Show Us Your Current Current Commute/Errand Routes
#1
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Show Us Your Current Current Commute/Errand Routes
I know this thread might have some overlap in the Commuting Forum, but I'll start it here anyway.
Show us, or tell us about, your current car-light or car-free commute route and/or errands routes.
What do you like or dislike about your current commute and/or errands routes?
Show us, or tell us about, your current car-light or car-free commute route and/or errands routes.
Do you ride the bus or take the train? What is that like where you are? Do you have a nice walk or cycle to/from the bus or train stops?
Do you cycle everywhere?
Do you walk ... rollerblade ... skateboard ... use a scooter ... to get to work, school, or the shops?
How long is your commute? What is the traffic like? The roads? The terrain? The scenery?
Do you cycle everywhere?
Do you walk ... rollerblade ... skateboard ... use a scooter ... to get to work, school, or the shops?
How long is your commute? What is the traffic like? The roads? The terrain? The scenery?
What do you like or dislike about your current commute and/or errands routes?
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#2
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It is a 300 metre walk over undulating terrain to the bus stop. That walk can include a pedestrian bridge if I choose to go that route, or a quick dash across the highway.
Then there is about a 12 minute bus ride to the main bus terminal area in the middle of the city. The bus route goes over the Tasman Bridge, does a little bit of a weave through town to drop half the passengers off at the hospital, and then stops at the terminal.
And finally, there is a 500 metre walk gradually down to my place of employment.
My place of employment is located quite near several malls and shopping centres ... so at lunch I walk to various places to drop things off at the post office, to pay bills, to visit the library, to shop, to deal with medical issues, or to run other errands. And sometimes I just find myself a nice park or a bench along the waterfront to sit and read for a bit. My lunchtime walks range from about 1-3 km.
Going home, I could take the bus, and I have done on a few occasions. I could also walk ... it's a 4 km walk along the cycleway and then across the bridge. I have done that on several occasions. But most often I carpool ... Rowan picks me up on his way home.
What do I like ... I like the brevity of my commute. It's reasonably quick and short. I also like the walking in the morning and at lunch.
What don't I like ... well, there's not much I don't like about it. I suppose one thing might be that the bridge makes any idea of commuting by bicycle a bit daunting. I can cycle across the bridge, but it can be a bit hair raising ... and if there's a wind, like there has been the last couple days, cycling across the bridge can be very challenging.
Commute Photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/machka...etail/?page=14
https://www.flickr.com/photos/machka...etail/?page=15
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Last edited by Machka; 06-25-14 at 04:27 AM.
#3
Pedaled too far.
My current commute consists of stumbling out of bed, passing my bicycles parked in the dining room and plunking my behind in the desk chair in the living room.
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#4
I know this thread might have some overlap in the Commuting Forum, but I'll start it here anyway.
Show us, or tell us about, your current car-light or car-free commute route and/or errands routes.
Show us, or tell us about, your current car-light or car-free commute route and/or errands routes.
Do you ride the bus or take the train? What is that like where you are? Do you have a nice walk or cycle to/from the bus or train stops?
How long is your commute? What is the traffic like? The roads? The terrain? The scenery?
What do you like or dislike about your current commute and/or errands routes?How long is your commute? What is the traffic like? The roads? The terrain? The scenery?
- I have a direct one-way 14 mile ride outbound from downtown Boston to a suburb through varied pleasant residential and light commercial streets (pleasant urban; pleasant suburban; ritzy suburban; and gritty, but safe and interesting urban neighborhoods). IMO, 10 miles is a minimum distance for exercise benefit.
- I don’t punch a clock, so I can come to work at my own time, within reason, so I commute very early in the AM, and can start working immediately on arrival.
- For training purposes I can extend my commute through additional nice routes including premier cycling suburbs, such as Dover and Sherborn.
- Major roads on my route are expeditiously plowed in the winter.
- I can take my bike on a Commuter Rail about 1.5 miles from my home, and about 500 yards from my workplace.
- At my workplace I can keep my bike indoors with plenty of space to hang my clothes including use of a floor fan to dry off.
- My workplace has showers, a cafeteria, coffee shop, and a place to sleep if I decide to stay overnight. I can use WiFi , or post the to the Internet for diversion if I do.
- Most of my work day is spent in hospital scrubs, so I don’t have to clean up too much, or keep a lot of clean clothes on site.
- Almost all my personal service needs like barber shop, dentist, dry-cleaner/tailor, supermarket, drugstore, good take-out restaurants and a bike shop are all within walking distance of my workplace, or a short hop on the bike
- I'm a well-known cyclist, and get a lot of respect for that.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-25-14 at 06:37 PM.
