Fifty Plus (50+) - How I "commute" to work...

My office is in my home. I don't have to commute anywhere, except for the occasional client meeting which is rarely (thank God!) during rush hour traffic.

But I always wanted to "commute" to work, so I've gotten into the habit of getting up a little earlier, and going out and putting five miles on the bike. It's not much, but it gets me into a nice positive mood for the day. My recreational riding (at least in the summer months) is in the late afternoon and of course on weekends.

I probably put 20-25 extra miles a week on my bike, and I get all the benefits of commuting to work. And if it rains I can just stay home. Of course, it never rains in Southern California (and rarely in Pitcairn Island either).

Anyone else "commute" like this?

Anyone else "commute" like this?

Not quite that, but my corollary: My employer has been gracious enough to let me work from home more
So, instead of lunch, I go out and ride for an hour or so (ahem) - enough to get a got 16 miles in.
Then I come back and make my lunch and eat while I work.
The days that something comes up that stops me from getting in my miles are not good days.

My miles make me happy and productive :D

No, and I don't have a double D girlfriend either, and I hate you.

That's a good program you have going, DG. Since you don't have to do it, it takes self discipline and lots of positive attitude. My hat is off to you.:beer:

I work from home and find all sorts of excuses to not ride, because I think that I have to get 25 or 30 miles in order for it to "count." Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I'll give it a try. Five miles is perfect in the morning.

That's my commute exactly. Now that we have abandoned our corporate offices and everyone is working out of our houses, my commute is measured in inches. I currently prefer to put my miles in in the early evening though. The best part is that I get to pick and change my routes. The quality of cycling is much better now.

Don't forget to pack your lunch, and occasionally ride "back home" because you forgot your keys to the office.

:thumb:

What a great way to jump-start your day. And it may be just the ticket to losing those extra pounds you said you want to lose. I've found that if I can't get an hour's worth of exercise at one time of the day, doing a combined hour throughout the day has similar benefits.

If I lived within 10 miles of work, I'd commute on my bike. But riding 26 miles each way would mean 4 hours commuting. I like to be home too.:(

I work from home and find all sorts of excuses to not ride, because I think that I have to get 25 or 30 miles in order for it to "count." Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I'll give it a try. Five miles is perfect in the morning.

I used to think that way too. Until I bought Joe Friel's book "Cycling After 50", in which he says that if all you have time for is 30 minutes, then go for 30 minute ride. Four 30-minute rides throughout the week is 2 hours of riding. 2 hours is a lot better than ZERO... don't you think? :)

I'm thinking that we need a rule interpretation.

Does it count as a commute if you end up at the same place where you started? I'm thinking that it's like work. You can strain against a boulder all day but, until you move it a millimeter, you've accomplished no work at all.

And how about all those guys who bore us with their climbing statistics? If you start and finish at the same place, you've had exactly zero net elevation gain. Ever hear somebody say: "I did a 40 mile ride today with 4,000 vertical feet of coasting."?

I'm thinking that we need a rule interpretation.

Does it count as a commute if you end up at the same place where you started?

Interesting point, but consider that while I'm out commuting, the Earth is revolving around the sun and in a quite different location when I make it back to my home. So with that in mind, it counts. :lol:

Interesting point, but consider that while I'm out commuting, the Earth is revolving around the sun and in a quite different location when I make it back to my home. So with that in mind, it counts. :lol:

Do you know that for sure, Digital, or is that just something that you read in some book? Next thing you'll be claiming credit for riding a century when you were really just sitting on your bike in front of your computer the whole time.

I'm from Missouri. You have to show me. No commuter points for you!

I don't know if I can get comfortable with the idea of a "One Way Commute".
It just seems like you've got to set a minimum distance and ride at least that
distance each morning and each evening in order to call it a commute. Now
I am an old fashioned sort of guy, so maybe this "One Way Commute" thing
is just fine......just don't post too much about this during the Winter Commute
season or you might rile a few jealous tempers.

So when your neighbors ask you where you're off to every morning I assume
you intend to tell them you're going to work. Of course then they'll ask how
far you ride etc., and eventually you'll get "The Look" when they realize you work
from home. Cool! Have fun with that! :roflmao2:

Happy Trails

.just don't post too much about this during the Winter Commute
season or you might rile a few jealous tempers.

DG lives in San Deigo. They don't do winter.

DG lives in San Deigo. They don't do winter.

Sure they do! Arm warmers and finger gloves as the temp. drops into the upper 60's, as I recall!

EDIT: opps, forgot the smiley :D

But I always wanted to "commute" to work, so I've gotten into the habit of getting up a little earlier, and going out and putting five miles on the bike.


Okay, how diligent have you been with this?

