I live 15 miles from my work with a good chuck of Los Angeles standing between my apartment and my work. To some 15miles is not very far to drive to work, but in LA, it takes 45min-1hr in the morning and 1hr-2hrs to drive home in the evening. I had been taking the bus so I could at least zone out and read, watch tv shows/movies instead of road raging. While stuck in traffic on the bus I would see bikes riding right by and it got me thinking.

Approximately 5 months ago I was talking about trying to ride my bike to work, at that point my bike was a 1973 Schwinn Continental. I often talk about things I want to do, but do not actually do them. My girlfriend challenged me to ride to work and back the time my brother turned 30, on August 20th 2011. Challenge Accepted!

Today is August 25, 2011 and I just did my 1000th mile commuting! I started in earnst 87 days ago when after I bought a new bike (Bianchi Campione) and have been riding around 100 miles a week since (2 weeks off, 1 for being sick and 1 for going to NYC). I drive my bike in on Monday with my car, leave my car at work(we have a nice secured underground parking) and ride all during the week. Then I pack up my gear in my car and drive my bike back home on Friday for the weekend.

Since I've started riding, I've inspired many people to start thinking that bike commuting may be an option for them as well. We also now have a bike gang at work where around 5-7 of us ride someplace on Friday for lunch.

Hizzah for the first 1000!

Nice work, I'm closing in on 1000 too, but not all from commuting. Actually, if you count the mountain bike, I'm over already. Not too bad considering how much other stuff I have going on right now in my life.

Congratulations! I recently changed job and my 5 mile commute became a 15 mile commute so I can relate to the commitment it takes. I just logged my 31st commute yesterday so I am at 930 miles so far this year not counting the 400 I racked up prior to the job change. That was WI winter commuting, so I think that is in my past at 15 miles.

Hey congratulations! My sister in-law used to live in Glendale & when I visited them I rode along with her husband to his job in Santa Monica so that we could have his car for the day - 2 hours to go 20 miles! If I lived in LA I would bike also.

That's a nice looking ride, BTW.

Excellent Job! I especially like the part about inspiring others at work to bike more. I've had that same experience at my workplace. Be the change you want to see! Happy Pedaling!

Congrats on your 1'st K... Now, I'll invite you to join us on The 2011 Commuting Mileage Thread to keep a record of your continued progress!

Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh (OR)

Very nice! I'm loving the commute more and more myself, but it's a little late for me to get 1000 miles in this year. Maybe next year!

Way to go!

And doubly so for doing it here in LA. Miles on these pothole-riddled, motorist-clogged, car-centric streets are harder-earned and seem longer than most other places I've ridden (but sometimes even more rewarding).

How long does your 15 mile commute take you? What general areas are you coming from/going to?

Congrats and nice bike! I was just curious as to why you drive your car to work on Monday and home on Friday? Why not just commute all week and leave the car home? Not trying to be critical or anything, just curious.

I drive in Monday and out Friday for a couple reasons. 1.I only have on-street parking where I live and no garage or drive-way. At work we have underground parking, so my car gets to chill out during the week out of the elements and don't have to worry about moving my car for street cleaning and getting a $60 ticket. 2. Gives me the option to go someplace after work that is unplanned/out of the way/bike unfriendly. Sometimes I go to a family memeber's house after work and am there until midnight and then would still have a 15mile ride home at night.

I wouldn't do it if we didn't have free underground parking at work.

Thanks everyone!

It takes me about 1hr10min-1hr20min depending on how I am feeling,wind, lights etc. The best I've done is 1hr flat, still not sure how I pulled that one off. I was in pursuit of another biker ahead of me and I think I had the chasing the rabbit effect.

I'm coming from Silver Lake, going to Santa Monica, about 9 blocks from the ocean. My route is primarily Fountain Ave to Santa Monica Blvd@Fairfax to what becomes Arizona/Ohio@Westwood Blvd.

He might be trying to travel as light as possible. So maybe he brings clothes, food, toiletries. etc. with him and then bring those essentials all back to replenish the food and wash the dirty clothes. I could be wrong however, this pure speculation.

Bravo!! Great post!

Congrats!!! Your post sounds so much like my year... started in April in earnest, just hit 1300 miles. Averaging about a hundred miles a week (on weeks where I don't travel). Drive my car in on Monday with my bike and clean clothes, leave the car there until Friday afternoon. Takes me 1 hr 15 min to ride in, versus 1 hr to drive.

Keep up the good work!!!

Congrats!

I was celebrating my first 1000 last year. It's definitely a good goal to meet annnnd...assurance you have indeed been bitten by the commuting bug. Nice work!

Congrats on the 1000! My goal is just 100 right now even though I plan to ride 25 straight by the end of the year.

That's an absolutely miserable drive during rush hour--the kind that makes a person contemplate just throwing himself in front of a bus and ending it all. Way to be smart.

That's a nice bike. I want a Trek Portland... I said if I break about 1800-2000 miles this year I'll get one, and I'm rapidly closing on that. Just work commuting. I should clean up and sell the GT I guess, replace that with a Boston 8 for a backup bike and night rider.

I also want a BMW... I think I'll start pestering the police, maybe I can nab one out of the auctions or outgoing trash.

Congrats on 1000!

The next zero is harder.