The Golden Boy 

I posted this yesterday on another forum, and then realized I hadn't posted it on BF...


I'm sure everyone is aware that May 17-21 is "National Ride Your Bike To Work Week" and that today (yesterday the 19th) is National Ride Your Bike to Work Day.

In another thread, Brandon mentioned taking pics of your commute- I totally wasn't going to ride in today because I rode in yesterday- and it's a 14 mile one way trip for me, and I'm not in "riding shape."

I wasn't going to try this on consecutive days- but because it's "that" day, I decided to and try to get some pics of the ride- I took 59 pictures- and my camera ran out of juice right before the cool part going under the freeway... So here we go...

Here's my bike loaded up and ready to go- yes, I need to get a new saddle, the lycra cover has had it.



This is about where I pick up the bike trail in the middle of town- it's an old railroad bed- the bike path I ride between Waukesha and Milwaukee is an old railroad- and it's paved most of the way.



A little further down...



The factory road that is the beginning of the bike trail... This road is a wind tunnel- it's usually coming out of the West (behind me in the pic) and when you're riding into it- the force of the wind is magnified by the big long buildings on either side.



Here's the end of the road and the start of the bike only trail



Rode past some really pissed off geese, but got to see the fuzzy goslings. Just missed a muskrat right before these were taken.





As I'm taking that last picture a guy passed me- and he was truckin'



In case you were wondering...

The Golden Boy 

A little farther past that



On the Right



On the Left







And we reach the end of the paved trail- actually it's not the end, it goes for another 1/2 mile- but it's on the other side of the bridge, which is out-

The Golden Boy 

And it turns to gravel ruts



As where the bridge is out- you have the choice of going down a steep decline the crossing a street and then going up a steep incline- or you can go over the bridge. I opt for taking a little trail spur and walk my bike over the railroad bridge. This one is over 116th st.



And this is over Highway 100



And this is the spur coming off the RR bridge and joining the trail east of hwy 100




And this is the last spot where I have to get off the bike- I can't ride over the tracks and it's difficult riding in the big RR gravel. You can see the freeway in the background- it's quite busy.




The camera ran out of juice here. "battery too low for live view" I wanted to get some pix of the trail going under the freeway and the railroad cars just east of there. My first ride on this trail I saw a coyote just hanging out on the tracks- completely unconcerned by my presence.


Anyway, that's about 70/80% of my ride- there's about 3-4 miles to work and it's all residential streets and lights to cross busy streets. It's a cool ride, I love saying hi and waving to other people riding bikes and walking and walking their dogs... I like it when I wave to someone and they wave back with a big smile. It's cool. I'm digging it.

GoLoaf

Good stuff! I love the nasty attitudes the geese get when they've got their babies with 'em.

bhop

I took pics today, since it's 'ride your bike to work day'. I shoot film.. so it'll be a couple days till I can get it developed.

I did see a few more bikes than usual though, around 10-12. Normally I see maybe 2-5. I stopped at a checkpoint for some goodies.. the lady there told me she'd given away around 20 bags before I showed up. Not bad.

JPprivate

Great pics.
Seems like you were really innovative in plotting your route...

HardyWeinberg

There are going to be checkpoints tomorrow. I feel bad for my 8 yr old because he gets to school for morning Y-Care around 7:30 but the bike-to-school people don't show until closer to the bell, 8-8:30ish. My daughter will get ooh'd and ah'd over at the checkpoint on the trail out toward her school. I don't need the clif bars or gatorade they'll be offering to go the 5-6 miles I have left from that checkpoint but I they'll be pushing it. Whatever, it's all good.

seafoamer

I'm on that "other" forum w/ TGB, and I'm the "Brandon" he refers to in his post, so I figured I'll post my commute pix post here too!

I was able to snap a few pix (with my crappy cellphone) on my commute home this afternoon.
I stick mostly to the main roads on my morning commute into work, but take a more "residential" route home in the afternoon. This is my afternoon route.

Here's my bike in my office:


I put my bicycle up against this concrete wall infront of these oil tanks, crossed the street and then watched this oil truck start backing up towards my bike. I almost whistled at him, thinking he was going to keep backing up, but he stopped & I snapped this pic:




This bus was beeping incessantly outside of a house. So much so that all the neighbors started coming out. I snapped the pic, and passed them by:




lots of political signs around:


I like to do stupid things. Like snapping pix with my cellphone as I'm going through 4 way stoplights on a bicycle:






There were a few other interesting pix that I tried to get, but they didn't come out. Maybe tomorrow.
Anyway, not the best pictures, nor the most scenic route, but I love riding my bicycle to work!

JeremyZ

Hey Golden Boy, most aftermarket saddles now are Lycra-covered. They will all wear out like that pretty quickly. This is good enough rationale to pony up and buy a Brooks. They're worth it.

