dont ride right out of bed...

[0okami]

In short, don't ride right out of bed... Take a shower, get a bite to eat or some coffee or something. And visually think your route before you set out.

Long version...
So, today right after I woke up I skipped the shower, put a shirt on, kicked on some shoes and gear and I set off to ride to work for 2 a mere hours. Bad idea. from the time I got out of bed to the time I was on the bike was about 10~15 min.

i know..... i know.... bad. Won't do it again.

I felt somewhat incomplete, my balance was not all there. Turns where I usually never had problems, gave me trouble (drive way, stop sign, dodging various pot holes) I even had to put a foot down while turning after a stop. At that point I was tempted to turn around back home and finish my usual wake up routine or set out in the car.

A parked car (broke down) in the middle of the road after a turn was the final sign to make me realize "HEY! IDIOT! YOUR DOING IT WRONG!" so, ... I stopped, stretched, took a deep breath and turned the bike around. I was only 3 min from home. By the time I got back home, adrenaline had already woke me up so I rode out to work again.

I made it to work in one piece. Early Sunday mornings are great. The ride back home was AWESOME! Perfect day. Not hot, not cold, just right. No traffic at all! I was wide awake.

Patience - I could drink to that.

[Markk9]

In studies done by the DOT on truck drivers, it was found on average it takes 45 minutes to be 100% alert after a deep sleep.

Mark

[0okami]

Originally Posted by Markk9

In studies done by the DOT on truck drivers, it was found on average it takes 45 minutes to be 100% alert after a deep sleep.

Mark

Great to know! That's about how long it usually takes me to get in the shower after kicking my alarm clock away from me. It was a really stupid move of mine to do that this morning.

[orangeRcode]

Wow man, sounds like you were lucky.

[soc_monki]

my previous job i had to go in to work at 9 am...i wouldnt always get up early enough LOL so i wouldnt always ride the bike. i dont wake up fully until about an hour after i actually get up, and driving isnt that bad when not fully awake (i dont have to balance!)

but on a bike...its a no-no to me. you have to think more on a bike and if i only have 15 minutes before i leave i get in the car

[Scrambler81]

I find it impossible to go down to the first floor without taking a shower, so this really isn't an issue for me. I am an absolute morning person though, so I'm pretty peppy when I get out of bed. Saturday I set my alarm for 1:30 AM, and I was on the bike by 2:30 AM. I couldn't have felt more alive than I did flying down I-87 all by myself at that hour of the day.

[tricker]

i have at least 3 cups of coffee in me and i've been awake for 2 hours before i get on the bike to go to work.. cause i'm worthless for the first 1/2 hour

[Ronin47]

When I started getting up at 6:30am to get ready for work, my 5 yr old also started waking up with me. Since my wife would still be asleep I couldn't really leave without making him breakfast, so we'd always end up eating cereal together while he watches Noggin or NickJr. Usually by the start of the 2nd show, I'm putting on my gear and he "helps" by gathering up one or two things I usually walk out the door with. Unfortunately, he ends up pouring out the contents of my tank bag (which I have to pick up), getting hand prints on my face shield (which I have to clean), or doing some other "delaying tactic" that just makes the process go slower. He can't help it, he's just trying to help and I love him for it. I eventually get out the door by 7:30am at which point my wife is awake and joins him watching his kid shows.

Never realized until now that my kiddo may have been keeping me alive by making sure I'm fully awake before I left. If he wasn't awake, I'd hit the road by 6:45-6:50am...probably half asleep.

I guess angels do exist.

[CycleDude]

Glad you learned the easy way. The hard way would have sucked...

[fitbmxseries1]

i know what you mean, My freind when he first got his bike he was calling me every saturday morning wanting to go for a ride. He usualy woke me up and id say yeah ill be ready in an hour...... 5 mins later i hear a bike pull up in the drive way as im taking my usual 5 min long morning tinkle.
at first im all slow on the bike like forgetting about the kickstand and often just driving very slow.... as i wake up it gets better though lol

[Seadog1967]

Originally Posted by Markk9

In studies done by the DOT on truck drivers, it was found on average it takes 45 minutes to be 100% alert after a deep sleep.

Mark

That's why I never get deep sleep. I gotta be rolling in less than 45 min. Ain't that why they have cruise control on the big rigs now???
Alarm goes off at 2a.m. Clothes etc. set out nite before. 2:08a.m. opening garage door firing up bike, 2:14a.m. arrive Dunkin Donuts, 2:16a.m. take swig of coffee then put in saddlebag ( I put a large block of styrofoam with hole cut to hold cup just for going to work) light Cig. up ride off to work ashes flying in face (not a good idea but eyes half open anyways) 2:36 a.m. arrive in yard cover bike fire up semi, try to remember if it's a work day. Grab paperwork hook to trailer and haul butt.
So I guess I had my 45 min. to wake up an be alert.

[1stbike4me]

I know that this sounds weird, but I actually do better in the morning now that I started waking up a 1/2 hour earlier. I still leave for work shortly after I wake up. I think my problem was that I was getting too much sleep. Since then I have never had a problem waking up in the morning.

[RichLockyer]

When on a road trip, I'll ride AT LEAST an hour before stopping for breakfast.
It is a valuable rest period and effectively renders the riding time before breakfast as "doesn't count" on the fatigue level for the day.

[topolover]

Originally Posted by 0okami

So, today right after I woke up I skipped the shower, put a shirt on, kicked on some shoes and....

Dude. Next time make sure you have your pants on! You can get in some serious trouble for that, I'm sure!

[mrblanche]

Actual research shows that the first half-hour of driving are the most dangerous for truck drivers, with the curve going down for the first 4 hours, then back up.

[Big Ed]

Don't ride right out of bed...

How did you get your bike into the bed?

[Smokymtnvulcan]

During my 20 military career and 27 year law enforcment career, I was always having to wake up at all hours of the day/night and be wide awake. Since retirement, I still wake fully alert, however, in about two hours, my battery hits bottom and I have to obtain mass quantities of cafien to keep going. It's all what a body gets use to. Do whatever is SAFE for YOU. Funny, I get laughs all the time because when I stagger into a local store, attendants will always ask me how I'm doing and I tell them "Pretty good, so far!" They assume because it's the middle of the morning, that I just got up. Actually, I'm in the middle of my low battery stage!

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by Big Ed

Don't ride right out of bed...

How did you get your bike into the bed?

It's actually much easier than the horse's head...

...of course, your spouse may object to the revving at 3AM...


I usually get up at least an hour before heading out to work. I can't get up and not eat breakfast or I'm off kilter the entire day. I grew up eating a big breakfast, so I'm conditioned to eat when I get up.

Besides, if I headed out without breakfast, conversations with friends would be something like:

"Hey, did you get after-market pipes for your bike? It sounds great."
"Actually, that's just my stomach growling..."

[jeffs99vulcan]

Originally Posted by Big Ed

Don't ride right out of bed...

How did you get your bike into the bed?

nuff said...