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Barbara

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For the last few months, I've watched my savings account grow. I've been allocating a bit more than usual from each paycheck in anticipation of a big purchase: a bicycle.

A bike has been on my "want to buy" list for quite some time. The bikes of my childhood were generally passed down. Even during college I had a borrowed bike to get around.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever had a two wheeler that was just mine.

Biking has always been fun for me. So, after much careful consideration, I decided that it was time to invest in a quality bike that would last me a while — preferably before summer arrived. Luckily, I made that decision with time to save up for my big purchase.

As warmer weather arrived, I started to research my options. I even enlisted the help of seasoned biker Caroline to talk through the information I learned from several biking blogs and forums and by visiting local bike shops.

A few test rides later and I found her: my green beauty .

Speaking of green, I'm hoping shelling out this bit of green will help me save green in the future — and go green for that matter. (Aaah! Color overload!)

Instead of hopping into the car for a quick trip to the store, I'll take my bike instead. This way I save gas and don't overbuy (you think twice about putting an item in your basket when you know there is limited space to bring it home!). And even though the commute will be a bit of a trek, I'm hoping to bike to work on occasion.

Living green to save green: Caroline's wise advice stretches far past biking shorts recommendations!

Caroline

If you're off to college this fall, you've probably loaded up on the necessities  like sheets, towels and cool décor for your dorm. But put one more thing on your list, if you haven't already: a bike.

A bike probably wasn't the mode of transportation you chose in high school—and maybe you haven't ridden one since the fifth grade—but bikes are the best way to get around on a college campus.

Biking is much cheaper than driving, when you consider gas prices and parking tickets. (Ask any experienced college student—you WILL get a parking ticket!) And it's faster than walking—good news when you oversleep the day of your bio quiz.

OK, I admit, I'm a little biased. I really like to bike. My most recent vacation was spent biking—I rode a couple days on RAGBRAI®  (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa™) in July. It's a touring ride across the state. And it's ginormous—about 10,000 people participate every year. It's actually a really relaxing vacation, because when you hop on a bike you completely change the pace of your life.

That's another benefit of biking that's great for college life. When you're busy and stressed, biking to class or a study session may be just the exercise and change of pace that you need to feel refreshed. Biking around campus can also help you ward off the "freshman 15"  without dragging yourself to the gym.

So dust off that two-wheeler and pack it up! Are you bringing a bike to college?