Last week, May 14-18, was National Bike to Work Week.

I’m in a sales, so like 99% of the people I know, I can easily come up with excuses to not bike to work. The list goes on and on – requiring a vehicle to meet with customers, expectations for a professional appearance (and odor), not enough time in the day, etc.

Here’s the thing. Like 99% of the excuses I hear (and create myself), none of these excuses are really any good. Yes, there are going to be many days where a car is an absolute requirement. However, there are also going to be many days where a bike commute is completely doable.

The loaded steed at Alterra during bike to work week.

So, inspired by Bike to Work Week, a good friend and colleague agreed to join me for a Thursday morning bike commute. My one-way commute is 12.5-miles from Whitefish Bay, making for a tidy 25-mile round trip ride.

So, I secured a rear rack, dugout my dusty panniers from an old bike tour, and packed some fresh clothes for the office. My friend lives in Wauwatosa, so we met about halfway at the Alterra Foundry in Milwuakee’s fifth ward. From there, our ride took us another 5-6 miles down Kinnickinick through Bayview to our office in Cudahy.

A quick beer at Tonic on the ride home was a key part of the route.

My office doesn’t have showers, but I have secured a small locker where I keep deodorant, wet ones, Febreze, an extra belt, etc. – each bit lightening my load for a daily ride. I’d highly recommend keeping a similar stash at your workplace – the convenience and psychological impact of knowing you have what you need at the office is huge.

My goal for 2012? Bike once per week in the summer months. We’ll see…

Interested in bike commuting? Active.com has put together a list of tips for your first commute.