Friday, May 27, 2005

Musings on Commuting

I am becoming less and less materialistic the older I become. I know I'll never be a great racer without making sacrifices that I'm unwilling to make- but I think most people who race are in the same boat. I know very few people who commute, and there is something freakish about it- especially when I have a great job and a great car. I have difficulty recycling! I'm not out to change the world, but I feel marginalized in many regards for commuting. The practicality of commuting doesn't sit well with roadie aesthetics and there is the ever-present battle with motorized vehicles.

I remember a few years ago, out riding with a friend after work when we encounted an acquaintence of his, commuting home from work. I was aghast at the use of duct tape, his "vintage" helmet, his bike with fenders and mudflaps. When he took a pull at breakneck speed for five miles until we reached downtown, I realilzed he was a time trialist in disguise. It was ground zero for planting the seeds. I know it is a radical thought, but sometimes a bike can be used as transportation.

2 comments:

song 2 the siren said...

I commute most days, but don't think I could ever be so hardcore as to not have a car. There are lots of days I'm thankful for having a dependable and fairly nice car, but there are also sometimes whole weeks that go by that the car just sits.

Lately though the way the weather has been around the Twin Cities I've appreciated having a car. I don't mind riding home in the rain, but stopping in stores while dripping wet and showing up at work soaked is not always fun.

filtersweep said...

This city almost requires a car. The climate, lack of public transportation, and city design are all about car ownership.

I could do much better with commuting if I wasn't required to sometimes have access to a car at work.

I am fortunate we have a shower at work. I can't imagine commuting in work clothing.