Seriously Longer Commute

dgk said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

Seems that 15.2 miles each way is really pushing it. I just did it
yesterday for the first time (after being off the bike for four weeks
for knee pain). I biked the old route twice last week. This morning I
was thinking that I was crazy when I started out but I got here in
1:24. There has been a very nasty wind the last two days and that
hasn't helped things.

It is just a really long time to spend biking in. It's getting cold
and dark, so it's tough to keep up the commute anyway. I did it right
through last winter but it's going to be tougher this time. I did wear
heavy gloves and a bakalava the last two days (it's been around 40F
when starting out).

Well, I'm still on an anti-inflamatory (Feldene?) for the knee and
shouldn't be pushing it so I'll take it easy (only biking two days a
week I think) until the next doctor appointment. And I won't bike in
wind like this either. I let out some very audible curses when
crossing the 59th Street Bridge. I was just about creeping along into
that wind.

I knew of a gal who commuted fairly regularly from Durango to Silverton
here in Colorado. 50 miles each way, more elevation than all of NY. I
think she was a tri-athlete.

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

Owner/Operator of the Pekingnese Ranch.

dgk <[email hidden]> wrote in news:07l1m1515b1d0qrgbla6igqvf84817vjno@
4ax.com:

Quoted message said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

Where are you coming from? Have you considered cutting through Corona and
Elmhurst to the Williamsburg Bridge instead of the QB? If you're winding
up on Wall Street, you can pick up the east river greenway from there and
it can take you down with no traffic lights.

Good Luck!

--ag

dgk said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

Seems that 15.2 miles each way is really pushing it. I just did it
yesterday for the first time (after being off the bike for four weeks
for knee pain). I biked the old route twice last week. This morning I
was thinking that I was crazy when I started out but I got here in
1:24. There has been a very nasty wind the last two days and that
hasn't helped things.

It is just a really long time to spend biking in. It's getting cold
and dark, so it's tough to keep up the commute anyway. I did it right
through last winter but it's going to be tougher this time. I did wear
heavy gloves and a bakalava the last two days (it's been around 40F
when starting out).

Well, I'm still on an anti-inflamatory (Feldene?) for the knee and
shouldn't be pushing it so I'll take it easy (only biking two days a
week I think) until the next doctor appointment. And I won't bike in
wind like this either. I let out some very audible curses when
crossing the 59th Street Bridge. I was just about creeping along into
that wind.

You're spinning -- high rpm/cadence -- right??

When you get in the habit of riding X miles, X times 1.y seems
difficult ... at first.
--
Live simply so that others may simply live

In article <[email hidden]>,

dgk said:

Well, I'm still on an anti-inflamatory (Feldene?) for the knee and
shouldn't be pushing it so I'll take it easy (only biking two days a
week I think) until the next doctor appointment.

Yeah, I think taking it easy is probably a good idea,
along with keeping those knees warm and keeping the
cold wind off them (especially the affected knee).

I suppose you could take it easy by not riding as hard
as usual, rather than by doing fewer rides per week.

Quoted message said:

And I won't bike in
wind like this either. I let out some very audible curses when
crossing the 59th Street Bridge. I was just about creeping along into
that wind.

I don't beat myself up, fighting the wind anymore --
at least, not just to make good time getting to places.
All that extra effort for a crummy few minutes' gain
just doesn't seem worth it to me. I'll put out the
same effort that I would in still air, and accept that
I'm slowed down by circumstances beyond my control.
Oh well. Sometimes the time loss isn't really all
that much, after all.

{\rationalization_mode

More saddle time is a bonus, in a way.
}

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

"Craig Brossman" wrote

Quoted message said:

I knew of a gal who commuted fairly regularly from Durango to Silverton
here in Colorado. 50 miles each way, more elevation than all of NY. I
think she was a tri-athlete.

Was she getting there faster than the train? :^)
--
mark

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 15:56:11 GMT, Neil Brooks <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

dgk said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

Seems that 15.2 miles each way is really pushing it. I just did it
yesterday for the first time (after being off the bike for four weeks
for knee pain). I biked the old route twice last week. This morning I
was thinking that I was crazy when I started out but I got here in
1:24. There has been a very nasty wind the last two days and that
hasn't helped things.

