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My last 6 months of bike commuting

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My last 6 months of bike commuting

Old 04-07-19, 03:31 PM
  #1  
zacster
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My last 6 months of bike commuting

My retirement is set for September 30th and one thing I'll miss is the 10 mile commute each way. I'll just have to make up for it with 20+ mile daily rides, somewhere other than where I live, like Paris or Copenhagen, or on a wine tour of Italy. It'll be a rough retirement but someone has to do it.
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Old 04-07-19, 04:16 PM
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I leave in just over a week for Venice, Italy. Not my first trip since retirement. I know you will enjoy it. Good luck.
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Old 04-07-19, 04:20 PM
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None of us here are feeling too sorry for you. Enjoy your retirement.
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Old 04-07-19, 04:55 PM
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Enjoy all that time that is being freed up. Touring in new places is certainly something to look forward to. Have fun, be safe!
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Old 04-07-19, 06:16 PM
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Originally Posted by zacster
My retirement is set for September 30th and one thing I'll miss is the 10 mile commute each way. I'll just have to make up for it with 20+ mile daily rides, somewhere other than where I live, like Paris or Copenhagen, or on a wine tour of Italy. It'll be a rough retirement but someone has to do it.
Retirement doesn't mean you have to give up your daily bike rides. Just ride for different reasons to different destinations of your city.

Since I retired, I bike to the gym which happens to be near where I used to work. Then on other days, I bike to other places in the city that I didn't have time for when I used to work.

Last edited by Daniel4; 04-14-19 at 10:56 AM.
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Old 04-07-19, 09:49 PM
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Originally Posted by zacster
My retirement is set for September 30th and one thing I'll miss is the 10 mile commute each way.

I'll just have to make up for it with 20+ mile daily rides
, somewhere other than where I live, like Paris or Copenhagen, or on a wine tour of Italy. It'll be a rough retirement but someone has to do it.
Originally Posted by Daniel4
Retirement doesn't you have to give up your dailt bike rides. Just ride for different reasons to different destinations of your city.

Since I retired, I bike to the gym which happens to be near where I used to work. Then on other days, I bike to other places in the city that I didn't have time for when I used to work.
I have previously posted to this thread:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Retirement

I’m a few years away from retirement, but it is starting to loom large…My cycling lifestyle is important to me and retirement vis-à-vis cycling poses a dilemma:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
I previously replied to this thread on the Commuting Forum, "How to motivate myself to ride when I'll no longer be commuting to work?"...

Just yesterday a colleague asked me when I was going to retire. I suggested a number of years, adding, "I like my job, and it’s a convenient place (and distance) to bike to."
Originally Posted by OldsCOOL
I like that.
but,
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
I have previously posted to this thread, Why didn’t I ride
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
My job; either too much to do, so I stay (comfortably) overnight and resume very early in the AM, missing my commute; or have to travel afar for a meeting...and to a lesser extent, family activities. …

Having a mileage-based training schedule however, effectively motivates me to make time to ride. I have the opportunity to commute a minimal 14 miles one-way during the week (Commuter Rail home), and round-trip on Saturday all year-round, for about 100 miles a week.

During the nice weather, I’d like to put in about 150-200 miles to train and do long rides.

In reality though, I probably get in about 20-30 miles per week during the winter, and maybe about 75-100 during the nice weather (to include early evening rides).
In any case, though
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
...my comiseration to those with health problems (IMO cycling can be an effective preventive maintainence).

I too like my rewarding job, psychically and financially, and I want to establish an inheiritance for the children, especially a disabled one. We have also recently bought a vacation / investment second home...
Regarding travel,
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
...By choice I haven’t flown since 1988, and fortunately I can pleasantly live my life within 1,000 miles of Boston, by car, train and bike [or more down the East Coast to Florida].

Airline travel seem so harassing that I don’t miss it, and the other modalities allow me to transport more, including the assembled bike [in car], to make the trip more enjoyable, and more at my convenience.
In retirement, I could extend my perimeter.

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 04-08-19 at 05:01 AM. Reason: added quote about traveling
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Old 04-08-19, 07:18 AM
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Originally Posted by zacster
My retirement is set for September 30th and one thing I'll miss is the 10 mile commute each way. I'll just have to make up for it with 20+ mile daily rides, somewhere other than where I live, like Paris or Copenhagen, or on a wine tour of Italy. It'll be a rough retirement but someone has to do it.
Bummer, dude.

Hope you manage to find a way to push through that hardship

Thank you for taking one for the team!
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Old 04-08-19, 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Skipjacks
Bummer, dude.

Hope you manage to find a way to push through that hardship

Thank you for taking one for the team!
You know what is even more of a bummer, I get free air travel in retirement! Anywhere. See, I'm really taking one for the team.

Maybe my first post-retirement ride should be up Mt. Haleakala. I tried once and didn't make it, "only" made it up 6000' . Flying in and out of Hawaii is one of the more difficult places to go though when traveling standby as flights are always full and other non-rev passengers with higher priority get on before. I wouldn't want to get to Maui and be stuck there, would I? . This retirement is really going to be difficult.
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Old 04-08-19, 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by zacster
You know what is even more of a bummer, I get free air travel in retirement! Anywhere. See, I'm really taking one for the team.

