Click any photo for the full album.
By cool, I mean 80 degrees or so. Cloud cover kept the temperatures at bay this afternoon. Getting out before 4:00 PM also helped a lot with traffic. Yes, this was a great afternoon for a ride. I took my time and soaked it up. Click the photo above for an album of the southern half of my commute. I also took a picture of a really tricked out Focus (visually, no clue on performance) that I saw on my way home. Many of you might know that I like the Focus almost as much as I like my bikes. I'm a tinkerer by nature, and I love watching Foci take on the challenges thrown at them in WRC events and tinkering with my own Focus on occasion.
This is just for Warren T. My new route takes me through some parking lots that are, in essence, private property. I really don't have any qualms riding through them, especially since they are part of a detour that gives me nearly two miles of pavement that are virtually free of motor vehicles in motion. I'm a wild and crazy guy, you know! 
Shortly after I got home, my wife and I had our minds set on picking up some yummy Mexican food. It so happens that there's a nice little place nearby, but my wife had just woken up, and wasn't in the mood to go out. I went ahead and hopped on the Trek (sans panniers) and bungeed our meals down to the rack before heading back home. I'm sure the people in the restaurant were befuddled, but that's okay.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Fun, cool ride home
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7 comments:
I often feel guilty I do not commute by bike more than I do. Your posts and dedication to the activity intrique me and shame me. I do absolutely need my pick up as part of my business. But no where near as much as the myriad of excuses I come up with to not ride into work.
This week,.... (uh, stop a second. As I was typing this right now, a fast movement outside the office window caught my eye. I looked out just in time to see Bob, our yellow tom, go streaking by the window with an obviously angry wild turkey in hot pursuit. From what I hear about turkeys and my efforts to ride as fast as they can run, Bob may be in trouble. I'll be back in a minute. Bob may need a hand.
Well that was funny. Bob had treed himself in the big pine by the time I got out there and the last of the turkey gang were disappearing into the pucker out back. South L.A. has nothing on us here Maine.)
Anyway, this week I have become the reluctant bike commuter. One of the family cars was in need of work so my wife took the truck. I have been forced to ride to the shop. It has been anything but an inconvenience. I am enjoying it. and as it turns out, the lack of the vehicle has only slighlty jammed up my operation. With some planning, I have been able to work with my wife and had her use the truck for my errands. This is a win/win situation.
I think with a bit of planning I can juggle my truck time and squeeze in at least 3 commutes a week. I'll keep you posted.
MRM, yep, being down a car was what originally got me started down the bike commuting road. Welcome to the club!
Noah, I intended to take the sidewalk this morning -- but I started looking for it too late. I'll try tomorrow (you're being a bad influence on me, you know).
Sounds like a familiar theme:
That's how I got started, too.
Good pictures. The commute looks very fun. The only ugly scene was through that suburban light industrial neighborhood.
The Turkey Creek Trail (and the creek itself) look awesome. Lots of beautiful stuff there. Is that a normal part of your commute?
Good job getting takeout on your bike. I haven't tried that yet.
Your talking about bungees reminded me of when I bought some small bungees for my bike rack and Sarah asked, "What are you going to bunge?" I cracked up.
Apertome:
this is my original reverse commute. As was mentioned a few days ago, with a 28 mile round trip, options are abundant when it comes to getting from point A to point B. This version of my homeward commute is pretty quick, but there's a lot of traffic on the sections closer to home (you'll have to pan south and west to see those areas)
This is the new route home. The difference happens at the very southern end of Merriam/Southwest which is the long, mostly straight road coming out of Kansas City and into the suburbs. I dart off and take Turkey Creek Trail down to 75th, then through the industrial and business parks. This route is slower. I don't LIKE riding on trails, especially for transportation purposes, but in this case, it gets the job done well, and provides some much-needed relief for my tired legs by allowing me -- no, forcing me to slow down. I also get some shade cover for the mile-or-two of trail that I ride on.
To answer your question: It is now a regular part of my commute, but only since Tuesday. I see no great reason to go back to using the hecktic rush-hour roadways in the evening unless I really need to cut 5 minutes off my ride home.
Oh yeah, I actually keep some bungees permanently on my rack, usually covered and hidden by the panniers.
Click to see
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