It is just a really long time to spend biking in. It's getting cold
and dark, so it's tough to keep up the commute anyway. I did it right
through last winter but it's going to be tougher this time. I did wear
heavy gloves and a bakalava the last two days (it's been around 40F
when starting out).

Well, I'm still on an anti-inflamatory (Feldene?) for the knee and
shouldn't be pushing it so I'll take it easy (only biking two days a
week I think) until the next doctor appointment. And I won't bike in
wind like this either. I let out some very audible curses when
crossing the 59th Street Bridge. I was just about creeping along into
that wind.

You're spinning -- high rpm/cadence -- right??

When you get in the habit of riding X miles, X times 1.y seems
difficult ... at first.

No, I admit not doing so. I just sort of mosey along - around 12 MPH.
Slower going up that bridge today though. But it sure felt longer than
before.

andy gee said:

dgk <[email hidden]> wrote in news:07l1m1515b1d0qrgbla6igqvf84817vjno@
4ax.com:

Quoted message said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

Where are you coming from? Have you considered cutting through Corona and
Elmhurst to the Williamsburg Bridge instead of the QB? If you're winding
up on Wall Street, you can pick up the east river greenway from there and
it can take you down with no traffic lights.

Good Luck!

--ag

I come from Flushing and come across 34th Ave. Then I usually meander
up Broadway and through Astoria until I hit the bridge. I once, just
for the sake of mixing it up, came home via the Williamsburg - it was
not pretty - lots of industrial areas. I sort of followed Grand most
of the way, only getting lost perhaps 3 times.

Looking at the bike map, it looks like I might have been on
Metropolitan for some of it. Actually, the best route for me might be
Eliot to Metropolitan to Grand, although that part of Metropolitan is
probably the exceedingly ugly part. The recommended route has a detour
up 61st street to Grand, likely bypassing the blasted zone.

I took the east river greenway yesterday - no where near as nice as
the west side, but not too much traffic. Too many stupid pedestrians
who walk on the bike lane even when there is a separate pedestrian
lane right next to it. It's ok, but the wind off the water was
something yesterday.

Today I took 2nd Ave as far south as I could and then just headed
south on anything. You can't miss by much.

Thanks for the idea, I think I will aim for the WB next week.

In article said:

Seems that 15.2 miles each way is really pushing it. I just did it
yesterday for the first time (after being off the bike for four weeks

I'm in the same boat. I've just extended my daily commute from 10 km to 22
km. Not only that, but I've gone from a flat ride to one that crosses
almost all the hills in Vancouver (I swear!)

The first 2 weeks I felt wiped when I got home. Then my body adjusted, and
I really don't notice the extra distance anymore. Not only that, but by
some minor adjustments to the route, and getting used to riding in traffic,
in those two weeks I cut my time from 70 minutes down to 55!

My advice, try it for two weeks and see how you feel after that.

dgk said:

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 15:56:11 GMT, Neil Brooks <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

dgk said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

Seems that 15.2 miles each way is really pushing it. I just did it
yesterday for the first time (after being off the bike for four weeks
for knee pain). I biked the old route twice last week. This morning I
was thinking that I was crazy when I started out but I got here in
1:24. There has been a very nasty wind the last two days and that
hasn't helped things.

It is just a really long time to spend biking in. It's getting cold
and dark, so it's tough to keep up the commute anyway. I did it right
through last winter but it's going to be tougher this time. I did wear
heavy gloves and a bakalava the last two days (it's been around 40F
when starting out).

Well, I'm still on an anti-inflamatory (Feldene?) for the knee and
shouldn't be pushing it so I'll take it easy (only biking two days a
week I think) until the next doctor appointment. And I won't bike in
wind like this either. I let out some very audible curses when
crossing the 59th Street Bridge. I was just about creeping along into
that wind.

You're spinning -- high rpm/cadence -- right??

When you get in the habit of riding X miles, X times 1.y seems
difficult ... at first.

No, I admit not doing so. I just sort of mosey along - around 12 MPH.
Slower going up that bridge today though. But it sure felt longer than
before.

That's ok. It's not necessarily a function of your speed that I was
addressing, but rather how fast you're turning the pedals. Especially
if you're fighting knee issues, you may want to at least try using an
easier gear and turning higher RPM's (what they call 'spinning'
instead of 'grinding' or 'mashing'😉--especially on any uphills.

