"Thousands of miles of trails... and not one leads to your office"

So says the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails; now go check them out! The cool air of autumn is ideal to explore the active recreation opportunities in the parks and on the many trails of the Granite State. And the scenery may just take your breath away! Enjoy hiking and biking the trails in your area or explore the State Parks and Forests. Want to get more involved? Read on to learn how you can help keep our state trails beautiful and safe.

You can help maintain New Hampshire State Park trails through the Adopt-A-Trail program. Volunteers and organizations adopt and maintain non-motorized trails in the State Park and Forest system.

Adopters participate in a one-day skills development session and make a one year commitment to maintain the trail. See the Bureau of Trails for more information and the application form. Trails are currently up for adoption in Bear Brook State Park near Concord, and in Rollins and Winslow State Parks, both near Mount Kearsarge.

The New Hampshire Bike-Walk Alliance's annual Green Commute has expanded to an entire week this year, from May 11 through May 15. The project challenges Granite Staters to use human power to get around as much as possible during the week.

Commuting by bike makes a lot of sense.

• It gets you fit. Riding a bike not only burns calories, but it also builds impressive lower-body strength, and improves aerobic (heart-lung) capacity. Riding a bike for half an hour or even a few hours doesn't really feel like work--to me at least--compared to, say, running or swimming for the same amount of time.
• You'll arrive at work refreshed, and you'll have left your work worries behind by the time you return home.
• It connects you with the natural world. Cycling back and forth from work has brought me breathtaking scenery, the scents of pine woods and lilacs, the sounds of rushing streams and, once, a whinnying horse who galloped the length of long field alongside me, matching my pace as I rode by.
• Cycling burns calories instead of gasoline. You save at the pump and reduce air pollution. You can cover a lot of miles on a well-fitting bike, occasionally even faster than you could get there by car. During my fittest years, I commuted distances of up to 50 miles round-trip (a feat that confers tremendous bragging rights).

Approach bike commuting with a blue-collar attitude

Pump the tires, fill the water bottles, don the helmet, climb on the bike and start pedaling. Keep a couple of fresh changes of clothes in a supply closet or other handy storage space at work. Keep a towel and a bar of soap in a drawer and swab off in the office rest room. Carry your lunch, wallet, ID, insurance card and hairbrush in a backpack.

A few essential tips for bike commuters:

• Wear the helmet. Twice I've crashed badly enough to send me to an emergency room. Both times, ER physicians told me my helmet saved my life. Buy a helmet that meets the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CSPC) safety standards. To protect you, your helmet must fit snugly and sit squarely on your head, with the inner band of the helmet resting just above your eyebrows and the chin strap pulled as tight as you can comfortably wear it.
• Don't wear a helmet again after a crash, even a minor crash. Even the best-designed, most expensive helmet will protect your head for only a single impact. Don't buy a used helmet. You can't tell by looking at it if it's gone through a crash.
• Invest in some bike-specific clothing. You don't have to garb up in skin-tight spandex. Cycling gear comes in many different styles. But do choose "performance" fabrics that wick sweat from your body for comfort and that dry quickly after a wash. Wear a vibrantly colored jersey or jacket so you'll remain visible to motorists. Although many riders riders prefer shorts with a protective crotch-pad, others (especially women) find they ride more comfortably in shorts without pads.
• Explore saddle types. If you experience discomfort on the saddle that came with your bicycle, don't despair and don't resign yourself to the pain. Many bike shops let you take test rides to try out saddles of different sizes, shapes, and materials. Many men and women prefer saddles that feature cut-outs which offer relief from saddle pressure on their sensitive private parts.
• Buy local. Unless you do all your own mechanic work, it makes sense to buy your bike, most of your gear, and your service from a local shop. You'll want and need to form a long, trusting relationship with your shop's mechanic(s). The folks you trust and rely on deserve your money, too.
• Get your bike "fit" and have it tuned annually by a professional. "Fitting a bike" means adjusting it to accommodate your body, your intended use of the bike, and your riding style. A proper fit will help you avoid injury, improve your riding comfort, and boost your energy efficiency. Have a professional tuneup each spring to check the bike for safety and replace worn parts.
• Train up. Especially if you haven't cycled for years, start with a few easy miles and work up gradually. Rather than risk knee injury by grinding away in a high gear, learn to "spin" fast in a low gear. Polish your shifting, turning, climbing, and other skills with practice runs on a traffic-sparse road before moving onto a major roadway. Build your confidence by joining the Granite State Wheelmen or another local cycling club for group rides.
• Follow the rules of the road. If you ride on paved roads, ride assertively, but courteously, with traffic. Ride single file. Use appropriate hand signals (but avoid rude gestures. You can't win against a road-raging pickup driver). More rules

Have a few good excuses for why you can't bike to work?
Many successful self-powering commuters have found creative ways to overcome just about any of them. Check out these sites for a solution to your problem:

• No more excuses


• Save Time Commuting by Bicycle


• Tips for bike commuters

More information for bike commuters

• Calculate the true cost of driving
• Safety information for New Hampshire cyclists
• The basics of cycling in traffic
• New Hampshire bike trail maps

Attitude is more important than age or athleticism when it comes to bicycle commuting.

