Originally Posted by
jasonvelo
i'm gonna start commuting the 24th, with a 12 mile drive and a 5 mile bike ride on MUP to start. i'm unfamiliar with the area the college is in, though, so i'm going to scout out some more possible park and ride locations when i take it for a test run on sunday
Congratulations. I assume you've already checked out maps of the area (Google maps are pretty good). Sometimes with exploring you can find some amazing routes that aren't obvious from maps. The maps don't always make the hills obvious either. There's no substitute for a bit of exploring by bike. Test runs on the weekend are an excellent idea. It sounds like you're on the right track.
How to stay safe when you're on the roads.
Originally Posted by
rex_kramer
Hopefully, in time, you'll want to bike the entire distance.
5 miles each way is a good start for a beginner. 17 miles each way would be a very long distance for most beginners. The entire distance also might be more by bike if a big chunk of his drive is freeway.