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Who else takes the long way to work...

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Who else takes the long way to work...

Old 07-06-22, 02:19 PM
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Badger6
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Who else takes the long way to work...

…or home from work? Living in Belgium, I’ve got lots of options. Most direct is under 10km, but with a couple of extra turns It can easily get up to 25-30km, and with our long summer days (and lights and a jacket in the winter), it’s not unheard of to turn 80+ before coffee with the team. Anyone else get up early, or ride late, to clock some extra “mileage”* before work?


*no idea how many miles I ride anymore, everything is metric…signs, Garmin, colleagues. It's just an expression now.
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Old 07-07-22, 07:18 AM
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WFH I've been taking the long way to work for two years. Funny how the kitchen to the work desk measures 30 feet on foot, but 22 miles on the bike...
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Old 07-07-22, 07:54 AM
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I go directly to work, but I crank up Supertramp and.....
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Old 07-07-22, 08:06 AM
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Once in a while, I would add two or three miles to my commute home. My old commute routes averaged 9 miles, with one more direct, less safe, less pleasant option of 7 miles, which was not an option for the ride home due to safety concerns. (different traffic dynamics inbound and outbound)

That all ended ended 18 months ago as I began to work from home for myself, so I was in the same boat as pdlamb although my daily ride seems to average only 15 miles, with longer weekend rides.

But in a couple of weeks I will be starting a new job that is about 6.5 miles from the house on the most direct route. I can also incorporate the first half of three of my former (and more pleasant) routes for a distance of 7.5 to 8 miles. And I will have another option for routes that would add at least 2 miles and a tremendous hill. I rode that route last month to a different business close to my new job and it would allow me to coast downhill the last 1.5 miles and cool off before work.
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Old 07-07-22, 09:11 AM
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A few years ago we had a preschooler and toddlers and a nanny and I’d take the long way home. These days we have kindergartners and a grade schooler and my schedule is WFH about half the day with no extra hours for long rides.
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Old 07-07-22, 10:03 AM
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That depends on the type of ride. City riding means longer rides is more traffic and exhaust inhalation, so no thanks! But sure if I'm not in a rush, I'll take a detour trail up the hills if it's dry to enjoy the sights or hit the windy sections. As long as it's not rush hour with traffic.
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Old 07-07-22, 12:23 PM
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Due to three different major construction projects between home and work, I'm being forced to take detours. Nothing major yet, just a km or two longer than normal, but I think additional detours are coming soon.
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Old 07-10-22, 01:07 AM
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I've done it before, there is a 6-mile loop in a park that is close to my work so I have left work and rode that loop on the way home before.
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Old 07-11-22, 07:50 AM
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On the way home when I got time. In the morning the only thought in my mind is coffee..
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Old 07-11-22, 10:52 AM
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I do take long way in the early morning when the temperatures are still cool and bearable +/- 27C (80F). Anywhere from 10 - 15 miles (16 to 24km). But when the afternoon/early evening temps hover in the +/- 40C (105F) range I take the short way home which is about 5 miles or 8km. Right now it is just to freaking hot for long trips in the afternoon. And as it looks like right now these temps will stick around for a few more weeks.
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Old 07-11-22, 10:59 AM
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Being retired, I miss my commute rides. The longer ride took me through a local park but only put about 2 miles to the ride.
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Old 07-14-22, 08:25 AM
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When I was working I took the long way home. My work was only 4km from home. On the way back, instead of turning left into the street that took me home I would turn right and go into another neighbourhood, go uphill and get rewarded with a fast downhill coast back home.
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Old 07-18-22, 03:33 PM
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Used to years ago when I first started to ride. The 20-km AM commute would turn into as much as 40 sometimes. Nowadays, it's just 20.

On the way home I will occasionally take the long way home, especially if some riding buddies are coming by the ride with me. But mostly at the end of the work day I just want to get home, especially between the months of November and April.
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Old 08-12-22, 08:56 AM
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I've recently began biking to work again and am exploring longer routes to and from work. I live about 1.5 miles from the office which is nice to get to work quickly if I need to, but kind of boring for a bike ride. So far I've found a pretty relaxed 4 mile route to the office and an interesting 8 mile route home.
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Old 08-13-22, 02:36 PM
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The direct route to work is 6.7 miles which I do in the winter months, but once the weather gets warmer I ride 8 miles to work and 15 miles home. Soon all that will end as I retire in 6 weeks(Sept 22nd 2022 is my last day) and every day can be a 20 mile day.
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Old 08-18-22, 08:11 AM
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When I was commuting it was 6.5 miles to work, just get there. Home was 14 or more miles due to the morning route being dangerous home and having the time to extend my ride through more pleasant surroundings.
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Old 08-18-22, 09:38 AM
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I take the direct route into work 5 mles but long route home (8 to 14 miles depending on a bunch of things 12 avg)
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Old 08-18-22, 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Badger6
*no idea how many miles I ride anymore, everything is metric…signs, Garmin, colleagues. It's just an expression now.
1 km = 0.62 miles.

Yes I sometimes take a longer route, especially when it's safer and more peaceful.
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Old 08-18-22, 03:58 PM
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I rode directly to work this morning but I'll take a 20 mile detour home this evening.
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Old 08-18-22, 04:00 PM
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I take a route that is several miles longer with a lot more climbing, mainly because it is in the shade, and the trees are less incinerated.
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Old 08-18-22, 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
1 km = 0.62 miles.
I know…I’m still American, not American’t.

Originally Posted by noglider
Yes I sometimes take a longer route, especially when it's safer and more peaceful.
I only take the short route (which is not the shortest route, due to safety) when I’m on recovery days.
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Old 08-18-22, 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by caloso
I rode directly to work this morning but I'll take a 20 mile detour home this evening.
I rode mostly direct to work this morning, then ended up with 75km on the clock on the way home. A decent amount of the city, some of gravel, a few cobblestones (they’re all over this land), and nabbed 6 more Cotacol rated climbs.
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Old 08-30-22, 09:22 PM
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The ride back home is much better for detours as I'm not in a hurry to be on time to the office.
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Old 09-02-22, 03:02 PM
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I had two routes for my commute; a.m. was trail/highway/trail and 8 miles. Going home was more complicated; either highway/cross highway/trail or Myrtle Ave./Old Arcata Rd. with 11 miles or winding rollers, narrow shoulders, and speeding vehicles on a gorgeous road. Mostly I took the first route, but sometimes I went for it.
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Old 09-02-22, 04:22 PM
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I'm usually rushed in the morning and take the direct route in. However, this trail starts at my work and is a really nice option if I want to take the long way home. The trail is fairly short--maybe a little over a mile--but dumps out at the top of the Berkeley Hills. From there I've got lots of other options if I want to extend the ride home.

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