Transpo

16/1/14 20:27
darkemeralds: Old French poster of bicycle with naked flame-haired woman. (Bike)
[personal profile] darkemeralds
I've never been able to stick to an "exercise program," (bleh) so changing my transportation mode from passive to active was perhaps the greatest stroke of genius I've ever had.1

For the last four and half years, my daily eight-mile bike commute to and from work has been what gets me off my ass--the only thing. I was a little worried that retirement, in removing my biggest transportation need, would find me slowly melding with my armchair, never to budge again.

Instead, I've discovered that I'm riding my bike more than ever.

First of all, I have time to bike to destinations that, when I was working full time, would have taken too long. I have time to figure out a safe route to a new place, to get a little lost2, to go in daylight, to choose my weather.

And second of all, I don't have to get everything done in one go on Sunday. I can make multiple trips, any day of the week. Whoops, forgot toilet paper? Four miles round trip to Fred Meyer. Return a book? Branch library across town. That fabric store that's out in the semi-urbs? Worth a shot.

Today I rode clear out past the ring of freeways to an acupuncture appointment that has always previously been a train trip. From there, since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped by my sister's--the one I don't see as much of because she lives "out there"--and pedaled home again in the gathering dark, for a 19-mile day.


View Bike to Lynne's in a larger map

1 Selling my car was an important part of everything. Side note: my driver's license has expired and I should probably do something about that. I could ride my bike to the DMV. :D

2 Sometime since I first starting biking, Google has added voice navigation to the bike layer of its maps, and it's awesome! Now I just need an app that has Paul Bettany's voice saying, "In six hundred feet, turn left onto the I-205 Bike Path. No, left, madam. The other left. That's it..."

(no subject)

17/1/14 06:05 (UTC)
executrix: (lady soul)
Posted by [personal profile] executrix
My ballet teacher (who was a Rockette during WWII!) would frequently counsel "Your left foot...no, your OTHER left foot." She didn't sound a bit like Paul Bettany though.
executrix: (faith hope trick)
Posted by [personal profile] executrix
The Trustee's GPS sounds kind of like Emma Thompson. In a bad mood.

(no subject)

17/1/14 08:56 (UTC)
hunningham: Beautiful colourful pears (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] hunningham
Commuting does make a difference, doesn't it. I used to walk to work (ten minutes there, ten minutes back) and when I started working from home this made a big difference. And I cannot do a regular exercise thingat all.

(no subject)

19/1/14 10:16 (UTC)
hunningham: Beautiful colourful pears (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] hunningham
I put weight on. Slowly, but over a year it made a difference. And I was surprised.

(no subject)

17/1/14 10:11 (UTC)
ravurian: (hugh dancy)
Posted by [personal profile] ravurian
If I did not already know where you live, I would now know precisely where you live thanks to this map. And where your sister lives. And her name. May want to lock this post?

I am in awe of your get up and go, though. Yay you!

(no subject)

18/1/14 22:23 (UTC)
Posted by [personal profile] amaliedageek
I was terribly excited about this until I learned it was only for iOS devices. Boo!

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darkemeralds: A round magical sigil of mysterious meaning, in bright colors with black outlines. A pen nib is suggested by the intersection of the cryptic forms. (Default)
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