How Was Your Commute Today?

[azfiddle]

This morning was my first commute of the spring. I skip the winter months because I just don't feel as safe on my route when it's still dark out, and I have to leave by 6:30 am to get to work and cleaned up by 7:30. My route goes through neighborhoods for a couple miles but then onto a really busy 4 lane road that passes the air force base and then turns onto a busy 2 lane road through the open desert with bad pavement on the shoulder for a couple of miles. It's better for the last two miles when I get back into suburbia and smoother pavement.

I'm also much happier starting my day when it's not chilly...(and compared to some of you, I am a total and complete weather wimp!) So it was about 50 degrees and already light when I left. My 10 mile commute is slightly uphill and usually into a breeze. It was pretty calm but still I only managed about 12.5 mph. My best days I average about 14 mph. Coming home is usually much, much faster- sometimes I can average close to 17!

[Crankin]

I commuted today for the first time in almost 6 years (June 2008). This was worth all the crap involved in getting a new job, getting settled, etc. I now truely feel I am back to my old self; filling up my car every 2 weeks and riding 2 days a week to work. Of course, the mileage is nothing like I was doing before, which was just under 14 miles one way and hilly right before I got to work. My new commute is 5.2 miles one way, and the best part is the way there is all downhill and flat. I actually wasn't going to commute today, because rain was predicted right at about noon, the time I leave, but it was clear the rain was not going to get here until later, so after I was already dressed in my street clothes, I changed, got all my stuff, the bike, packed the pannier, and left around 7:45-7:50? There is sometimes a big back up at an intersection about 2.5 miles in, but not usually on Fridays, or until 8 AM. Normally, I have a client at 9, but he had to work, so I wasn't rushed. I didn't even break a sweat, but still glad I was wearing my cycling clothes. Got changed in a snap and didn't even have to use any of my hygiene supplies, except my brush. Coming home, a different story. Not fun going up my street with that heavy pannier, but hey, that's why I have the mountain derailleur.
Looking forward to many more months of this. Next one is Tuesday.

[azfiddle]

Yay Crankin- sounds fantastic

[colorisnt]

Rode in. Same 2.5 miles. Averaged about 15 mph coming in. It was cold and FAST.

[DebW]

Seems that my winter bike commutes have finally turned into spring bike commutes -- didn't need the windproof goretex overpants for the first time in months!

[Crankin]

My second commute was weird. It was cold this morning and it really rained badly yesterday, so I waited until it was 35 out, as I am healthily afraid of black ice of the same kind that took out my friend and broke his hip at this time of year. It was really nice out, despite being cold. A lot more people I work with saw me come in and I got all kinds of questions, like "You rode 5 miles? Oh my God!" But, some good questions, too. I usually work until 6:45 but my last client is coming on a different day, so I left somewhere around 6:15. I didn't have my headlight, and I was cursing myself. It wasn't dark, but when the cars have their lights on, I need to, too. And, there was a bit more traffic than I would have at 7:00. Anyway, my pannier was so packed, I was struggling. Finally, I just decided to slow down, but the big hills felt crazy hard. I took a little bit of a longer way home, up by the back of the North Bridge, to avoid a traffic back up that always happens at rush hour, so I got an extra half a mile in.

[rebeccaC]

I signed the 30 days of riding pledge in hulagirl’s cycling related forum thread. I usually ride or run/walk to work when I’m in the office all day. I’m planning on riding before or after work on days I have to travel to a project or meeting. My morning commute is city streets with a stop at Intelligentsia for tea and usually a muffin or scone…today’s was a honey/fig bran muffin. It could be a four mile ride but I usually do quiet back streets, add a few hills and a ride on the beach to make it six to ten miles.

the ride home is sometimes with a stop at whole foods if not an earlier lunch walk to the farmers market for food/house needs