Week 11: Picking Up a Medical Test Result is #BetterByBicycle

So today I was tasked to pick up the medical test result of my dad, and the diagnostic clinic was 9 km away from my home. I have already decided to use my bike but my mom insisted on taking the car because she finds it too far. And I told her, no it's not, I've done it before, I did longer rides. We argued for about a minute or two and in the end she gave up. I have always stood my ground in transport cycling, I know my body better so I know how far I can ride.

I made it just in time before the clinic closed. It was a cloudy afternoon, and it's always my favorite

weather to ride the bike. On my way back home, I thought of quantifying the economic benefits of cycling, because, let's face it, money talks. So the total distance of the round trip is 18.92 km, and this is what it would cost me if I took a car or the public transportation.

Option A: Car - my car fuel consumption is about 12 km/L, and the current rate of gas where I fill up is Php56.65. That means round trip to the diagnostic clinic would cost me Php 89.32. 

Option B: Public Transportation - For this mode, I would have to take a trike to the jeepney terminal, which costs Php 15.00 and the jeepney ride to the clinic is Php 25.00. That means round trip to the diagnostic clinic would cost me Php 80.00.

Now you'd probably think that's all I save, and it may not amount to much. But there are other costs and savings that have not been accounted. For one thing, the ride lasted for 1 hour and 28 minutes and burned me 218 calories. Now that's like a one work out session in a gym. The average cost of gym membership is about Php 1500.00 /month. So this ride is like an equivalent of Php 30.00.

 

Now let's not forget that my AIA Vitality membership allows me to earn for my fitness activities. This ride made me hit this week's fitness goal, and it earned me P100.00.

 Wait there's more, moderate rides like this one is therapeutic for me because when I'm feeling restless, my impulse is to keep moving. I don't like staying still. And when I get tired from the continuous pedaling, I rest in between (there goes my sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system 😁). My favorite spot to rest is always  somewhere I can view a body of water, whether it's sea, river, or lake. But for this one, I stopped over a creek along the road.

I don't know why, but the bodies of water has a calming effect on my mind. I like staring at the tranquility of the water. It gives me a sense of clarity and peace that makes it better for me to accept the things that I have no control of (at least for a moment). Sometimes, I would stare so intently I would notice some fishes, and it always make me feel better to see thriving species in their polluted habitat. I see it as a reminder that no  matter what you are going through, always choose to survive. 

This whole ride made me feel better from the gloom that I was experiencing today and it felt like going through  psychotherapy, and in the Philippines, one session with a psychotherapist would cost around Php 1000.00 - 4000.00.

See how much I saved for cycling? 😊