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.
Her Green Life 
I am glad you have the opportunity to bike to meetings. I have found, in the few times I’ve ridden to work this summer, that patterns are great when you have to wear what you’re riding in. I also often bring a shirt to change (for example, I bring the blouse but wear a tank top). I am really hoping the cool-down this weekend sticks around for a while. I miss riding on pretty and hot days, but I am a pretty sweaty girl when it’s hot, and extreme heat exacerbates my mild asthma (mostly in the sense that it takes me FOREVER to cool down after an hour of even mild exertion in 90-degree temps, with serious red-face). 60s-70s are so much nicer, and I’ll sometimes do short rides to/from closer activities (~2 miles or less each way) even when it is warmer.
I don’t have asthma, but between not being conditioned for biking in the heat and a few nights of poor sleep, I was actually in not-so-great shape after getting home and writing this post yesterday. I was also probably dealing with some minor electrolyte imbalance issues, as I was just drinking water — I probably should have had some kind of small snack immediately post ride, as well.