#5
In the right lane
This is my favorite pastime in warm weather. Last night I took an 18 mile detour a taco and a beer. Almost any excuse for a detour!!
#6
Pedaled too far.
Running away and joining the circus was never an option when I was a kid. The winter headquarters for the circus were right in town, so if I did do it, my parents would have no trouble in finding me.
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#7
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"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways":
- I have a direct one-way 14 mile ride outbound from downtown Boston to a suburb through varied pleasant residential and light commercial streets (pleasant urban; pleasant suburban; ritzy suburban; and gritty, but safe and interesting urban neighborhoods). IMO, 10 miles is a minimum distance for exercise benefit.
- I don’t punch a clock, so I can come to work at my own time, within reason, so I commute very early in the AM, and can start working immediately on arrival.
- For training purposes I can extend my commute through additional nice routes including premier cycling suburbs, such as Dover and Sherborn.
- Major roads on my route are expeditiously plowed in the winter.
- I can take my bike on a Commuter Rail about 1.5 miles from my home, and about 500 yards from my workplace.
- At my workplace I can keep my bike indoors with plenty of space to hang my clothes including use of a floor fan to dry off.
- My workplace has showers, a cafeteria, coffee shop, and a place to sleep if I decide to stay overnight. I can use WiFi , or post the to the Internet for diversion if I do.
- Most of my work day is spent in hospital scrubs, so I don’t have to clean up too much, or keep a lot of clean clothes on site.
- Almost all my personal service needs like barber shop, dentist, dry-cleaner/tailor, supermarket, drugstore, good take-out restaurants and a bike shop are all within walking distance of my workplace, or a short hop on the bike
- I'm a well-known cyclist, and get a lot of respect for that.
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#8
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
My commute is usually 32 steps unless I am teaching classes... then I have a 2km ride or an 8km ride depending on the location.
#9
Thank you for the favour of a reply. I posted my list also to the to Commuting Forum with this comment:
…I’m a decades-long, year-round cycle commuter, and I have read this Forum for about six years. I posted the above to demonstrate a near-perfect situation with solutions to many of the repeated threads on this Forum about common problems for cycling commuters. FWIW.
#10
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This one's not as long as some I've seen, but it's mine: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/ed...c.kq7lecmFYzQ4
I ride mostly through parks, as the traffic is very low and there's lots of greenery and river views to enjoy. Though the Oak Leaf Trail is adjacent to most of the route, in most sections I choose the parkway since the road surface is better. Gets me to both work and school (good that they're both in the same building!). Since like @Jim from Boston I clock in when I want to, I sometimes elect a longer variation of this route when the weather's and ride is particularly nice. I used to park my bikes at the racks outside, but this year have discovered that I'm allowed to stow it in the corner of our lab, whether I'm working or in a class.
And since I like these pictures and will pimp them out to no end, here are a few shots of the river views along my commute:
I ride mostly through parks, as the traffic is very low and there's lots of greenery and river views to enjoy. Though the Oak Leaf Trail is adjacent to most of the route, in most sections I choose the parkway since the road surface is better. Gets me to both work and school (good that they're both in the same building!). Since like @Jim from Boston I clock in when I want to, I sometimes elect a longer variation of this route when the weather's and ride is particularly nice. I used to park my bikes at the racks outside, but this year have discovered that I'm allowed to stow it in the corner of our lab, whether I'm working or in a class.
And since I like these pictures and will pimp them out to no end, here are a few shots of the river views along my commute:
Last edited by awfulwaffle; 06-28-14 at 10:31 AM.
#11
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This one's not as long as some I've seen, but it's mine: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/ed...c.kq7lecmFYzQ4
I ride mostly through parks, as the traffic is very low and there's lots of greenery and river views to enjoy. Though the Oak Leaf Trail is adjacent to most of the route, in most sections I choose the parkway since the road surface is better. Gets me to both work and school (good that they're both in the same building!). Since like @Jim from Boston I clock in when I want to, I sometimes elect a longer variation of this route when the weather's and ride is particularly nice. I used to park my bikes at the racks outside, but this year have discovered that I'm allowed to stow it in the corner of our lab, whether I'm working or in a class.
And since I like these pictures and will pimp them out to no end, here are a few shots of the river views along my commute:
I ride mostly through parks, as the traffic is very low and there's lots of greenery and river views to enjoy. Though the Oak Leaf Trail is adjacent to most of the route, in most sections I choose the parkway since the road surface is better. Gets me to both work and school (good that they're both in the same building!). Since like @Jim from Boston I clock in when I want to, I sometimes elect a longer variation of this route when the weather's and ride is particularly nice. I used to park my bikes at the racks outside, but this year have discovered that I'm allowed to stow it in the corner of our lab, whether I'm working or in a class.
