FLJeepGuy

I have a long history of bike riding, however, a bad accident many years ago put me off riding for the last fifteen years. About a year ago, I and my family got back into riding and I've caught the bug again. So, after spending the winter months fretting over whether or not to try commuting, I finally decided to take the plunge and build a commuter bike hoping that the expenditure would be the final straw to getting me out on the commute. I put together a '97 GT Nomad (pics will follow when I have a chance) 21-speed, 700c hybrid road bike with racks, lights, and locks that turned out to be a nice smooth riding bike.

So, with weather this morning at 5:30am sitting right in the high 60s with low humidity and zero chance of rain, I decided to take my shot. What more could I ask for to push me over the edge. 14.4 miles, 1h20m later, I was sitting safely at my desk having completed my first commute!

Luckily, I'm not having stamina issues, and as a Clyde (275lbs) and 50+, I'm pretty happy with the numbers and can't wait to see them improve over the coming weeks. I'm aiming for commuting two to three days a week since family, scheduling, and work obligations will require me to drive at least a couple of times a week. I figure at 60-90 miles a week plus the leisurely rides with the family in the evenings and weekends, the weight will start coming off, and my time/speed will improve.

snow_echo_NY

congrats on your first commute and welcome back to the bicycling bug. enjoy the many more miles ahead of you!

BobbyG

go, Go, GO!

KenshiBiker

Congratulations on getting back into it. Although never a clyde (not for want of trying, but at 5'-3" it takes more effort than usual to make it to clyde-dom, and even at that I got scarily close), I was 50+ when I started year-round commuting about 2 years ago. You're right, your times will improve (if you want them to), the weight will drop off (assuming you stick to a healthy/sensible diet), and you'll enjoy commuting even more.

RubeRad

From one clyde to another, don't expect the weight to automatically come off unless you work at it. I've been bike commuting nearly full-time (like 90%) for 36 months now, and I'm not a pound lighter than when I started. The two reasons have to be: I still eat like a pig, and I ride lazy, expended effort equivalent to going for a walk. And I bet you didn't get to 275 by having a healthy/sensible diet, so if you really want to lose weight you'll have to change that.

However, after all this time I am definitely a stronger rider, even without trying that hard. If only I could motivate myself to ride harder, work in regular interval training, stop shoving delicious delicious food in my face, etc then I would lose weight...

Anyways, congrats on starting to ride again after such a long break!

kflagg 

Way to go my man!

caloso

Well done.

bmthom.gis

Keep it up!

mgw4jc

Welcome to the club!

wsgts

Excellent, you can commute year round here in Florida!!

FLJeepGuy

Thanks for all the kudos and encouragement! I made it home yesterday in about the same overall time, however, due to time of day, the traffic was horrendous. My spidey-sense was working overtime to keep from getting run over, hooked, etc. My route, unfortunately, takes me through one of the most nortorious, busiest road areas in town and while there was very little morning traffic (5:30am-7am), the afternoon was something else (4pm-5:30pm). I'm going to have to build up my ninja skills to keep this up for long without getting hit.

KenshiBiker

Any chance of detouring around the traffic? Especially on the way home, I'd gladly go 4 or 5 miles out of my way to avoid "one of the most nortorious, busiest road areas in town".

RubeRad

If you post a link to a google map of your problem area, folks around here will all pipe up with alternatives...

FLJeepGuy

Here is Google maps "recommended" route: https://goo.gl/maps/TxhYV
Here is the route I take: https://goo.gl/maps/Up87l

I take the second route for the following reasons:

• There is a separate paved bike path all along Kernan Bvld
• Cutting through the University of North Florida (UNF) from Kernan to Town Center Parkway is great for bikes.
• Town Center Parkway does have a painted bike lane all the way to Gate Parkway

Reasons I don't go via the recommended route:

• Beach Blvd is a nightmare of conjested traffic in the afternoons and only has a painted bike lane in some areas which is broken up constantly by business, and residential entrances.
• Belfort Road only has a VERY narrow painted bike lane and is heavily traveled.

Honestly, my selected route has zero issues in the morning, however the return trip is "not fun" in my book. Too much traffic, particularly Gate Parkway crossing Southside Blvd and going up to Town Center Parkway. No bike lanes here, only a very narrow four lane road with no shoulders and a 45 MPH speed limit that is completely ignored. I've looked at the map for alternate routes, that would avoid this, but I don't really see a way around it.

RubeRad

How about Salisbury to Bowden then zigzag BowdenS/Bridges/Belfort/Touchton, then reconnect with your previous route at Gate? Seems to add only half a mile. Although the left turn Bridges-->Belfort has no light, might be tough to find an opening in heavy traffic. However, it looks like there's a sidewalk on the W side of Belfort between Bridges and Touchton, you could stay on that side for just a block then use the light(?) to get across Belfort to Touchton.

FLJeepGuy

That might be doable, however it only cuts a small part of the Gate Parkway section between Southside and Town Center.

Another option is to stick with my route and simply ride the sidewalk on Gate between Town Center and Southside, however I do try to avoid ever riding on sidewalks, and that one is not the best maintained and has a lot of tree and bush overgrowth in sections.

RubeRad

How about some off-roading? Looking in Google Maps at the satellite view, can you turn N from Gate about halfway between Touchton and Town Center and follow the brown strip N about 1/4mi, then E about 1/2mi, meet up with Town Center near the Publix? Looks almost like a bike path there.

noglider 

You made really good time for a first commute. I still take an hour to do 13 miles each way on my commute, and I really can't blame traffic for it. Congratulations. Good job. Here's hoping it becomes a habit or a preferred way of commuting.

FLJeepGuy

I like the way you think, and I'm definitely not against off-roading, however, you can't tell from the google maps, but that's a utility easement following a set of large powerlines. It's fenced off with lots of no-trespassing signs, etc. Plus, the Gate Parkway end of it is in behind a large church and then a condo complex and it's fenced all the way around.

Also, Town Center is not so much of an issue as it has a fairly wide bike lane all the way through.

FLJeepGuy

Thanks much. I was averaging about 10-11 mph, up to a max of 18 in some of the more open areas.

RubeRad

Ah, fences, that's tough. I have a similar situation, my work is a few hundred yards away from where my son needs to be picked up from basketball practice, but due to fences it's 2mi to get around.