Easier on the knees....
--
Live simply so that others may simply live

My wife was commuting 15 miles each way pulling our 4 year old in a Burley
trailer.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 19:31:04 GMT, "Pyrtwist" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

My wife was commuting 15 miles each way pulling our 4 year old in a Burley
trailer.

!!!!

Pyrtwist said:

My wife was commuting 15 miles each way pulling our 4 year old in a
Burley trailer.

While you rode alongside in a car, blowing a cadence whistle!

Pyrtwist said:

My wife was commuting 15 miles each way pulling our 4 year old in a Burley
trailer.

Barefoot!

....and pregnant!

........and hauling the kitchen sink!!!!

"dgk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

My commute is 15 miles in, 18 miles out. It's great in good weather. It can
be very long when the weather is poor. It's also a very long ride in the
winter when it gets dark at 5:30 or so. My desire to commute lessens in bad
weather and darkness.

"I knew of a gal who commuted fairly regularly from Durango to
Silverton
here in Colorado. 50 miles each way, more elevation than all of NY. I
think she was a tri-athlete. "

And I didn't think there was anything in Silvertion to commute to!

WOW - that is some climb - a century a day. Did she stop during
winter?

Durango - Silverton - 47 miles, 5700 ft. elevation gain over Coal Bank
Pass and Molas Divide

"Bill Sornson" wrote ...

Quoted message said:

Pyrtwist said:

My wife was commuting 15 miles each way pulling our 4 year old in a
Burley trailer.

While you rode alongside in a car, blowing a cadence whistle!

If she behaves she gets to motorpace for a while. :^)
--
mark

mark said:

"Bill Sornson" wrote ...

Quoted message said:

Pyrtwist wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My wife was commuting 15 miles each way pulling our 4 year old in a
Burley trailer.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

While you rode alongside in a car, blowing a cadence whistle!

Quoted message said:

If she behaves she gets to motorpace for a while. :^)

Well, sure. {pause} How else is she gonna get home in time to clean and
cook dinner?!?

Bill "clean AND cook -- sounds like fish tonight" S.

"dgk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My old commute was 12.5 miles each way. A reasonable distance. But my
current job has moved to lower Manhattan (when you hear the spash
you've gone too far) and it is now a 15.2 mile commute. And I'm
leaving this job and just got another one, which is located a whole
five blocks away from this one so the commute stays the same.

Seems that 15.2 miles each way is really pushing it. I just did it
yesterday for the first time (after being off the bike for four weeks
for knee pain). I biked the old route twice last week. This morning I
was thinking that I was crazy when I started out but I got here in
1:24. There has been a very nasty wind the last two days and that
hasn't helped things.

It is just a really long time to spend biking in. It's getting cold
and dark, so it's tough to keep up the commute anyway. I did it right
through last winter but it's going to be tougher this time. I did wear
heavy gloves and a bakalava the last two days (it's been around 40F
when starting out).

Well, I'm still on an anti-inflamatory (Feldene?) for the knee and
shouldn't be pushing it so I'll take it easy (only biking two days a
week I think) until the next doctor appointment. And I won't bike in
wind like this either. I let out some very audible curses when
crossing the 59th Street Bridge. I was just about creeping along into
that wind.

Yeah I can give you some moral supposrt. My commute is a little over 23
miles one way.
After you do it a hundred times or so it starts to become very boring too.
Now it is cold and dark all the way in.
But we have daylight savings time changing this Sunday, so at least it will
only be cold and dark in the morning. I'll have some daylight for the ride
home.

Bill Sornson said:

mark said:

"Bill Sornson" wrote ...

Quoted message said:

Pyrtwist wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> My wife was commuting 15 miles each way pulling our 4 year old in a
> Burley trailer.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

While you rode alongside in a car, blowing a cadence whistle!

Quoted message said:

If she behaves she gets to motorpace for a while. :^)

Well, sure. {pause} How else is she gonna get home in time to clean and
cook dinner?!?

Bill "clean AND cook -- sounds like fish tonight" S.

Heh. My wife and I used to work at the same facility, and got in a
round-trip (different route to and from work) 35 mile / 56km commute
on our tandem. That was a really nice way to start and end the work
day (and the harder I rode, the sooner she got to fix me dinner!).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame