Commuting - gonesh9's commute

Here's some pics of my commute I took recently, in order from my house.....

This one's what I see right outside my door every morning:

down the road.... you can see mt. hood from here, but it didn't show up well in the scanned pic:

Lovely!

heading up mt. tabor:

View from side of Mt. tabor:

Believe it or not, this is part of my daily commute, along Mt. Tabor:

Looking back down towards Mt. Hood, which isn't showing up in this picture, but in real life looks like you can reach out and touch it on a nice day...

A typical road stretch along my route:

Small hill I get to ride through:

My favorite stretch, down the waterfront. This goes on for about a mile.... very beautiful. There's usually a lot of other riders, but I left very early this particular morning.

More along the riverfront...

The ride back along the waterfront:

Pushing it back up the hill... I don't know if you can see Portland downtown in the background. Very beautiful city.

Good stuff!

It makes me wish for a moment that I didn't live in Chicago.... but just a moment! ;)

I just noticed the quality of the pics aren't that great. sorry. here's coming back up Mt. Tabor, almost home.

Finally, my sweetie commuting with me.:)

Beautiful! Commute looks pretty damn scenic too ;) Heh heh.

Posting pictures of the commute is a cool idea, I need to get some of mine. On a good day I get to see two mountain ranges (Cascades and Olympics) plus Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker, pretty awesome.

Posting pictures of the commute is a cool idea, I need to get some of mine. On a good day I get to see two mountain ranges (Cascades and Olympics) plus Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker, pretty awesome.

Cool! When I took the pic above, of my girlfriend, I could see Mt. St. Helens very clearly. Too bad it's not showing up well when I post it online....

It sure is nice to get some good scenery like this on your way to work!

Sure beats the view I see on my way to work every day.

Whoa!

No more assumptions for me! I could have sworn you were a guy, but then again, I think everyone's a guy when they post, except Cyclochica... ;)

Well another woman! Estrogen scores one more point on the forum boards! ;)

Koffee

I'm from Portland, but I'm in Rochester for school. I tell people that there's nothing in the East to compare with the nature in the West. I also have to explain to the locals what those things called 'mountains' are. And they have big popsicles called 'glaciers' on them-- all year long.

I miss my home so much! Gonesh, that's a nice view from the home town, thanks for reminding me. that's a pretty good distance commute too, how far is it one way?

Koffee, what woman are you refering to?

-john

I love the idea of the pictures. I must do the same. Despite what you might think, most of Merseyside is very scenic. Might I suggest for the benefit of those with a dial-up connection that we stick to images no more than 300x300? Or do people think that's too restrictive?

Well another woman! Estrogen scores one more point on the forum boards!

Sorry Koffee, you must not have read that the last picture is of my girlfriend. It is interesting, though, that a majority of people on this forum are men.....

I'm intrigued by what appears to be an aerial sticking out the top of your girlfriend's helmet. Is that for GPS?

On a more constructive note, try the taking the picture again with a UV filter on and you might get Mt. St. Helens back.

gonesh9, great ride. I hate the idea of pix of our commutes because I get so jealous. (J/K ... I think they're great.)

On the first picture there are road markings, like angled brackets. What are they for?

Anyway, good stuff. Sooner or later I'll take my digital camera and snap a few shots.

I'm jealous and I'm not afraid to admit it!

I've never bothered taking pictures of my commute because who would want to look at frame after frame of grey concrete, rowhouses, factories, auto graveyards, sanitation plants, litter, dense traffic, a bajillion traffic lights and stop signs?

Count your blessings!

RichC

that's a pretty good distance commute too, how far is it one way?

It's about 8 miles ea. way, from the east side of Mt. Tabor to NW downtown.


On the first picture there are road markings, like angled brackets. What are they for?

I think what you are referring to are the speed bumps...

Damn!

I misread.... assumed the pic was of you.

Subtract one for the estrogen... we're falling behind. :( I'll have to find some cycling girlfriends and get them to join!

Concerning the road markings in the first pic:

I live nearby in a fast growing neighborhood (even faster than most Portland 'burbs) and the markings are arrows that point toward the curb. Notice that the bump does not extend all the way to the curb. The newspaper in Vancouver, WA had an article about the new neighborhoods using bumps with this feature, and called it the new "Emergency Vehicle Safety Bump." I guess the fire trucks can put one wheel in that flat space and not have to worry so much about the bump at high speed.

That's the story, you have to decide for yourself. What actually happens is that teenagers in their Acuras use the gap a lot more than emergency vehicles do, and it makes the whole bump pretty useless. Also people can park right next to them (as in Gonesh9's pic), cutting the chance of any benefit for emergency vehicles.

The next convolution to this innane idea is cropping up in the newest devopments in the Portland area now: bumps with angles. instead of nice rolling "hill," the new bumps are created like a very shallow pyramid. The reasoning? I guess it costs more to build, so it helps the economy. (I'm sure there's a sound civil engineering idea buried under that pyramid, but good luck finding out what it is)

That's the story on the mystery markings. At least, according to the local paper. (The Columbian article was circa summer 2001)

Here in Halifax, speed bumps are for parking lots!!

Beautiful commute, gonesh9!!

Nice ride to work. Do you suffer from much traffic on some of those hills? Thanks for posting the pictures.

Originally posted by gonesh9
Finally, my sweetie commuting with me.:)
Sooooooo beautiful!

:eek:

Uh, I meant the commute!

:D

I've been thinking about moving to Portland for some time maybe next year. Thanks for putting those pics up, looks really nice. You've inspired me to take a few photos of my commute when I go out today- neat idea. Anyway, gotta go ride...

(BTW, Koffee- I'm a girl to!!!)

All right! Rack up that point for the estrogen!

Whooooooooo lateralus!!!!

Koff

WOW, beautiful commute! Almost makes me jealous:) . I love these threads, to see others commutes or trails. To see the beauty from different places of the world. I wish I had a digital camera:)

The first pic looked a bit like the UK with the cars on the left, but the road is too straight for the UK.

hey, great photos gonesh9!!

i recognize almost all of those views -- ok the individual streets on the east side i don't know - i lived and worked in NW portland...

but, oh yes, brings back great memories for me - especially the shots along the waterfront. by the way is the bike trail on the east side of the waterfront finally complete? i know they've been working on it like 2 years and it was planned when i left in 2000...

and i love how you can spot Mt Hood or St Helens from various places in the city (when there are no clouds that is). my girlfriend worked in one of the high-rises in downtown and the view from the windows there looked like the backdrop you see on a TV program -- too cool to be real!

some day here i'll remember to bring the digital camera on my commute and take photos of my commute here in Munich. i only have one view of the moutains (and it wouldn't show up in a photo) but i do have an interesting mix of bike paths, European streets and even a few nice trails in the parks (longer ride and optional, but more scenic) -- and you guys wouldn't believe how many other cyclists there are!! i thought Portland had a lot of cyclists! (well, ok if you've been to Holland you'd believe it - that was amazing)

Portland is so beautiful! (but, munich is too)

Originally posted by nathank
by the way is the bike trail on the east side of the waterfront finally complete? i know they've been working on it like 2 years and it was planned when i left in 2000...

Yes, it hooks into Springwater Corridor, and goes from the east side of downtown along the water past the Sellwood bridge, then heads east from there for many many miles. I just rode it on Sunday, and only made it to Powell Butte and back, but it was very beautiful... The area it goes through includes giant wildlife nature preserves, wetlands, and forests.
Anyways, I hope to see your commute of Munich soon. :)

Originally posted by AndrewP
The first pic looked a bit like the UK with the cars on the left, but the road is too straight for the UK.

I can assure you that we have several straight roads in the UK (and loads of twisty ones!). I'm in the middle of getting some pics of my commute so in a few days I'll show you one.