Anyone Work Nights?

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    • #108392

      Almost put this post in the "Training" forum, but I’m not really training for anything, so I figured I’d pose the question as a general topic. I just love to ride and not able to as much as I’d like (as I’m sure is the case with others).

      About two years ago I was laid off from a management position. My position gave me great flexibility for taking "lunch time" rides or days off from time to time as well to go riding the local trails. Then there were weekend rides too. I was somewhat spoiled in that regard. Smash/Cut to a couple years later, I’m happy to be employed, but my schedule SUCKS! I work nights 6 days a week on with 2 off. I drive a gas tanker now. I live too far to ride to work and I’m fairly beat at the end of a night… Not unlike many of you guys and gals here, I want to ride more and just struggle to find the time to do so with my schedule. one or two rides a week just isn’t enough…

      I know a few guys who go after work, but that’s when I’m headed in to start my night. I miss out on group rides most of the time now. So I’m just trying to figure out how to keep

      Here’s are my question(s). Are there others (I’m sure there are) out there with crazy schedule’s or working nights? How often are you able to ride? And do you have any idea’s for those of us with "non-traditional" schedules to get more riding in?

      I recently bought a great light (Magic Shine MJ-816e) and have hit a local trail after hours… That’s been fun…

      Any thoughts?

    • #108393

      I never worked the graveyard shift, but I used to wait tables in the late afternoon/evenings/nights. My solution was usually to go before work. When I was working two jobs and crazy hours, I would just ride whenever I wasn’t working and wasn’t sleeping–whenever that happened to be, I rode. Sometimes it was between jobs, sometimes it was before, sometimes after… Oftentimes I just kept all of my gear in/on my car so I could be ready to ride at the drop of a hat.

      Not sure if that will help with your situation, but just thought i’d share 😀

    • #108394

      I currently work early morning and and late evening shifts most of the time, and only work regular 8-5 hours every couple of months. I really enjoy having more daylight time off when I’m working a shift. I manage get in a ride of some sort (trail,road, or park) just about every day. And there’s a lot to be said for being able to rip down your favorite stretch of trail without stopping for people at 10am on a Tuesday 😃

    • #108395

      When you say you work nights, do you mean you get done in the morning when everyone else is going to work or getting done around midnight? I’ve worked both and heard them each called "nights."

      When I worked the 3pm-midnight shift, if i wanted to do something during the day, I would crash as soon as I got home so I could wake up early. When I worked the 11pm-7am shift, I had my choice. Some days I would crash as soon as I got home and get up early. Other days I would do whatever it was I wanted to get done immediately after work. For me, it was usually working out with friends, but I think the same would apply to biking. You can bring you gear with you, head out right after work, and enjoy the empty trails 😃

      One thing you can do if you feel you don’t have any time is write down what you spend your off hours doing. You might find some areas where you are wasting time and not knowing it.

      All that said, if you’re working 12s, it’ll be real hard to fit a ride in. I pretty much worked, ate, and slept while on 12s.

    • #108396

      Thanks guys… All good advice. I’ve been wasting too much time and not riding as much as I wanted. I was only riding on my days off, because what’s a guy supposed to do when he’s sleeping during the day and now lives mostly at night? Its dark out there 😮 !!! I decided that working nights sucks but it’s what I need to do to pay the bills for now. So I "pulled up my big boy under-roo’s" and I’m trying to make it suck less… I was just curious what others have done or might be doing when they work screwed up hours. I figured I may be able to pick up on a few more idea’s to transition over to a "Vampires" life…

      I mentioned before, I recently bought a great light and have used it several times now. I was off work early one morning (about 1AM) and as soon as I got home I changed into my gear and headed off to a trail that just opened up down the street from my house. It’s a real easy, beginner, 2 mile loop and not the most challenging trail. But it’s dirt, it’s a single track and three laps around the trail and back up the road to home is a nine mile ride. Plus buzzin through the woods in the dark makes it pretty fun.

      On at least one of my days off during the week, I try and ride one of the better trails in the area (Marrington, Killer Three or up to Columbia to hit Harbison).

    • #108397

      I have 4 kids and ride when ever I can do so. Some weeks it is 2-4 times others I do not get a chance. I find myself riding mostly in the early morning hours (sometimes hitting the trails before sunrise) or after work when I am not the family taxi cab.

      On a day off you should head over to the Augusta area and ride FATS. Have some good trails also.
      http://www.sorbacsra.org

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