And since I like these pictures and will pimp them out to no end, here are a few shots of the river views along my commute:
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#13
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I must remember to bring my camera with me on my commutes next week.
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#14
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This is what the bridge looks like in the evening (5:30 pm) when we come home from work ... except we're coming from the other side. Nevertheless, the footpath on the left is also the cycling route. There's one of those on either side of the bridge and we've ridden both ...
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If I walk home, as I did during the summer ...
I see this when I take the bus in the morning too ...
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#16
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For work school and play I have a great little neighborhood that I live in. My primary commute for work is 6.5 miles with additional routes that can add milage up to the '40-mile' loop in east Portland.
Major Bus is 3 blocks: Max trains is 5 blocks: I-205 Corridor MUP 6 blocks away (North to South) and the Spring Water corridor for (East-West) is only 6 blocks further. My primary surface street is 30 MPH or less with infrastructure. Looking forward to the new road diet that will add cycling to the major east-west shopping area, and hoping for more walking to be added with that rather than just cycling.
Errands are very close to work, and without having to go to school will reduce miles traveled by about half. With my front basket I am able to do a weeks worth of shopping, and have shoved some toilet paper on top. I have these little coated twist ties across the top to prevent the bounce. I use my basket to balance various yard tools to and from the volunteer tool shed, and with my dog. At this point I can recognize the difference cycling has made in the last 9 years and whats seems like a barrier today, becomes a doorway tomorrow.
Major Bus is 3 blocks: Max trains is 5 blocks: I-205 Corridor MUP 6 blocks away (North to South) and the Spring Water corridor for (East-West) is only 6 blocks further. My primary surface street is 30 MPH or less with infrastructure. Looking forward to the new road diet that will add cycling to the major east-west shopping area, and hoping for more walking to be added with that rather than just cycling.
Errands are very close to work, and without having to go to school will reduce miles traveled by about half. With my front basket I am able to do a weeks worth of shopping, and have shoved some toilet paper on top. I have these little coated twist ties across the top to prevent the bounce. I use my basket to balance various yard tools to and from the volunteer tool shed, and with my dog. At this point I can recognize the difference cycling has made in the last 9 years and whats seems like a barrier today, becomes a doorway tomorrow.
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#18
In the right lane
Any damage to your home?
#19
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Wow! We are a bit luckier than you. The bike trails are in rough shape, but most city streets are fine and I don't thing any downtown flooding. However I did a ride towards the Saylorville dam this morning and it looks like a great breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Any damage to your home?
Any damage to your home?
A few more downtown pictures:
#20
In the right lane
Glad to hear you are Ok. But having half your town flooded is a total disaster. I recall a couple of bad floods here and life was a torture until the water subsided.
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Not half the town. The flooding only affected the downtown buildings and railyards adjacent to the river. It isn't the first time and they will recover; none were submerged above basement levels except for a few right next to the river. There was plenty of warnings and nobody was hurt.
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My Current Commute Photos ...
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#23
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#24
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Great thread! I missed it when it started tho.
Me and the lovely missus moved into a new home about 9 months ago which is located in the central part of my city. Within a 20-minute ride radius are dozens of restaurants of every imaginable kind, all the way from fast food to high-end. There are three malls and several strip centers. The library and post office are close. Specialty shops everywhere. A Wally World, KMart and Sam's Club. Two great LBS's. Only a ten minute ride to the transit terminal, and all the buses have bike carriers so the entire city is accessible. My job is only 7-1/2 miles from home: downhill in the morning, tailwind in the afternoon. The Black Knight bike and I are in a dreamy paradise lol. Practically speaking, it would be hard to imagine how it could be better for a cyclist. I think I'm gonna become a SS Hipster and hang out at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts (there's 3 of each in easy cycling range). Sorry no pictures, but y'all get the idea.
Me and the lovely missus moved into a new home about 9 months ago which is located in the central part of my city. Within a 20-minute ride radius are dozens of restaurants of every imaginable kind, all the way from fast food to high-end. There are three malls and several strip centers. The library and post office are close. Specialty shops everywhere. A Wally World, KMart and Sam's Club. Two great LBS's. Only a ten minute ride to the transit terminal, and all the buses have bike carriers so the entire city is accessible. My job is only 7-1/2 miles from home: downhill in the morning, tailwind in the afternoon. The Black Knight bike and I are in a dreamy paradise lol. Practically speaking, it would be hard to imagine how it could be better for a cyclist. I think I'm gonna become a SS Hipster and hang out at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts (there's 3 of each in easy cycling range). Sorry no pictures, but y'all get the idea.
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#25
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Lucky you!! Sounds perfect!
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