It sounds like a good plan, and it will probably make you more productive in your morning hours. So keep it up.

But I always wanted to "commute" to work,

You're a sick man DG...very sick and twisted. :twitchy:

I used to think that way too. Until I bought Joe Friel's book "Cycling After 50", in which he says that if all you have time for is 30 minutes, then go for 30 minute ride. Four 30-minute rides throughout the week is 2 hours of riding. 2 hours is a lot better than ZERO... don't you think? :)

Thanks, Yen. Of course, when I commuted, I went both ways. So my new "commute" should include TWO 30-minute rides--one in the morning to "get to work" and one in the evening "to get home again." If I can trick my mind, my body will follow.

Oh, whoops, COD already pointed this out.

That's great, DG, and stick with it.

I used to work from home, and (I was more into running than cycling at that time) used to schedule a trot around Richmond Park, South West London) into my lunch hour on a non-client day. I loved it, and my clients used to find it pretty good too - many teasing but accepting emails.

So, a teasing but supportive comment from me

I learn from the commuting forum here that you're not really commuting unless you confront antagonistic drivers with a firm one finger salute, or have your bike stolen, or have snidey co-workers make snarky comments, or have your bike stolen or run over when it's parked. I trust you're covering all these necessary qualifications?

Just kidding. Keep it up

That's great, DG, and stick with it.

I used to work from home, and (I was more into running than cycling at that time) used to schedule a trot around Richmond Park, South West London) into my lunch hour on a non-client day. I loved it, and my clients used to find it pretty good too - many teasing but accepting emails.

So, a teasing but supportive comment from me

I learn from the commuting forum here that you're not really commuting unless you confront antagonistic drivers with a firm one finger salute, or have your bike stolen, or have snidey co-workers make snarky comments, or have your bike stolen or run over when it's parked. I trust you're covering all these necessary qualifications?

Just kidding. Keep it up

Here's what I do. Just to "keep it real," I put on a tie and jacket, and put a rubber band over the pants so that I won't get grease on them. Then I do the ride. Then I come home, take a shower, and put on my shorts and tee shirt (normal work clothes) and get to work.

So, does that qualify?

I work at home as well, and I have a 13-mile loop I try to do twice a week after work. It's a mix of street and MUP riding and includes a couple of decent hills. I like to keep up a good pace, but slowing down for other trail users then accellerating away again is just part of the exercise. Also have to keep an eye out for security cars in a cemetery where the speed limit for bikes is 10 kph (30 kph for cars!)

If the weather is no good I do a spinning class instead at one of the local clubs. It takes about the same amount of time as my short loop and burns about the same number of calories.

Here's what I do. Just to "keep it real," I put on a tie and jacket, and put a rubber band over the pants so that I won't get grease on them. Then I do the ride. Then I come home, take a shower, and put on my shorts and tee shirt (normal work clothes) and get to work.

So, does that qualify?

Yes.

Do you know that for sure, Digital, or is that just something that you read in some book? Next thing you'll be claiming credit for riding a century when you were really just sitting on your bike in front of your computer the whole time.

I'm from Missouri. You have to show me. No commuter points for you!

Well, unless you buy the old geocentric universe theories so popular before Copernicus, you'll have to accept that the Earth does travel. ;)

If you add the speed of a place on the surface of the Earth rotating together with the speed of the Earth rotating around the Sun together with the Sun rotating around the center of the Milky Way galaxy I believe it adds up to somewhere in excess of a million miles per hour. Centuries are easy. Cosmically speaking you can do that while you are throwing your leg over the saddle. ;):giver:

When that great Southern Writer Thomas Wolfe said, "You can never go home again." He got it right. It's millions of miles from where you left it. :D :twitchy:

Well, unless you buy the old geocentric universe theories so popular before Copernicus, you'll have to accept that the Earth does travel. ;)

If you add the speed of a place on the surface of the Earth rotating together with the speed of the Earth rotating around the Sun together with the Sun rotating around the center of the Milky Way galaxy I believe it adds up to somewhere in excess of a million miles per hour. Centuries are easy. Cosmically speaking you can do that while you are throwing your leg over the saddle. ;):giver:

When that great Southern Writer Thomas Wolfe said, "You can never go home again." He got it right. It's millions of miles from where you left it. :D :twitchy:

:eek: No wonder the ancient Mariners were so afraid of sailing off the edge of the World!!!! :eek:

If you add the speed of a place on the surface of the Earth rotating together with the speed of the Earth rotating around the Sun together with the Sun rotating around the center of the Milky Way galaxy I believe it adds up to somewhere in excess of a million miles per hour. Centuries are easy.


I think I did that already...around 1969, can't really remember.:twitchy::eek: