Commuting - Requiem for a commute.

So I don't get to commute anymore. I was recently made redundant at work. On my last ride in I took some photos of my commute route. The ride in was really the best part of most of my days there. My commute was 15 miles each way and generally took me about an hour. It took me about a year and a half to find the PERFECT route and I'm sad to lose it, but I'd like to share the photo with y'all now that it is only a pleasant memory.

My bike is a Trek 520. I use a Vaude waterproof pannier for hauling stuff. For lights I use a Niterider trail rat plus front and back blinky lights. SKS fenders help keep me and the drivetrain clean and the pedals are spuds. (recently swapped out for speedplay x-3s)

From my front door I cut through some side streets to Clinton Street. Clinton is a designated bike street, which means that there are few stop signs, but lots of speed bumps to keep cars from using it as an arterial. Road markings benefit bikes as well.

After riding the streets of Chicago and Lafayette Louisiana on my commutes, it is really nice to be in a place that respects cyclists.

What, are we still in the 80's or something? (This is a fabulous little theatre w/ a couple of good restaurants and bars in the neighborhood.

Notice the building on the hill? It's the OHSU hospital. We'll be climbing up by it soon.

A nice little traffic circle.

Some of my favorite views of Portland are from the Hawthorne Bridge.

Buses and bikes cause me lots of stress some mornings. Today wasn't so bad.

Turn left onto Broadway by the Schnitzer Performance Hall and we are almost ready to start climbing.

Portland State University

As we leave downtown, the road starts to go up a little.

This intersection (right where the other cyclist is actually) is where I had my accident last spring. Dude made and illegal right turn as I was zipping downhill in the bike lane. Ouch. Broken elbow and no biking all summer.

Now the hilly portion of the commute begins. Usually getting through downtown and to the hill is enough to wake me up. It is a very pleasant way to start the morning to slowly wake up until you realize you are climbing a beautiful hill and can see the sun rise over the Willamette with Mt. Hood in the background. (OK, I prefer my new schedule where sunrises are not on the menu, but the views were spectacular.)

more climbing...

Here's the hospital we saw earlier...

climbing...

still climbing...

The views aren't bad from up here... My house is out of the picture to the right, probably 5 miles as the crow flies.

OK, one more bit and we can bomb downhill...

Hillsdale, where the hill stops going up.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

In the distance is the one tricky intersection on my commute route. Usually I cross the street, then use the crosswalk to get over to the other side. This morning I got green lights all the way through and used the turn lane, so this is the only photo I got.

So sorry to hear about your redundancy (nice phrase, eh?). Especially since your commute was so picturesque. Great snaps.

It was MUCH more difficult to find safe routes through Beaverton than it was in Portland, but they are there.

To make this bike route work, they put in a bike path in a vacant lot. It keeps cyclists off the high traffic streets and gets us under the freeway without having to deal with traffic.

These sensors allow bikes to get a green light every now and then. I love 'em.

Don't love these...

Getting closer to work...

Right turn, then we are almost there...

Best of luck finding new work with an even better commuting route, although that one looks like a lot of fun. Way more scenic than mine.

I like your bike a lot also. Maybe gettng laid off in the summer is a silver lining; you should be all set for some unsupported camping trips, right?

RichC

And we've made it. As much as I loathed my job, I've got to give a big thanks to Stream International (a subsidiary of Solectron Global Services) for providing covered, secure bike storage and a locker room with showers. I can see how wherever I end up next I'll commute by bike no matter what the shower situation is, but I don't think I would have gotten started if not for the showers and other accomadations to cyclists. Hope y'all enjoyed the pics. Oso

Oso -

Thanks for the pix and sorry to hear about your job. I'm actually thinking of beginning to commute to work by bike as well. I also live in SE Portland and would be riding to just past Nike on Murray Blvd. (not all that far from Stream). Could you clue me in to your route after you get off of the Hawthorne Bridge and how long it took?

Also, how do you like the Trek 520? That is the bike I think that I'm going to be using.

Thanks,

Lorenzo

Originally posted by bezzo
Oso -

Thanks for the pix and sorry to hear about your job. I'm actually thinking of beginning to commute to work by bike as well. I also live in SE Portland and would be riding to just past Nike on Murray Blvd. (not all that far from Stream). Could you clue me in to your route after you get off of the Hawthorne Bridge and how long it took?

Also, how do you like the Trek 520? That is the bike I think that I'm going to be using.

Thanks,

Lorenzo

Very cool! Cross the Hawthorne bridge and continue forward on Main Street past the police station. Take a left on Broadway at the Schnitz and follow Broadway past PSU. After you cross over 405 stay in the bike lane as you turn left then right (follow the signs to Terwilliger). This road will turn right and start uphill. Turn left on Terwilliger and follow it up the hill for a couple of miles. Turn Right on the Capitol Highway and follow that up a steep hill, then down for 3 miles or so to Scholl's Ferry Road. At Scholl's Ferry you are turning left, but I usually use the crosswalk as it can get quite busy. Once on Scholl's Ferry Rd, go past the school and then right on Jamieson Rd. Follow this for almost a mile, then left on Cypress (it is a three way intersection (w/ Pinehurst) so after you turn left stay right.) In about half a mile turn right on Chestnut and then a quick left into what looks like a vacant lot with an asphalt bike path. This will spit you out on 5th in Beaverton. Follow 5th through town and past Beaverton High School. When you hit Murray turn right until the Nike Campus.

This may make more sense if you look at a Bike There map. Crossing 405 and the neighborhoods between Scholl's Ferry Rd and Beaverton are tricky to explain.

