[blue]

How do you people that work/school/kids/ride plan everything? Inquiring minds wish to know...for the first time in my life I haven't been able to find time to ride, and it pisses me off. I don't seem to care when it's my own fault, but when someone or something takes that away from me...

Enlighten me, battle-hardened veterans of the real world!

 

[skinny mike]

do you work 24/7?

get up earlier.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Work less.

 

[jimmydean]

Dude, I started my MBA 3 weeks ago and I am losing my ass with lack of time for anything.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Dude, I started my MBA 3 weeks ago and I am losing my ass with lack of time for anything.

MBA?

WTF is wrong with you, man?

 

[stinkyboy]

Don't have kids, get a new job, wife and place to live to live every few years.

Works for me.

 

[4xBoy]

Don't have kids, get a new job, wife and place to live to live every few years.

Works for me.

 

[Nick]

Well, I have NO idea how you fill your waking hours, but here is a basic idea.
Prioritize.

If you know you have a bunch of stuff you have to do or want to do, plan for it and MAKE free time for yourself. Once it's on the schedule, handle it as such and stick to the schedule. Also, if you know after work you want/need to (1) ride (2) eat and (3) do some chores, but the first thing you do after work is crack open a beer or three, you may not get anything done from that list.

(just an example, I my beer as much as anyone)

Oh hell, I don't know. Just go ride your bike.

 

[geargrrl]

don't spend so much time on the internet.

 

[dexterq20]

I have nothing good to tell you. When I was in school and working a part-time job, I only went to class about half the time, worked too much, and rode my bike three times a month if I was lucky. I managed to spend a lot of time at the beach and drink a lot of cheap beer, but I'm pretty sure you knew that already.

 

[Icantdrive65]

Do the early rides with Josh. Sometimes the only time I get to ride is my early a.m. rides.

 

[Icantdrive65]

Oh, yeah. And spend less time online. Get a headlight and ride at night.

 

[BikeMike]

College biking strategy: ride during the summer to get in shape, race during the fall; winter quarter it rains quite a bit and you'll have to make up for the slacking during the fall racing season, so study more; spring, start riding again, once in a while. Repeat. It may vary depending on the availability of local riding and the intensity of your college experience, but I found not nearly enough riding happens during a large part of the year. Messing around with trials/street stuff can get you through the week (or weeks) if need be.

Also, since I think you're at SC, go to Soquel.

 

[pigboy]

when i was going to UCSC I would ride from 7th Ave up to the top of campus and then home again.

that's your commute and your riding time. if you live on campus then pretend you live off campus and ride to the beach at 7th Ave and then back again. overall you'll spend the same amount of time riding that I used to.

and that hill from Mission Avenue to the top of campus is a royal bitch. very pretty riding through the Great Meadow, but that was back in 1990-93. They've probably paved the damn meadow by now and installed a McDonalds.

And if you're going to Cabrillo CC then make a commute ride and do it. Even if it's a pretend commute. spend and hour or so riding each day. When people ask you why you're riding just say, "I'm on my way to/from school"

 

[ridiculous]

buy a crackberry.

 

[TreeSaw]

Schedule, as in write things down and prioritize. It's the only way I can get things accomplished.

 

[Westy]

Road bike or street rides. If you do have easy access to real trails just go for short ones when you can. Forget all the stupid bike gear and just throw on a helmet.

 

[stevew]

Work less.

 

[druber]

Lights sure help. Since most people's daylight hours are consumed by work, ride at night.

Lunch rides are good if you have trail near where you work and a shower when you return.

Commuting helps get in the extra miles to stay in shape.

 

[Prettym1k3]

How do you people that work/school/kids/ride plan everything? Inquiring minds wish to know...for the first time in my life I haven't been able to find time to ride, and it pisses me off. I don't seem to care when it's my own fault, but when someone or something takes that away from me...

Enlighten me, battle-hardened veterans of the real world!

This summer I finished planning a wedding (May/June), had my wedding (June 22nd), moved ourselves into our new place (June), left for the honeymoon (end of June), had my brother's wedding (August), and still managed to get to Downieville once, and Northstar 7 days.

 

[pigboy]

I have been commuting a wee bit, I am worried about my nice bike getting jacked at school though. Riding to my job isn't really an option, sadly. I'm almost done with my bar hopping bike, we'll see if it can make the 6 mile commute to school.

I used to do the commute from 7th Ave to UCSC on an outdated 10 speed. Check craiglist and see if you can't find a decent roadie bike that is old enough to be a bargain.

Or sacrifice your bike's looks to camouflage its value. Stickers, spray paint and a tear in the seat will make almost everyone ignore your bike instead of thinking about stealing it.

 

[manimal]

i've made it through 4 years of working 50-60 hours per week, going to school full time, and raising kids. It sucks sometimes but i'm still able to find at least 2 days per week to ride. i'm not sure if there is any insiders tip or anything i can offer but maybe it's because i don't spend more than 2 hours per week working on anything school related. i just do my 2 nights per week (8 hours) of class and I can usually finish my papers and minor projects in my off time at work (ie: waiting for a tow truck, waiting for my turn at the jail....). i just use any spare minute where i'm not committed otherwise to do the busy work because i refuse to let school or work interfere with my job as a dad/husband.
plus my wife really understands why i NEED to ride in order to de-stress from work/school. i'm sure she'll be as happy as me when i finish this "process" so we can both have our lives back. (not like i have much of a social life anyway...i'm 29 with 3 kids )

 

[jonKranked]

do a lot of speed or amphetamines.

 

[Icantdrive65]

Check craiglist and see if you can't find a decent roadie bike that is old enough to be a bargain.

The hipsters buy them all up at inflated prices.

 

[blue]

The hipsters buy them all up at inflated prices.

Seriously, I'm shocked at the prices people pay for 30 year old road bikes around here. It makes me want to hit up all the thrift stores in SLC with a semi-trailer and get all of their $20 bikes, come back here and sell them all for 1000% profit...

 

[JRogers]

My best strategy has been just to force myself to ride. Might sound stupid, but that's my strategy. Push off whatever you can to get a spare hour or two, go ride and then just get stuff done after. Generally, people have time for whatever they have to get done- if you have more to do, you find the time. I'm back in school right now, so this sometimes translates to late nights and long weekends in the library (case in point: I did 45 minutes on the trainer and now I'm up past 1:00 reading the Prolegomena so I can go camping this weekend). But I did go into summer last year without being completely out of shape. A lot of that was due to getting off work and then going out for a ride or (much more often) getting on the trainer.

 

[loco-gringo]

You suck at way more than time management, blue.

 

[manimal]

You suck at way more than time management, blue.

i was gonna say that but i was trying to be helpful for once

 

[sanjuro]

It ain't easy, but I would cut out one thing you do that is not essential.

Like watching tv, drinking alcohol, video games, etc.

I bet you can regain 4-7 hours a week if you excluded one of those items.

 

[TN]

Kill your TV & cancel your internet.