![\"Robert](\"https:\/\/momentumplanet.com\/downloads\/1108\/download\/bitblt-620x786-e8aedc0c4f53c21b0d98bfcbe74ebcbe26e6932b\/46_REALLIFE_RobertAnderson_JeffOuellette.jpg\" "\\"Robert")
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Jeff Ouellette<\/p>\n
Ellicott City, Columbia, Maryland<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n By Dena Jackson<\/strong><\/p>\n The life of Robert Anderson, a practical cyclist, blogger and commuter, changed three years ago after his doctor told him he was pre-diabetic. Some years earlier, Anderson had moved across the country for a career change as a software executive at Vectorworks in Columbia, Maryland.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I got the doctor\u2019s bad news, I took up a cycle-commuting habit to improve my health. Now biking is a surprisingly large part of my life and I am surprised how much I enjoy and look forward to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A favorite part of Anderson\u2019s commute is the hills.<\/p>\n \u201cI have five hills going each way, and I can enjoy the vegetation, birds and sky while getting a real workout, and getting my heart rate up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In his experience, Anderson said Columbia\u2019s motorists are mostly reasonable and polite, and annoyances on his commute are few. Once in awhile, however, he is chagrined by the occasional car full of young adolescent boys who like to get right up behind him and honk. \u201cIt can be a definite nuisance,\u201d said Anderson.<\/p>\n Anderson is so passionate about cycling, he initiated a great bike commuting blog, practicalcyclist.blogspot.com, and plans to get his League of American Bicyclists Instructor certification so he can open a cycle commuting class at his local community college. Anderson believes sharrows and improved pavement practicalcyclist.blogspot.com<\/a> could contribute to a more enjoyable commute.<\/p>\n \u201cBikes need better paving than cars do. As for people doing great work, I admire the nearby folks in Washington, DC at Bikes for the World (bikesfortheworld.org<\/a>) and think they are doing fantastic work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n When reading his highly compelling and professional blog, where in one post Anderson salivates over New York City cycling charts, one wonders at Anderson\u2019s exact definition of being a \u201cpractical cyclist.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think of practical cycling as cycling that displaces car miles: commuting, errands, anything that you do on a daily and needful basis,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Two years ago, Anderson struggled to get in 3,000 miles in a year, including recreational rides. Last year, he was able to get almost 3,700 purely \u201cpractical\u201d miles under his belt.<\/p>\n Were you to ask Anderson what being a \u201cself-propelled\u201d person means, he might quote you a familiar advertising pitch:<\/p>\n \u201cA decent commuting bike: $700; panniers, pump, lock and patch kit: $100; helmet, gloves and bike shoes: $150; the self-esteem you get from being self-propelled and always being able to wear your \u2018skinny jeans\u2019: priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n practicalcyclist.blogspot.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \tby 7\/1\/10 8:48 PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\tDena Jackson<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n