How Was Your Commute Today?

[tulip]

Let's keep this rolling, so to speak.

I work from home, and occasionally I ride to the post office some 3 miles away. Today, however, I had a meeting downtown, 5 miles away. So I commuted there by bike. I packed a change of clothes (skirt, nice shirt, heels ) and stuffed it all carefully with my notebook some pens into my Arkel briefcase pannier. Then I set off.

I got there a bit early and had plenty of time to change in the restroom. I wasn't very sweaty, since it was just 5 miles. I had called ahead and found out that there are bike racks in the parking garage. Mine was the only bike, probably the only one for a long time.

I was pleased as punch that I made it work. The only thing I forgot were my earrings, but I'm probably the only one who noticed.

[Cataboo]

I just had a short 1 mile commute. For a lot of reasons, I didn't ride very much last week. But I had switched the stem on my commuter. So it was a bit exhilarating being on a bike again (oh yay, this is fun!) and so far the stem change seems to have helped. But I'm about to ride home and see if I still think that. The way home is slightly uphill, which is when I really noticed that I didn't like something about the handlebar position.

Luckily I can get away with being in jeans and a t shirt at work, so no need to change.

[mizzbananie]

my commute today was awesome, as it is most days. the leaves are just yellowing and beginning to fall on the pathway... it sounds and smells so nice. i ride along the river and enjoy the beauty of it; occasionally there is a train in the mornings and there's just something about that.

and then.. THE HILL. it beat me for most of the spring and summer, but now i beat it every day. that really starts my day off well, to be victorious.

i'm going to be so sad when it's too cold to ride... today was fabulous.

[Tri Girl]

didn't commute today (raining with lightning), but maybe tomorrow. I'm glad everyone had a great commute.
Tulip- nice job riding your bike to the meeting!

[aeiea]

Are we allowed to post our reality commute versus our imaginary commute?

Reality:
I'm in a car which requires me to go through 3 different highways, all the with the same inattentive, self-righteous, and rage-filled drivers. They switch lanes without signaling, they stop suddenly for no reason at all, they don't let signaling people into their lane. Traffic teases, seeming like it'll stay 65 mph ... and suddenly, it slams into a frustrating stop-and-go... emphasis on the stop.

It takes me an hour and a half to go 20 miles. I arrive at work upset and tired.

Imaginary:
I'm on a bike and hitting all the green lights at the right time. The bike lane is wide and free. The weather is sunny yet cool, and the ocean wind refreshes me from time to time. I belt out the synth parts of 80's tunes while zooming by amused people waiting for the bus.

It takes me an hour and a half to go 20 miles. I arrive at work excited and energetic.





With my new (further) job and new bike, I will be making the transition to bike commute hopefully next week... baby steps.

[LaFemmeFlora]

aeiea, I am going to follow your lead...
my commute is only about 7 miles though...in a car it takes me 25 minutes...factoring in red lights and jerky drivers blocking thru-lanes from their turn lane...

I have been scoping out the shoulders on possible routes to and from work and with a blessing of good weather I am going to go for the first time on my bike tomorrow.

Aside from a bumpy (post-earthquake...unrepaired) shoulder I think my biggest worry at 7 am might be stinky exhaust...wish me luck all...I will, of course, post tomorrow.

[7rider]

Today was, I believe, the slowest average speed I have yet posted for a commute since my friend, Terry's accident and my loss of him as a commuting partner. I occasionally try to push on some days. Some days, I take it easy. I call those "recovery days." Yeah....that's it. Recovery day.
So, I noodled along, not really looking to push, at about 12 mph.
Other than that, the ride was blissfully uneventful. Usual cars. Usual pedestrians. Usual potholes.

[pardes]

This morning's commute:

Crisp fall air! Wearing a new pair of Walmart knit pants. Hey, they were ONLY $9!

Then I discover that the pockets are only 2 inches deep. I discover this when I attempt to stuff my ...... okay before I denote WHAT I put in my pockets, let me pause for a public service announcement. I won't give anyone a hard time about their less than healthy habits if, in return, I get the same.

Ready?

Then I discover that the pockets are only 2 inches deep. I discover this when I attempt to stuff my ..... no wait .... if some newbie got 15 lectures about not riding on the sidewalk in another thread, I doubt I'll escape the lecture circuit myself.

But then I'm an eternal optimist and believe, somewhat insanely, that people really aren't as predictable as our worst fears try to convince us that they are. So, I'll try this again.

On my commute this morning I was wearing new $9 knit pants from Walmart that had only 2 inch deep pockets that I discovered was barely but not quite deep enough to hold my ..... wait for it ....... cigarette pack and lighter. So I stuffed one in one pocket and the other in the other pocket and then had the extreme pleasure of stopping twice, once for each, to pick them up off the road when they fell out of my pockets.

Blowing a smoke ring,
Pardes

[tulip]

Duck, Pardes, duck!

[kfergos]

i'm going to be so sad when it's too cold to ride... today was fabulous.

Too cold to ride? What're you talking about? I encourage you to keep riding as long as possible. With the right clothes -- and it's not actually as many as you'd think -- you can ride all year round in most parts of the country. I speak from personal experience living in Massachusetts, by the way.

[Voodoo Sally]

Too cold to ride? What're you talking about? I encourage you to keep riding as long as possible.

Amen. I ride as much as I can manage into the winter, also in Mass.

[Biciclista]

another lovely commute today; however it was a bit dark

[7rider]

Today is Car-Free Day in the D.C. area. I was going to have DH drive me to Metro, but since there's only a 30% chance of rain today, decided to ride...to keep in the spirit of going car free. It was FOGGY out this morning. Had all my lights on, flashing away.

[Eden]

Not in snow country here, but a year round commuter (heck because it does snow relatively rarely, travel by car is almost impossible and its better to go by bike when it does actually fall ). I'm on my bike regardless of the temps unless its icy.

[redrhodie]

Commuted the last 2 days, varying routes between 9 and 18 miles each way. I'm really ready for the wind to change direction! It's been steady northeast, which makes the evening commute challenging for the last 10 miles. I'm so hungry now!