Monday, May 5, 2008

Commute

I'm starting to commute a couple days a week. Its finally warm enough and light enough that coming down Suncrest at 7am isn't bad. My commute is about 20 miles each way. Coming home is the harder ride. Its mostly uphill and ends with the climb up the South side of Suncrest.

As I was packing my gear up last night, it seemed like a lot of stuff. It's easy to forget something. Usually my employee badge or key to my locker are the two items that I forget. With the clothes and my pack, it weighed in at 7.5 lbs.

Riding in rush hour traffic can be a little sketchy but it makes the commute much more interesting. Half of my ride is on State Street in Utah County. The same road that Dug was hit and hospitalized years ago. I can see how easy it could happen. People don't realize how fast a cyclist can ride and once they pass you they forget you are there. I can't tell you how many times a car has passed me only to make a right hand turn right in front of me. Makes me want to take a cleat to their car door.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

FYI - If you need an allen wrench to fix a crank arm that falls off during the ride, don't stop in at the Checker Auto on State in Orem. The guy will look at you blankly, roll his eyes and say - "yea I have one...hold on." Then he will have you wait for 13 mintes while he digs around in a 5 different tool boxes and ulitimately come up with a flat head screwdriver and a pair of needle-nose plyers and tell you that this is all he has.

Go to the Jiffy Lube.

Anonymous said...

jiffy lube, cool, got it.

rick, um, that's quite a nice checkerboard pattern of clothing there. is that the picture in wikipedia for the entry for "Anal"?

Rick Sunderlage said...

Rob- Good to know but if I need an allen wrench, I'll just use my cell phone and call you to come get me.

Dug- I had to make it all fit in the pic. I've seen you pack. You have no room to talk.

Anonymous said...

dude, that's just a crappy commute.

If I were you, I'd totally go around the Alpine loop to avoid riding from PG to Orem on State street.

Rick Sunderlage said...

anonymous- In the summer, that's what I do but the Alpine Loop is covered in snow right now.

Anonymous said...

The problem with commuting is that we'll never see you on group rides anymore. Make sure to have a couple non-commute days in your week.

Anonymous said...

it looks like you are getting for iditabike.

Anonymous said...

snow...pfft. Are you trying to get to work, or are you trying to get into incredible shape?

Botched

Anonymous said...

I've thought about coming up with a cleat with integrated carkey for the doors of those drivers who nail you with the right hook.

You're a nice enough guy that you'd probably never use it, though.

Rick Sunderlage said...

botched- Point taken. I'll be riding the loop tomorrow and will bring back a full report

Mark- I think we've all had those bad thoughts before. Hard to stay made when riding though.