Thanks for sharing the pix. Maybe if I commute some time during the weekend, when I have time enough to take pix, I'll do it. We'll see.

By the way, what is "that other forum?" I don't think bikeforums would freak out if you mentioned another forum by name, as long as you don't link directly to it.

megalowmatt

It's TheGearPage . net - pretty much the guitarists version of Bike Forums. Crazy people discussing guitars.

mikeybikes

I love seeing other people's commutes. The conditions we all go through are so vastly different from each other.

I worked from home today. I'll snap some pics tomorrow of my commute.

cod.peace

I'm going to guess that's the intersection of Highland & Washington streets. My former hometown, brings back memories

tjspiel

Lake Hiawatha Park:


Lake Nokomis Park:


Lake Nokomis Beach (occasional pitstop for morning swim training):


Downtown Skyline Across Lake Hiawatha (now heading towards work):


Entrance to Midtown Greenway (I don't normally take the Greenway to work, just pass by the entrance):


Minneapolis Skyline Taken From Cycling Bridge over Hiawatha Ave:


Cycling Bridge:


Guthrie Theatre on River Road:


Mill City Museum/Condos:


Mississippi River @ St. Anthony Falls:


There's a fair amount of street riding too, but that's in some other pics. I was only allowed 10.

seafoamer

Yes it is, nice eye!
I usually loop around Prospect St. & take Highland into Medway on my commute home to avoid climbing that big hill coming West on Rt 16 up to that light. This way I don't have to merge into the left lane (to go left on Highland into Medway) while all the cars are racing up to that light. (Occasionally when I'm feeling adventurous, or just ticked off I'll do that, though).

seafoamer

Sweet pix, tjspiel!
I'm jealous of ya'lls bikepaths.

cod.peace

naw, you should sprint up Hollis St. instead. That's what my HS cross-country coach used to make us do... lol Good cycling terrain out there, enjoy the riding!

ANT bikes is in Holliston making custom bikes.

tjspiel

Thanks

Where I live there happens to be a number of paths not too far away that are actually good for getting places. It makes commuting in the winter possible for me.

jhhall

Agreed - nicely done tjspeil!

lnferno

In honor Bike to Work day, I rode my heavy-ass Hardrock Sport Disc 29er 13.4 miles into work this morning. Colorado Springs has too many damn elevation changes to be doing this on a mountain bike. Getting a hybrid road-bike tomorrow! LOL

Distance: 13.4 miles
Elapsed Time: 1:10:27
Avg Speed: 11.4 mph
Max Speed: 27.4 mph
Avg Pace: 05' 16" per mile
Min Altitude: 6,411 ft
Max Altitude: 6,808 ft

phillyskyline

I've been meaning to take photos along my commute for a while now, but I cheated and used google maps street view, instead I ride through some of the wealthiest and some of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. The differences are pretty striking. Here are photos from along my route:

A few blocks from home in a working-class area of West Philly:


The El station I used to use, before I started biking. Sure don't miss it!:


Heading into Powelton Village, which boasts gorgeous Victorian architecture:


One of the many Victorian mansions that line these streets:


My first clear glimpse of the skyline:


The view from the Spring Garden St bridge (this photo is by my partner, not google maps):


Past the Art Museum and all the people running up the steps like Rocky:


Eastbound on Spring Garden St, all the way across town--yay for the bike lane:


And since I can only post 10 photos, Commute Part 2 follows...

phillyskyline

Now we turn northbound into the not-so-nice part of town:


Stop the Violence mural with the names of kids from the neighborhood who were murdered:


One of hundreds of boarded up businesses in this area. Anyone care for a haircut?


Whole blocks of this area are completely desolate--just vacant houses, empty lots, and a couple of store-front churches. All of those vacant plots used to be occupied rowhomes. It literally looks like someone dropped a bomb in some parts. This is why I don't bother to carry a patch kit. No way am I waiting around long enough to change a tire here. I'd much rather hop a bus:


The sign reads "Vacant today. Tomarow [sic]?" Two years after google captured this image...it's still vacant:


The view southbound, back towards Center City:


And heading into the barrio. I pass a dozen of these little bodegas on my roundtrip commute:


Finally, about a block from my office:

The Golden Boy 

Hey, I know you guys!

therhodeo

I'm a gearpage guy. Same name.

The Golden Boy 

Hey, I know you too!!!

We are a creative bunch with our names, eh?

thorsteno

I thought today was bike to work day. I'm the only year round commuter in my office of ~50 people. I offered a free drink to anyone that pedaled to work today and got two takers. One of them has never rode to work before. woohoo!

Good luck with the new bike Inferno.