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Would anyone familiar with the area consider this a safe route to ride to get from Humble to Downtown?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=10442239148101402594,29.906520,-95.301940%3B16570134744799170763,29.831400,-95.303993%3B7785171392359866747,29.828780,-95.341674%3B4329150477631055171,29.771073,-95.352084%3B7665763119662180629,29.765402,-95.352010&saddr=Will+clayton+parkway+and+timber+forest,+humble+tx&daddr=Homestead+Rd+%4029.906520,+-95.301940+to:E+Crosstimbers+St+%4029.831400,+-95.303993+to:E+Crosstimbers+St+%4029.828780,+-95.341674+to:McKee+St+%4029.771073,+-95.352084+to:McKee+St+%4029.765402,+-95.352010+to:29.758035,-95.364826+to:1000+Main+Street,+Houston,+tx+77002&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=6&sz=17&via=1,2,3,4,5,6&dirflg=h&sll=29.757746,-95.364032&sspn=0.006017,0.011748&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17
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Do you have access to a shower at work?
No, but I can't imagine I would get too sweaty on a 23 mile ride in the early morning.
And Nate, as in your email, safety is my primary concern.
No! Homestead, Crosstimbers, and Jensen are rough roads in very rough areas.
I have basically the same commute, and I cannot think of any way that wouldn't be too dangerous. The areas surrounded downtown Houston seem to be fairly dangerous if you're coming from the North - not to mention sharing the road with people on their crazy morning commute.. From crazies who bang on the window of your car to ask for change to terrible drivers... I have a hard time staying alive even behind the wheel.
It is possible to ride through quite "bad" areas if you have your wits about you, ride a mundane-appearing bike, and dress like a working-class person. I really don't know the surface streets outside the loop on the north side, but am interested in following this thread. Hardy, Elysian, Irvington, Fulton, and North Main, inside the loop, are familiar to me, though not during rush hour. I would be willing to help scout the route, once my vacation starts after May 2nd.
It is possible to ride through quite "bad" areas if you have your wits about you, ride a mundane-appearing bike, and dress like a working-class person. I really don't know the surface streets outside the loop on the north side, but am interested in following this thread. Hardy, Elysian, Irvington, Fulton, and North Main, inside the loop, are familiar to me, though not during rush hour. I would be willing to help scout the route, once my vacation starts after May 2nd.
Yeah, I don't have a mundane looking bike and I would much prefer the all-lycra look (mostly so I can get changed at work and have clean clothes on).
What I'm wondering is, at 6:30 AM and at 4:30 PM, how bad could it be? It's not like I'd ride through there on a Saturday night.
I suggest you just drive it and see how it is first hand.
The Homestead area is low income and high crime. Once you get closer to the loop and the "Near North Side" it is also low income and high crime but mostly industrial areas with lots of 18 wheeler and container truck traffic criss crossed with railroad tracks so the roads will be full of potholes and debris. Not ideal cycling conditions.
Good luck! Let us know what you decide to do.
I would suggest that you instead ride to the Humble/Kingwood park and ride lot, put your bike on the bus, and then ride to work from the bus stop downtown. I would hate to read about you in the paper because you either got run over trying to ride down some of those roads or got killed by a crack addict that wanted to pawn your bike for crack.
I would suggest that you instead ride to the Humble/Kingwood park and ride lot, put your bike on the bus, and then ride to work from the bus stop downtown. I would hate to read about you in the paper because you either got run over trying to ride down some of those roads or got killed by a crack addict that wanted to pawn your bike for crack.
WINNER!!!! +1000!
Do y'all know if they have racks in the storage compartments on the commuter busses, or if you just throw it in there lying down? I'm definitely not going to leave my bike at the park and ride... i've seen way too many lonely tires/frames/etc. lying around, victims of thievery.
My office building, on the other hand, has a bike rack right outside of the parking office in the garage, in view of the attendant.
I know Metro had made a committment to putting bike racks on quite a few of the buses, but I am not sure which ones they do or don't have them on. You might call Metro and ask or look on their website. They have a blogger now, so if you ask on the blog, you will probably get a somewhat reliable answer.
I ride with a guy on the weekends that lives off FM-1960 in Spring. He works for Exxonmobil and commutes each day to downtown by bike. He says he takes old Hardy and has never had any problems.
Personally I think it's a bit risky but again, I haven't been down old Hardy in ages.
Sgt. Spillco
I ride with a guy on the weekends that lives off FM-1960 in Spring. He works for Exxonmobil and commutes each day to downtown by bike. He says he takes old Hardy and has never had any problems.
Personally I think it's a bit risky but again, I haven't been down old Hardy in ages.
Sgt. Spillco
Interesting; I was thinking of Hardy being a possible good route.
The route busses all have racks on the front of them. The commuter busses have racks in the first or second compartment (the conductor at the P&R or the driver should be able to help you as there is usually small delay as they wait for the bus to fill up). The only busses that don't have racks are the ones that bend in the middle.
-Nate
You don't want to even ride your car on that route! Really, there is not a safe way to get there by bike, unfortunately.
I rode to the Townsen Park and Ride last Wednesday, put my bike underneath, got off the bus near the courthouses, and rode the 4 blocks to my building. I was sweating when I got in the elevator. I'm going to give it another try tomorrow, but am going to wear shorts and a t-shirt as opposed to the pants and a polo I wore last time.
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