trip, though it does involve a nasty hill on the way home!
And last August the car actually got scrapped, so I'm a cyclist only (but with use of Mr Frodo's car, which is a bit of a cheat, I know).
I too rely on the deodorant and face wipes method as it's only 5 miles of flat cycling. (Though I often potter off for a longer ride on the way home when the weather is good
This time of year is the best, with bright spring sunshine in the morning that really lifts the soul, though a little irritating dressing appropriately for 1-2 degrees in the morning and then 16+ degrees on the way home
December-February is the worst; dark, freezing and wet and the drivers are even worse as they seem to be even dopier in winter. Ice is a nightmare too - came off the bike last year and gave myself whiplash which is still being treated by the physio/chiropractor.
Just contemplating swapping to running in and back, but that will mean showering and making sure I have enough stuff at work for this, so alternating running and cycling and getting kit and work clothes to the right place...logistical nightmare
So much to remember. I go swimming at lunchtime and I have a massive lock in my rucksack too. It weighs a ton. It's time I spend alone though so it's very valuable.
Was quite nice, albeit a bit tough, this morning, saw 3 deer bounding across the road infront of my, and 2 barn owls!!.
At least the scenery and wildlife are nice, not sure I'd like cycling through the urban bustle, I think I'd find that much tougher.
ride with the sleepy drivers and those buses. God I hate buses. Weasel w***ing drivers.
I forgot, as well as myself, there are other staff who ride in on occasions;
1. Two Consultants. One (a good ex-runner) has a commute of about 7miles (with -circa- 250 feet of climbing), the other lives about 20 miles away (with -circa- 500 feet of climbing), but they're both fair-weather riders & might only ride it twice a week
2. A Registrar. She rides from the top end of Leeds, perhaps twice a week (again, weather dependant)
We did have 2 other (cycling) Registrars who moved on to Consultant posts at other Hospitals, one of them used to ride in from Ilkley! (35 miles?), & then get the train to Leeds, & ride home from there
Plus there are various other staff who ride/run in
We have a shower in the male-changing rooms, so are catered for, plus there's loads of (freshly laundered) NHS towels in the department
Unfortunately for them, the girls don't have a shower in their facilities, so use ours if need be - obviously, with a 'guard' on the door - be it a man they trust, or one of the other girls.
Offers (even joking ones) to help with back-scrubs tend to be turned down flat
Also, on the 'plus side'
The 2 Consultants who ride in have special interests in 'Sports Medicine', so I can talk to them if I get any little niggles that I feel may be contributable to riding/running (one of them was a Marathon runner too, before injury stopped him)
I try to cycle in and run home. Following day I'll run in and cycle home. Only problem comes on a Friday when I cycle in and then have to cycle home so I have the bike at home for the weekend.
Direct route is just under 4 miles though I often do around 7-8 miles. If I'm running I head onto the coast path and along the beach which makes the run around 8 miles.
Out of 12 staff, 3 cycle.
As for wildlife, I did stand on a rabbit on the coast path one morning. Didn't see it in the semi-darkness. Realised I'd stood on something and looked behind me. A dazed rabbit was there staring at me before dashing off into the hedge. Scared the living daylights out of me and makes sure I keep an extra eye out now.