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Posted April 22, 2005
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Commutes to envyTake the long way home When my eyes open before the sun rises or the alarm clock can make its nerve-shattering noise, my mind is confirming the fact that today is a "ride day." I hurry through the morning routine so I can take the "long way in," 45 minutes of heaven, instead of the breakneck pace of the slab. At the first turn, it’s like I’m not going to work. I
roll through farmland and the smells of damp earth, the twisties by the
river clear my head, I’m glad to be alive, and almost don’t mind that
I’m heading to work. I am a The best is yet to come, the workday done, I’m on the throttle again to meet my partner for the flip of the coin, because we have so many great choices for our long ride home. Pam Hanson The joys of Wonder Valley I live in a place called Wonder Valley. It is actually a small valley nestled in the foothills east of Fresno, California. Pine Flat Lake, which is about 15 miles long and about a mile wide, lies at one end of the valley. My commute to work is 35 miles each way. When I leave my house in the morning, I choose between my 2001 BMW K1200LT or 1996 K1100RS. The ride begins on a narrow, two-lane, sweeping road through open rangeland for eight miles. Then I follow the Kings River for five miles before the road opens up into a beautiful, two-lane, banked road for 15 miles before it gets into town. Most of the commute traffic goes north and south. I go east and west, so I hit no traffic. If there is any, it's very light. I ride this road every day, rain or shine or fog. I look forward to it and it's very relaxing to lean the bike into the long sweepers or the tight turns following the Kings River. I love my commute. Bryan Holladay Commuting on the Blue Ridge Parkway I live in Asheville, North Carolina, and I ride to work spring, summer, and fall (sometimes winter), as long as it's 40 degrees or better and not raining at the house. My 1994 Honda VFR750 has 94,500 miles on it. On the commute, there are many ways to get up onto and down off of the Blue Ridge Parkway and turn a 20-minute commute into a two-hour ride. Chris Buckner Any commute's better on two wheels My commute to work isn’t unique or incredible, but it surprised me. After years of traveling the suburban Chicago roads, I didn’t see any reason to commute on two wheels, other than those perfect summer days when you see dozens of bikes while trudging off to work. So, once I started commuting by motorcycle, I was surprised to find roads that didn’t impress me behind the wheel, but were actually quite nice. The more I rode, the more I found less traveled, more scenic ways to get to the same place I had been going to for years. With the addition of better riding gear, I don’t even worry about the chance of rain spoiling my fun. Also, with a nice weather-proof Givi trunk, I can carry the parts and tools that sometimes are part of my job. I challenge everyone who thinks they can’t commute on two wheels to just try it. You will be surprised at the nice roads that are in your back yard as well. In a car, you can find the fast roads. On a bike, you find the good roads! Dean Swanson Continued: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Next>> © 2005, American Motorcyclist Association |
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