The Current Commute

I've become quite cynical in my old age, and with that, I tend to complain a lot.  Sometimes it's valid, and sometimes I'm just spewing off a rant to any who will listen (and those who don't want to) just to get it out in the open.  But if there's one thing I really can't rant or complain about, it's my current commute.  Sure, there was the cyclists without lights thing, but that happens everywhere.  My commute is fantastic: it's not short to the point where I feel like I didn't get a good ride in, and it's not long enough to seem daunting. 

Leaving in the mornings I leave my apartment and turn right onto a two lane sharrowed road, which I only have to share with my motorist bretheren for about a half mile, until I take a left directly onto the bike path.  There are two paths, one for cyclists and one for pedestrians, so most of the time I don't have to deal with pedestrians (but I'll rant about that one later) and get to keep a decent speed along a nicely maintained path that runs parallel to the ocean.  It's fairly quiet in the mornings, as most of the cyclists that share the path that early are commuters like myself.  After five miles of watching surfers and listening to the waves crash, I turn off the path onto the main road into the town where I work.

This is where it gets fun.  

I basically have a mile climb into town, after which I get dropped down a bit, then climb about another half mile before the final descent to my studio.  It's great in the mornings, as I get a decent flat to warm up before tackling the main hill.  This hill and I used to not get along so well.  We fought daily, but have since worked out our differences, and are slowly becoming friends.  It's not an awful hill, though according to MapMyRide it has areas of 6-12% grade all the way up, so maybe I'm wrong.  I'm also climbing it on a steel bike with panniers.  The point is, I get a nice climb out of it, and feel quite accomplished when I get to the top.  

Going through town I use the right lane of a two lane road, which is usually inhabited by parked cars, so the motorists rarely bother me (except for that one time.  And that other time) and I just have to watch out for doors.  I descend into industrial land, cross through one busy intersection, and I'm at work.  

Going home is actually quite different.  Granted, it's the same route, but everything is relative.  I have only one super steep climb that I do fairly early on in the ride back, and then it's literally all downhill from there.  I get to relax and enjoy a nice ride home, with the exception of the people I almost hit on the path because they're invisible.

Really, my only gripe is sand.  My poor drivetrain.

It's why I might get one of these.

2012 Mileage Count: 63