I'd like to try commuting, but...

[Heifzilla]

This is the most direct way I have right now: http://tinyurl.com/ohpzsx

As you can see, there is really no way for me to travel mostly residential because there just aren't many roads that go over the lakes. Grass Lake Road is a 40 mph, twisty, hilly road and that's the majority of the ride. Rt. 173 is a 40-55 mph semi-truck route that is simply out of the question. I also work on a very busy road, but there are at least some options for biking there.

My other option is this: http://tinyurl.com/qua644

I rode it one way to work yesterday and it was fine, however, it is very hilly in some places and the hills would be uphill on the way home from work and I don't know if I could handle that after 6 hours of physically demanding work (I'm a vet tech). It also adds 4+ miles to the commute. Plus, it's all country, rural roads and pitch black at night. Both ways would be pretty dark at night, when I'd be riding home (I work 2pm to 8pm +).

Does anyone have a ride like this? I'm tempted to ask DH if he'd come pick me up after work, but I don't think he'd do it (I'll ask, though). That way I'd at least just have to ride the daylight part of the commute. I only work three days a week, so it's not like I'd be doing this every day.

I really want to do this, but on the other hand, it's intimidating. The ride yesterday was tiring and I had lunch and a car ride home to look forward to afterwards, not 6+ hours of work.

[Biciclista]

wow, that actually looks flat! I would go for the shorter route. Sounds kind of pretty and peaceful. Is it?
It does get easier after a while.

[Heifzilla]

wow, that actually looks flat! I would go for the shorter route. Sounds kind of pretty and peaceful. Is it?
It does get easier after a while.

It is mostly flat, but there are a couple of killer hills (to a midwestern flat prairie girl, anyway, which means they are ant hills to some of you

The shorter route is the busy, more cars route, where there really is no shoulder to ride on.

[Biciclista]

oh, that's too bad. I did a close up and saw that looked like a nice road. i couldn't see a bike path though

options: drive part way and ride part way. a lot of people do it.
And if it isn't too far for him, have your DH meet you once a week and take you on a little date!

[Cataboo]

will the shorter route be less busy in the evening? You could ride the longer route with the down hill in the afternoon on the way to work, and then ride the shorter more direct route home.

I'd say try it one day and see how it works. Have your husband ready to pick you up in the evening if it's just not going to work that day.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My other option is this: http://tinyurl.com/qua644

I rode it one way to work yesterday and it was fine, however, it is very hilly in some places and the hills would be uphill on the way home from work and I don't know if I could handle that after 6 hours of physically demanding work (I'm a vet tech). It also adds 4+ miles to the commute. Plus, it's all country, rural roads and pitch black at night. Both ways would be pretty dark at night, when I'd be riding home (I work 2pm to 8pm +).

If you click on "Walking" and then click the little camera icon, you can actaully drag the little man on the map and see photos of the entire route. Cool!
I have to say though after 'walking' the whole route by camera- I don't see a single hill anywhere. There might be some low 'inclines', but honestly it all looks completely flat to me. I guess we all see things relative to our own areas. If you find that hilly then I am sure after riding it for a few weeks it will not seem that hard to you anymore- really, your leg muscles will quickly build themselves up to handle that easily with regular riding.

I think your bigger challenge will be the darkness, and for that you should get a really good lighting system on your bike- front and back, and a strong steady white headlight AND a strong steady red tail light. Not just 'blinkies'. Also you should have some good quality reflective wear and buy some extra stick-on strips for helmet, backpack, buy spoke reflectors, reflective gloves, etc. Light yourself up like a Xmas tree!

Good for you in wanting to commute by bike! I'd say it's certainly do-able, especially just 3 times a week....just seems daunting at first.

[Heifzilla]

oh, that's too bad. I did a close up and saw that looked like a nice road. i couldn't see a bike path though

options: drive part way and ride part way. a lot of people do it.
And if it isn't too far for him, have your DH meet you once a week and take you on a little date!

I was wondering about that. How do people drive part way and then bike? Where do they leave their cars?

I guess in a more urban setting there are parking lots and stuff, but around here there really isn't anyway to do that. I mean, yeah, some places have a park 'n ride, but they are few and far between and none on my route. There's no where for me to leave my car. Plus, many of the parking lots around here have signs posted because they wiull tow your car unless you are using the store or whatever.

[Heifzilla]

If you click on "Walking" and then click the little camera icon, you can actaully drag the little man on the map and see photos of the entire route. Cool!
I have to say though after 'walking' the whole route by camera- I don't see a single hill anywhere. There might be some low 'inclines', but honestly it all looks completely flat to me. I guess we all see things relative to our own areas. If you find that hilly then I am sure after riding it for a few weeks it will not seem that hard to you anymore- really, your leg muscles will quickly build themselves up to handle that easily with regular riding.

I think your bigger challenge will be the darkness, and for that you should get a really good lighting system on your bike- front and back, and a strong steady white headlight AND a strong steady red tail light. Not just 'blinkies'. Also you should have some good quality reflective wear and buy some extra stick-on strips for helmet, backpack, buy spoke reflectors, reflective gloves, etc. Light yourself up like a Xmas tree!