Maybe my first post-retirement ride should be up Mt. Haleakala. I tried once and didn't make it, "only" made it up 6000' . Flying in and out of Hawaii is one of the more difficult places to go though when traveling standby as flights are always full and other non-rev passengers with higher priority get on before. I wouldn't want to get to Maui and be stuck there, would I? . This retirement is really going to be difficult.
It's a rough life.

If you need a hug, I understand.
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Old 04-11-19, 05:01 AM
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Congrats, though I like the commute because of the consistency of getting out most every day on the bike.
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Old 04-11-19, 08:40 AM
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Congratulations in advance, @zacster.
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Old 04-11-19, 09:15 AM
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wow, no work, plus travel, jealous, but glad for you
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Old 04-11-19, 10:49 AM
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I'm happy for you. Do be sure to work in riding. I've finally come to grips with the fact that riding is not an indulgence, it's a necessity.

I've recently fell back in love with fixed gear riding, and it's a quicker way of getting in a workout. My legs feel great. I do use a front brake, because I'm not stupid.
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Old 04-11-19, 10:08 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
I'm happy for you. Do be sure to work in riding. I've finally come to grips with the fact that riding is not an indulgence, it's a necessity.

I've recently fell back in love with fixed gear riding, and it's a quicker way of getting in a workout. My legs feel great. I do use a front brake, because I'm not stupid.
I'll be doing plenty of riding I'm sure. My planned first day retired ride will be up past my office, into Central Park and on to Piermont or Nyack. After that, who knows? Maybe I'll work in that trip to Maui for Mt. Haleakala. Maybe the Pyrenees, or the Dolomites. And maybe not-so-bike-friendly Paris. Or Tuscany, or Bordeaux.

But even back to reality, I'll be doing plenty of riding in the NYC area, even if it is just daily laps of Prospect or Central Parks.

And speaking of laps of parks, they are car free and you never have to apply the brakes unless the parks are really crowded, at least in Prospect Park. Central Park is almost always crowded at the south end. I can actually get a continuous workout just like on the trainer and can program intervals.
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Old 04-11-19, 11:46 PM
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I just bought a house and my kids are little. Retirement is a distant dream
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Old 04-15-19, 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
I just bought a house and my kids are little. Retirement is a distant dream
i bought a new house and my kids are not totally little but Retirement is still a distant dream.. Far far away.
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Old 04-16-19, 01:00 PM
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congratulations on your retirement. I look forward to mine, in about 22 more years
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Old 04-28-19, 02:49 AM
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Congrats, and make sure you enjoy it! I'm just getting started and probably have ~45 years to go.
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Old 04-28-19, 04:32 AM
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Congrats!

My recommendation would be to cash out and move to CPH. If you don't live in the city core, houses are quite affordable by most urban area standards in the US.

Here's an example that I recently looked at in person and I think they'll take 3M DKK or about 450k USD. There's a commuter rail to the middle of the city in around 30 mins and ample nature across the street (skiing/cycling/running) and the cycle superhighway to CPH if you want it.

https://www.place2live.dk/bolig/11-1...ller%C3%B8d/#0
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Old 04-28-19, 12:04 PM
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Just don’t buy a new bike yet ;-)

'njoy!
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Old 04-28-19, 12:20 PM
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I find that I don't exactly do daily commutes, but my miles add up quickly by doing bike errands/utility cycling/etc.

Last year I managed to average just over 20 miles a day.

This year has been a pretty slow year, and I'm way behind, at only 1836 miles, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up some later, perhaps with a short tour. If only I don't start driving too much in June.
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Old 05-02-19, 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by zacster
Maybe I'll work in that trip to Maui for Mt. Haleakala.
Dooooo iiiiit. Just did it myself. It's a tough slog, but worth it. There's also a supposedly great ride clockwise around the west Maui mountain, but I didn't get to do it. I was in Maui to be on vacation with my family, not to cycle.
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Old 05-02-19, 02:21 PM
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Originally Posted by zacster
My retirement is set for September 30th and one thing I'll miss is the 10 mile commute each way. I'll just have to make up for it with 20+ mile daily rides, somewhere other than where I live, like Paris or Copenhagen, or on a wine tour of Italy. It'll be a rough retirement but someone has to do it.
You have my sympathies.
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Old 05-02-19, 10:42 PM
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Hurry up, I've been lollygagging for 9 years, since I was 55+11mo.
How about Gooood Mornnning Vietnammmm??? You won't find ANYBODY who won't wave. LOL
And even more people than NYC.

I need to get going somewhere this year, first is likely a car ride East. Maybe Vietnam again next winter.
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Old 05-04-19, 09:00 PM
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Originally Posted by zacster
My retirement is set for September 30th and one thing I'll miss is the 10 mile commute each way. I'll just have to make up for it with 20+ mile daily rides, somewhere other than where I live, like Paris or Copenhagen, or on a wine tour of Italy. It'll be a rough retirement but someone has to do it.
As a new cyclist who has a similar commute distance, how long did your commute take when you first started (time) and how long does it take now (time)? Just curious. Congratulations, don't give up biking for joy in your retirement.
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