My job involves enabling and encouraging elementary school children to safely walk and ride bicycles to school. When I was hired in November 2006 to coordinate the Safe Routes to School program for the N.H. Department of Transportation, I decided I should set a good example and gain the health benefits by cycling to work.

The round trip from my home in Penacook to Hazen Drive in Concord is about 17 miles, and takes about an hour and 15 minutes. I ride through the winter, trying to average four days a week. Not bad for a fifty-something guy who doesn't like his ranking on the BMI (body mass index) scale and starts each morning with medications for high blood pressure and cholesterol. By turning commuting time into workout time, raising my heart rate instead of my blood pressure, I dropped 20 pounds. Last spring, my doctor removed a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.

Dress for success
I'll admit that I sometimes have to explain to my colleagues that I'm stubborn, not reckless. That happens when I arrive at the John O. Morton Building after a ride in drenching rain. No such thing as bad weather, I sometimes declare, just inadequate clothing.

Although middle-age spread caught up with me, I have always been physically active. Extensive downhill and cross-country skiing taught me how to dress in layers for the cold and wind. On many winter mornings, I start with long johns and a heavyweight shirt fabricated from a wicking material. Synthetic fleece traps the body heat, and a windbreaker completes the outfit. On the absolute worst days, I resort to my ski parka.

The right bike makes a big difference.
Following the advice received at S&W Sports in Concord, I bought a Trek Navigator that uses a "unisex" or "European" design. It would have been called a "girls' model" when I was growing up. Losing the crossbar makes emergency dismounts much easier. Because I ride pavement that has seen the ravages of seasonal changes and frost heaves, I like the fat tires found on mountain bikes. Studs are a big help for the occasional patches of slush and ice - I don't ride when the roads are covered with snow.

Fenders deflect water and crud back to the pavement. On the Navigator, cables are routed inside the frame tubes to protect them from the elements. One problem I have not yet solved is that the brake and shift cables can stick when moisture freezes on them.

Visibility
Because too many drivers don't follow the rules of the road or are distracted by their cell phone conversations, visibility is a high priority. No cyclist should be out after dark without a red taillight and white headlight. I add a small light to the back of my helmet. I also wear a chartreuse cycling windbreaker with retroreflective highlights.

Fortunately for my colleagues, the DOT has a shower and a place where I can store enough office clothes to maintain that all-important professional appearance.

I pedaled more than 2000 miles to finish sixth on the Granite State Wheelmen's list of bicycle commuters. Next year, I hope to break into the top five.

Submitted by John Corrigan, Safe Routes To School Coordinator, NH Department of Transportation

TIP: No time for regular exercise? Make your commute part of your daily workout.

Most American workers don't have the luxury of a shower at work, much less the time for a shower during the workday. If you use getting sweaty as an excuse for not exercising, read on!

Soap and water
Stash a container of liquid soap and a couple of those super-wicking towels at work. After your bout of exercise, duck into the restroom to swab off. If you don't have a private bathroom, negotiate your sponge bath in a stall.

If you sweat a lot, invest in socks and undergarments made from "performance" fabrics (see below), or pack a change of undies and a fresh shirt.

About the dreaded "helmet-hair," the scourge of female cyclists everywhere: C'mon ladies. Find a way! Better yet, start a movement. Let's make helmet-hair the new chic.

Rethink your wardrobe
Many folks find their working wardrobes undergoing a transformation as they boost the activity in their lives.

I know I did. I moved towards simpler, less-complicated, wrinkle-free workwear, and I began seeking out clothing made from "performance" fabrics.

Not just sports clothing, but everyday office clothes, from undergarments to pants, tops, skirts and jackets. More and more companies have begun offering workwear for both men and women that "wicks" sweat away ferom the body, prevents odor from forming, and that stretches and flexes to follow body movements for improved comfort.

The fabrics keep improving, too. Check out the new fabrics containing silver fibers that prevent odors from developing, and clothing targeting women who suffer hot flashes and night sweats.

The downside? Performance clothing costs more
It can cost a lot more, especially if, like me, you lean towards hand-me-downs and thrift-store specials. Some ways to manage the cost:

• Check stores and catalogues; then ask for specific items on gift-giving occasions.

• Own fewer clothes. Wouldn't you rather have a classy, well-exercised body than a classy wardrobe?

Peg Boyles, UNH Cooperative Extension Writer/Editor