My Morning Commute

[Certifried]

There are many days where my drive is only 20 minutes, maybe 25 at most, on good days. Since I’m traveling the opposite direction of the “rush flow”, I’m usually hitting speeds of … (looks for cops, realizes I’m on the internet) a solid 55MPH posted speed limit Except on 50 where the speed limit is 65 So, unfortunately, the differential between my 20 minute drive and my 2 hour-by-bike commute is significant… but today, I did get to say “gee, maybe I’ll just take the bike today”. I even woke up and got moving at 5:30! Had a great ride. The lines are painted on Sligo Creek Trail! I guess it was done some time ago, it’s been a couple weeks since I biked in, but they’re purple (have a pic, can’t post from work). The sunrise was REALLY trying to be beautiful, and was very fiery when the sun first started to come up, but it didn’t “fire up” much more than the horizon. Was hoping to snap a nice shot like I had several weeks ago. Still, I had an awesome ride in! Other than sweating like a pig because Merino should only be worn in sub-zero temperatures.

[Tim Kelley]

@Certifried 35898 wrote:

There are many days where my drive is only 20 minutes, maybe 25 at most, on good days. Since I’m traveling the opposite direction of the “rush flow”, I’m usually hitting speeds of … (looks for cops, realizes I’m on the internet) a solid 55MPH posted speed limit Except on 50 where the speed limit is 65 So, unfortunately, the differential between my 20 minute drive and my 2 hour-by-bike commute is significant… but today, I did get to say “gee, maybe I’ll just take the bike today”. I even woke up and got moving at 5:30! Had a great ride. The lines are painted on Sligo Creek Trail! I guess it was done some time ago, it’s been a couple weeks since I biked in, but they’re purple (have a pic, can’t post from work). The sunrise was REALLY trying to be beautiful, and was very fiery when the sun first started to come up, but it didn’t “fire up” much more than the horizon. Was hoping to snap a nice shot like I had several weeks ago. Still, I had an awesome ride in! Other than sweating like a pig because Merino should only be worn in sub-zero temperatures.

It takes you 2 hours by bike, but only 20 minutes by car? What’s the hold up?

If you were Mark Blacknell, I’d tell you to just pedal faster.

[mstone]

@Tim Kelley 35899 wrote:

It takes you 2 hours by bike, but only 20 minutes by car? What’s the hold up?

If you were Mark Blacknell, I’d tell you to just pedal faster.

I have similar differentials. Traveling on grade-separated car infrastructure (with no stops) is a huge factor when compared to how many times you have to stop on a bike.

[Tim Kelley]

Averaging 60 miles per hour on the highway for 20 minutes would give you 20 miles (being generous and not including getting from your neighborhood to the highway). Even with some two minute stop light waits thrown in, taking two hours to go 20 miles is slower than most people on Capital Bikeshare!

I’m curious about your routes, if you don’t mind sharing?

[DaveK]

@Tim Kelley 35899 wrote:

It takes you 2 hours by bike, but only 20 minutes by car? What’s the hold up?

If you were Mark Blacknell, I’d tell you to just pedal faster.

If it took me two hours by bike and 20-25 minutes by car, I’d drive every day. No question. Kudos for biking with that kind of differential.

Even if you average a fast-for-urban-areas 15 mph overall including stops (shut up, Tim) that’s still about an hour and 15 minutes versus 20-25.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Tim Kelley 35914 wrote:

Averaging 60 miles per hour on the highway for 20 minutes would give you 20 miles (being generous and not including getting from your neighborhood to the highway). Even with some two minute stop light waits thrown in, taking two hours to go 20 miles is slower than most people on Capital Bikeshare!

I’m curious about your routes, if you don’t mind sharing?

My old commute wasn’t quite that bad, but it usually took me about 1:15 to do 12ish miles. That was riding from Capitol Hill, across the river, up the MVT, then up into FFX. Most of the time was on the DC end, as it took me something like 30 minutes to do the first 5 miles. I think my average speed was about 12mph. My new commute I average about 15-17mph, depending on bike choice and what I’m carrying.

I think it’s more than just MPH though. When I was on the Hill, I could hop right on 395 and the GWMP, making for a pretty direct route, but my biking route was not direct at all…and if I had chosen the most bike-friendly route, it would’ve been even worse.

[Certifried]

@Tim Kelley 35914 wrote:

I’m curious about your routes, if you don’t mind sharing?

Very happy to share!

Here is my drive commute, which takes roughly 25-30 minutes. 20 is a slight exaggeration, but I am traveling “against the rush”, so traffic tends to be MOO-VING, like “if you’re not doing 75+ you’re getting honked at” moving. Highway 50 is crazy, I see people flying by me at what must be 90+ (no exaggeration).
http://goo.gl/maps/7eCLe

Here is my bike commute Part 1, roughly. for some reason, Google maps doesn’t want to let me map it down a section of the Anacostia trail:
http://goo.gl/maps/M3eXy
here’s the Strava map for it:
http://app.strava.com/activities/26040044

then I catch a Metro bus, which I usually don’t have to wait a long time for:
http://goo.gl/maps/Wcep4

then I ride 3.5 miles from the bus stop to work
http://goo.gl/maps/f9SbG

My average is usually around 13.5 to 14, depending on a lot of factors, including how heavy my commuter is. It takes me about 1:30 to 1:40 to do the 20 from home to New Carrollton. Then I catch a bus and ride it to Bowie, then ~15 minutes from there to work. If I were to skip the bus ride, I’d be looking at a 33 mile ride:
http://goo.gl/maps/Xnn73

Maybe I could ride 33 miles in 2 hours, and drop the bus times, but I usually don’t have to wait more than 5-10 minutes for the bus. I’m happy to hear any suggestions! I’d love to cut the time down.

edit: so, to be fair, 2 hours is to travel 33 miles, but I cut out 10 miles by using a bus. I cheat.

[Certifried]

@Tim Kelley 35914 wrote:

being generous and not including getting from your neighborhood to the highway

I live right at the intersection of 495 and Rockville Pike (under the bridge, don’t hate) and I work right next to 50. I have no ‘neighborhood’ time to speak of LOL

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Certifried 35920 wrote:

I live right at the intersection of 495 and Rockville Pike (under the bridge, don’t hate) and I work right next to 50. I have no ‘neighborhood’ time to speak of LOL

“Literally, our house was under the roller coaster at Coney Island.”

[Tim Kelley]

Wow. Like Dave K said–kudos for your commitment!

[Certifried]

@Tim Kelley 35928 wrote:

Wow. Like Dave K said–kudos for your commitment!

THAT’S IT?!!!! WTF

It took me like 20 minutes to type all that up with the mapped out links and you’re not going to tell me how to do it faster?!

what are we paying you for?!

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Certifried 35930 wrote:

THAT’S IT?!!!! WTF

It took me like 20 minutes to type all that up with the mapped out links and you’re not going to tell me how to do it faster?!

what are we paying you for?!

I’m pretty sure Tim’s advice on doing it faster is going to involve an aero helmet, TT bars, insanely long legs, and rule #5.

[Certifried]

@ShawnoftheDread 35931 wrote:

and rule #5.

LOL thanks, cleaning Gatorade G2 Ultra Performance off my monitor and keyboard now

[dasgeh]

I’m going to make “rule #5” my labor mantra. If I ever go into labor.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@dasgeh 35935 wrote:

I’m going to make “rule #5” my labor mantra. If I ever go into labor.

It would seem you’re in violation of Rule #10: It never gets easier, you just go faster.

[Author]

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