Bike Commuting Newb looking for tips

[boneshaker]

The good part of commuting a whole lot is you figure out pretty quickly what you need vs. what you want.

It turns out, you really need very little. When you start commuting regularly you can start to easily justify the wants. Then, after a while, you stop justifying all together.

[JulienPDX]

thank you everyone for your help. Those tips have really helped make this faster and safer for me!

[lynnef]

"Don't go that way Seriously.
Continue W on Center, go through Cedar Hills Crossing, turn right. Follow it up to SW Jenkins, turn L at the traffic light. Turn R onto SW Murray."

I left something out W on Center, R onto Hall, go through Cedar Hills Crossing...

[JulienPDX]

LOL i figured that is what you meant

[JulienPDX]

Well, lo and behold I found a 50.00 gift card to REI that I'd not remembered to use since Xmas. So i rode up to REI from the house (yes, I'm even using my bike for errands now, heheh) and picked up these Ortlieb ones I've had on my eyes on. My bike is NOTICEABLY heavier I think I'll probably just fill one up and not use the other; i know it might create some balance issues but I think I'll survive. My ride this morning though was a HELL of a lot more comfortable with no more backpack. I installed my own rack () last weekend so I'm feeling pretty self-congratulatory.

I applied the tips I got from Lynne and I use the back way to get to Murray in the morning (SOOOO much easier) and I started using Jenkins instead of Walker both on the way home and on the way in and its noticeably flatter, less trafficy). I just now saw biciclero's tip about Terman. I'll try that today on the way home.

I know since its summer; I still get excited about leaving work via bike , but am still having to push myself in the morning just due to being cold, then later too warm. Next week I'm going to try a slightly lighter jacket -- just need the wind blocked really.

[dmc]

Julien, I see so many amazing things going on here. Self respect, love, gratification, accomplishment, confidence.

A couple more weeks of those morning commutes and you are gonna feel as solid as the steel on your bike. Inside and out.

Thanks for helping make the world a better place.

[JulienPDX]

Our company had an event downtown (jetboat tour) that started at 4:45PM. I had ridden to work yesterday. So I took off from the office at 3:30 and rode up to BTC. Took MAX and parked my bike near the Portland Spirit ticket office. Partied with co-workers on a jetboat and then went to RockBottom.


Took MAX back to BTC to attempt to ride home. Woudln't you know it, I somehow misplaced my MAX day-pass and was fined when I got off at Sunset TS b/c i had no proof of fare. The new "fare cops" are d-bags btw. My only hope is to go to court and show that I paid (i used a credit card and my statement will show that I bought a day pass earlier that day; hours before being fined).

[wsbob]

Originally Posted by JulienPDX

Our company had an event downtown (jetboat tour) that started at 4:45PM. I had ridden to work yesterday. So I took off from the office at 3:30 and rode up to BTC. Took MAX and parked my bike near the Portland Spirit ticket office. Partied with co-workers on a jetboat and then went to RockBottom.


Took MAX back to BTC to attempt to ride home. Woudln't you know it, I somehow misplaced my MAX day-pass and was fined when I got off at Sunset TS b/c i had no proof of fare. The new "fare cops" are d-bags btw. My only hope is to go to court and show that I paid (i used a credit card and my statement will show that I bought a day pass earlier that day; hours before being fined).

"...(i used a credit card and my statement will show that I bought a day pass earlier that day; hours before being fined). ..." JulienPDX

I hope that'll do the trick for you. If you can believe all the casual remarks people have made about the presence of fare inspectors on the the trains, it's surprising that you got cited, though I do seem to recall reading within the last 4-5 months, trimet adding four or five more inspectors to the line. People...paying passengers...have complained a lot about fare cheaters.

It's good that the system is trying to crack down on fair cheating, but the FI's have had a tendency, covered in various Oregonian news stories, to being overly uncompromising and failing to use reasonable discretion in issuing citations.

[JulienPDX]

I feel like an old pro now My commute now takes me exactly 35 minutes (I've been able to shave almost 9 minutes total off of it).

And here's the real icing, I seem to have inspired one guy in my dept to buy a bike (Heading with him to Bike Gallery this coming weekend) and 2 other guys in my dept have been riding to work the last 2 weeks. Our boss has decided to turn this into a mini-contest. At our company wide meeting last Friday -- other departments wanted to join. The look on our HR Director's face was priceless--anything that gets everyone excited and rallied here is like Gold to her

BTW....LOVE the last few days for riding at 6AM!! for the first time since i started doing this..its been so warm i could wear what I ride home in---on the way in too. very warm weather!

[Simple Nature]

Link the boss up with the Bike Commute Challenge...
Just in time; Every September
http://bikecommutechallenge.com/