From the Hawthorne Bridge I'd guesstimate you are about an hour on the bike from the Nike Campus.

I love the 520. She's bomb-proof and comfortable. Heavy as a pig, of course, but the brakes are excellent and she fits racks and fenders easily. It is much faster than the converted mt. bike I had before, but still has a fairly upright and comfortable position.

I absolutely LOVE my 520, but if you are buying one new, you have GOT to go to Coventry Cycle Works on Hawthorne and 20th and check out the Rivendell Romulus. $1500 for a work of art that is very similar to the 520, but sooooooooo much more beautiful.

Let me know if you want the guided tour of the route, it will be easier to explain that way and more fun too.

Oso

It's such a blast to see commuting pictures of the city where I live! Thanks very much.

I covet the 520 as well. Maybe someday...

-Rob

Originally posted by OsoGuevara




I absolutely LOVE my 520, but if you are buying one new, you have GOT to go to Coventry Cycle Works on Hawthorne and 20th and check out the Rivendell Romulus. $1500 for a work of art that is very similar to the 520, but sooooooooo much more beautiful.

Let me know if you want the guided tour of the route, it will be easier to explain that way and more fun too.

Oso

Oso -
Thanks for the offer, I just might take you up on it! Also, just when I thought that I had settled on a bike, you've got to go and complicate my decision:D

I checked out the website for the Riivendell Cycle works - and from what they state there this might be the bike that I've been looking for. Guess that a trip to Coventry is in my future. Their bikes are a bit more expensive than I had wanted to spend, but they look like they might be worth it.

Did you ride one?

Oso- nice pics! I wouldn't be surprised if I've seen you on the commute once or twice, as I live off of Division and 72nd, so I usually take Clinton all the way into town, through the roundabout in your picture, and cross the Hawthorne bridge. But then I just ride down the waterfront to Naito Parkway, where I work. Funny, too, as I also ride a 520.

The other route I sometimes take is up over Mt. Tabor, then just bomb down Lincoln all the way to downtown. They just repaved Lincoln, so it's fast, and not too many cars use it.

Have you ever ridden out to Boring on the Springwater path? Nice ride... Also, with the 520 I like to ride out to Powell Butte on the path, then ride up the singletrack to the top.

Hope you are able to find a way to enjoy your time away from work.... I guess that means more time for biking and maybe a bike-supported camping trip or something, eh?

thanks for the pretty commute!

Hope that you're back biking to work soon...sorry to hear about the job lossage...

Good luck,
Tom

Thanks for the pics. Hope you find a new job soon - you said you didn't like the old one, maybe you will find one you like better. Look for a job but enjoy the time off.

Joe

I know I have never seen a motorist say something like, "Well, folks, I have to stop commuting to my job. I'll really miss it! But anyway, here are some pictures of my route."

Really beauteous, man!

Here's hoping you get a better job that you really enjoy, with a commute you love!

:thumbup:

Originally posted by OsoGuevara
So I don't get to commute anymore. I was recently made redundant at work.


Was this connected with commuting on bicycle?

I know of the case, when the man was commuting to the office on the bike and the manager of the company told him to stop it, and come to the office by car or by bus wearing the tie.

This man was using the junk bike, which he was leaving in the hall near the entrance.

I use nice looking bike and keep it clean, so that my bike looks cool.

Wow, Oso, great pix--really brought back memories of my short spell in Portland. THEN you said...STREAM??? What happened? They had a bunch up in Kalispell that just got laid off too. Well maybe 4 months ago. What's the scoop? The local indy paper did a long story about them. Maybe time for a followup.

Hey Oso -

I took your advise and checked out the Rivendell bikes at Coventry. I was a bit tall for the Romulus frame, so I'm picking up a Redwood this afternoon. Thanks for the pointer.

Lorenzo

man, i wish my "commute" was longer...
i just zip across downtown in 10 minutes.

good luck with the job search.

hey great photos!

i think i've ridden about half of those roads - definitely all the downtown and PSU stuff and up by OHSU and in SE. my dentist was up at OHSU (i was a computer consultant w/o dental insurance and the dental school is one of the best in the country - you get cheap dental care but it takes twice as long, but i saved mabye $4k in 2 years)

looking at the picutres really brings back the memories... it's now been almost exactly 3 years since i moved away from Portland!! oh how time flies!

good luck with the job search. is the NW still reall bad for work? i have a good friend who was unemployed for over 6 months in Portland and finally took a job in Chicago this spring - he's making the best of it but it was sad.

Super pics OSO. Great to see routes on the other side of the pond. hope the work situation improves soon.

John

Well, everyone at Stream in Kalispell (300+ workers) got their notices yesterday. After the city dumped $4 mil in tax breaks on them 2 years ago. Stream is a scream.

Really enjoyed your post! Great illustrated story. Looks very bike friendly. Good luck.

Am I the only person that noticed the irony of "Flashdance" playing at The Clinton in the 4th picture?

Great commute though, and good luck.

Dave

Originally posted by cwodave
Am I the only person that noticed the irony of "Flashdance" playing at The Clinton in the 4th picture?


I noticed that Rocky Horror was playing at midnight instead... oh well difference in movie preferences, I guess

Originally posted by aluckyfiji
I noticed that Rocky Horror was playing at midnight instead... oh well difference in movie preferences, I guess

I used to live right around the corner from that theater - they always have some interesting movies playing there and Rocky Horror shows just about every weekend at midnight.

Great theater.