Frustrated with my commuting!

[GLC1968]

Now that we are only 6 miles from work (by bike), I love my commute!

Unfortunately, my stupid schedule really screws me up. On Mondays, I volunteer to drive produce to the food bank from our community garden. There is zero chance I can do that by bike because 1) I'd never make it before they close and 2) it's usually upwards of 30 lbs of produce and sometimes it's a massive haul!

Tuesdays, I can commute if I drive all the way back to work after dropping off the produce (I live near the food bank) to return the bins (I can't carry those in on my bike). Adding another trip in the car kind of defeats the purpose of commuting...but sometimes I do it anyway.

Wednesdays, I leave work at 5 to rush to pick up our CSA share and then to get to bowling in time (league night). If I were to do it by bike, I'd never make it.

Thursdays, I can commute and usually do.

Fridays, I can only do it every other week because of a couple of regular early morning meetings.

At this rate, I'm only consistent with one commute a week and occasionally a second one if all the stars align. Anyone else frustrated this way?

[tulip]

Cargo Bike. I believe you live where people move furniture with bikes. How far is the food bank from work?

Could your other half pick up the CSA each week?

How early are those Friday morning meetings?

Seems like six miles is pretty nice for a commute. If you want to increase your bike commuting, try adding one day a week. Seems like either Wednesday or Friday would be easiest, without the purchase of a cargo bike.

[ny biker]

Well, your commute most days is not really 6 miles, because you're making multiple stops. This is one of the reasons I never wanted to commute by bike when I lived 4 miles from my office.

[GLC1968]

Well, your commute most days is not really 6 miles, because you're making multiple stops. This is one of the reasons I never wanted to commute by bike when I lived 4 miles from my office.

I don't understand? It's not really 6 miles to work? I'm pretty sure it's still 6 miles, no matter how you look at it unless I were to take a scenic route home or something.

If I were to run errands, then yes, it would be longer, but I don't even care about running the errands. I just want to be outside every morning on my way to work!

Tulip - you make some very good points. My DH can absolutely pick up the CSA share...I don't know why I never thought of that? Duh! I'll still be in charge of putting it all away or he'll likely just shove the bags into the back of the fridge, but he can certainly do the pick up! Cool...one more day to bike!

The food bank is about 7 miles from work (about a mile past my house) but even if I had a cargo bike, I'd have to leave work so early to make it before they closed that it would be a problem. I know I'd get delayed at work and miss the donation window! Eventually, we won't be harvesting stuff for the food bank every week so Monday's and Tuesdays will be free then too. I'll just have to wait. Unfortunately, by then, the gorgeous weather will be gone too, but you can't win them all! ;-)

[ny biker]

My point is that your commute on some days is not home-work. The total trip involves multiple stops and therefore is longer than 6 miles.

[tulip]

Great, now you can commute by bike on Wednesdays and Thursdays and every-other Friday! No chance you could ride every Friday? How early are your meetings and how long does it take to ride to work?

[lph]

Sounds like you have a bike commute craving but still have a car commute schedule :-)

I'm sure you'll figure out some way in the end so that you can commute as much as you feel is worth the trouble. But it sounds like you need to shake up your schedule a bit.

[Melalvai]

I don't have any clever suggestions but I'm interested in what you come up with. I love to hear how creative people get so that they can commute. For example, leave the bike at daycare, drive part way & bike the rest, bike to work & drive home & next day drive to work & bike home, and so on.

I have heard people say that they do less because they bike. They don't feel like it's a sacrifice, more that they have a slower pace of life and don't do so many movies or activities or whatever. I've mostly heard that from car free families. I don't feel that way but I'm not 100% car free. Even if I were, my family is not, and I don't think I would do less, I'd just bike more (which wouldn't be a bad thing). But if the whole family were car free, yeah, I bet we'd do a little less. And I don't think we'd mind. At least I wouldn't.

But that's just the people who have chosen to do it that way. Maybe the reason you never hear someone bemoan the loss of their activities is because if they really mind they are not going to give up their car. That doesn't make either choice right or wrong. It wouldn't make sense to give up something you really love to do anymore than it would make sense for you to give up delivering the Food Bank food.

Keep sneaking in as much commuting as you can, either to & from work or also consider running errands by bike once in a while. Maybe if you have extra time on a Food Bank delivery day, hitch up your trailer and do the delivery by bike! Go for a ride at lunch. If you "only" commute 1 or 2 days a week, well, that's 1 or 2 days more than most people.

[GLC1968]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions, everyone!

Today was kind of telling - I was eating my breakfast when it occurred to me that I should ride to work. So I did. No extra planning, nothing to worry about...I just jumped on my bike and rode in. I LOVE that.

Yes, I'm still only getting in about 1 or 2 commutes per week, but considering how busy my life is, I can be content with it. The fact that I've gotten it to where all I have to do to bike to work is just to jump on my bike means I've come a long way.

[jobob]

Yes, I'm still only getting in about 1 or 2 commutes per week, but considering how busy my life is, I can be content with it. The fact that I've gotten it to where all I have to do to bike to work is just to jump on my bike means I've come a long way.

Well now, there you go! That's good to hear.