Good for you in wanting to commute by bike! I'd say it's certainly do-able, especially just 3 times a week....just seems daunting at first.

Believe me, there are a couple of wicked hills even though it doesn't look like it. Wicked being relative to what you're used to. One of them I cannot make it up, even in granny gear...I can get halfway and then my bike stops moving and I fall over

Yeah, the lights would be important. I've been looking into some and I can't believe how expensive they are, but what price is your safety worth?

And it *is* daunting! And it's the dumb things you end up thinking about, too. Like helmet head. How do you deal with that once you get to work? I tuck all my hair up into my helmet and when I take it off I look like Nick Nolte I can handle the wiping down with babywipes thing (we have a shower and work but it is DISGUSTING, hasn't been used in who knows how long, and currently it has a toilet plunger in it and I don't know where that's been...yuck!), but the hair thing I'm not sure how to deal with. On the other hand, luckily for me I work as a vet tech, so it's not like I need to be stylin' at work or anything

I really want to do this but I really have to psych myself up to it.

[Possegal]

Slight hijack - but how cool is that "walking" guy thing on Google maps? I am now going to have to post something with it to try and show the hill near the house I gree up. The photo I took one day some time ago, apparently didn't convince folks that it was a bad hill. But take little googleman for a walk up it, and even he gets tired.

[Biciclista]

If nothing else, you might happen by someone's house and ask if you could leave your car there. Are there no parks, nothing? I think this deserves more investigation. (I always thought of rural as being more free, not more controlled!)

[Heifzilla]

If nothing else, you might happen by someone's house and ask if you could leave your car there. Are there no parks, nothing? I think this deserves more investigation. (I always thought of rural as being more free, not more controlled!)

There's the big state park across the way, but it closes at dusk and the parking areas are only a mile or so from my house.

Rural doesn't mean more free, I don't think. There are plenty of fields and undeveloped lots but no where to park a car without permission unless you know someone.

Oh, and I did the "walk" where I know the hill is hellish, and it does not look like much at all on google street view. But I get up to 30 mph going down that hill, so I know it's a doozy. But fun to ride...down! Google street view seems to flatten stuff out quite a bit, I think it's the lens they use to get the wide angle view.

[sfa]

Wow, I think you'd get extra-special double cool commuting points for having to cross into another state on your commute!

What I would do in your case is to just try it. Try it on one route one day and the other route the other day and just see how it goes. Or if you're nervous about taking on the whole commute in one day, drive in with your bike in your car and ride home on one route, then the next day ride into work on your bike and drive home. This kind of hybrid commute is an approach that I think a lot of people take on a routine basis, especially if they have a long or difficult commute. I'd be more inclined to take the slightly farther but less busy road. You'll get good at the hills in pretty short order. A year ago I was asking on here about dealing with hills on my commute (I don't really have any truly flat sections, and the first 6 miles (or last, depending on the time of day) is pretty much 3 miles down then three miles back up) and while I would like to say that now I'm so used to them that I hardly notice them, the truth is I STILL hate them, but they are much, much easier. I had to walk them the first few times and I always tell myself that that's still an option (as is stopping at the coffee shop at the base of the three mile hill and calling DH for a ride! I've never done it, but I've been tempted.).

Good luck!

Sarah

[Biciclista]

Wow, I think you'd get extra-special double cool commuting points for having to cross into another state on your commute!

Good luck!

Sarah

How did I miss THAT ???

"oh yeah, my commute's not too bad, I just have to go through Wisconsin to get to Illinois"

[tulip]

When I lived in Maryland, I went through DC and into Virginia to work everyday by bike. It was kindof fun thinking about a tri-state commute.

Heifzilla, why don't you just clean the shower and use it? That's what I did at my old job. They had a shower that was not used and it was not up to my standards, so I spent a few hours scrubbing and it was fine. I got some of that after-shower spray for the tiles and that kept it clean. Most places don't have any shower of any kind, so you are waaaaay ahead of the game. The hills will get easier ONLY if you ride them. Otherwise, they'll stay hard.

I've found in my life (bike commuting and otherwise) that it's very easy to think of reasons NOT to do something. The challenge is to make it happen. Solutions, not excuses, are what I try to focus on.

[Pax]

If nothing else, you might happen by someone's house and ask if you could leave your car there. Are there no parks, nothing? I think this deserves more investigation. (I always thought of rural as being more free, not more controlled!)

Not in Illinois, the ground her is very fertile and every square inch of it is owned. There are a minuscule number of places where you could just drop your bike and walk through a field (they're fenced). It's a common misconception about this state though.


Heifzilla - I used to live in Lake Villa and can see the difficulties with your commute. It's doable but the lack of shoulders on most of those roads will make the ride "interesting".

BSG - The hills in Northern IL are loooooong slow inclines, they appear flat until you're on them and then your thighs explode about halfway up.