Hooray finally did the commute.
 

It's been a while... years. My work moved to Laurel, then again to Silver Spring. I did the Laurel commute a total of 6 times, (three round trips) at 25 miles each way.

I had help planning the Silver Spring route from Joe, the BTWD convoy leader from Takoma Park to FDA White Oak, we rode it backwards on the day before BTWD. Since May I've not been able to arrange to bike in again, until yesterday, when I brought the bike, a towel, and a change of clothes to work and rode home, met up with Joe again for half of it. Rode in again this morning. Hot, humid, and hilly! But feeling accomplished. The DC to Silver Spring office commute is actually shorter than the Laurel commute, at 22 miles, although it takes longer because of the lights and extra hills. Since May, we hired a new guy on and we got to talking a bit about bicycling, and he said "oh, you know there's a shower in the second floor bathroom, right?" No, no I did not. Hooray! I just assumed a building from the late '70's wouldn't have anything like that. Certainly no gym or locker room or anything. Taking a cold shower after this morning's commute was divine.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...eb61ceaa95.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f6a8db6018.jpg

That is a hell of a commute!

DC traffic adds a huge challenge factor because...miserable

Congrats! The first trips are usually harder, and any trip that ends with a shower is better in my opinion.

haha that's it! right there! you're a lucky man!

That's a long commute. Congratulations.

Luckily this route avoids lots and lots of DC traffic,only a hair-raising 3/4 mile descent on Rt 29 / Colesville Rd before it's back to suburbia... but driving usually takes 45 - 1 hr. So that's an extra hour of exercise every day that I commute.