Commuting by Bike

Today I accepted a new job that I will start next month.  Currently, my job is 250 miles away from my home.  So commuting by bicycle really isn't feasible. 

Well, not from home anyway.  I do have an apartment in the next town over.  I could actually bike back and forth.  Except that my work schedule keeps me in the office for 12, 14, 15 or more hours each day (when I'm up there).  I rarely leave the office before 10p.m., and occassionally after midnight.  Only to return the next morning at 8 or so.  The reason was so that I could be home on Fridays.

So, instead, last spring and summer, I kept my old bike in the office and would ride in the evening, then return to the office to work some more.  That worked well and I had some great rides out in the countryside in NW Wisconsin (near the MN border in the Cities area).  Although I did get honked at once and someone in the passenger seat flipped me off.  Gopher fans I figure ... I was wearing my Bucky jersey.  (I wonder what they would have done had I been wearing my Obama jersey!?!)

Well, because of the distance and time away from home, I have been looking for a situation that was closer to home.  Now I have one.  Working for the state in an office building a block from the Capitol Square in Madison.  According to Mapquest, I am about 10 miles from the new office.

10 miles.  That's a 40 minute ride.  On my bike.  (vs a 25 min car ride at rush hour!)  Sounds like I will be able to commute to my new job on my bike.  And still be able to leave on time to pick up my daughter from after-school care on time.  Cool.

I may start using the old hybrid bike - a Diamondback Parkway, circa 1994. 

But I have ridden it so little, the tires still have the new tire threads on it.

On the other hand, I find the road bike to be a lot more comfortable!  We'll see.  Spring can't come soon enough!