Nothing Profound
I've been riding my 1987 Honda Helix (a 250cc maxi-scooter) to school for an entire semester now and I thought I'd post to get started writing again. The experience has been great and once I got some insulated overalls and heated grips, even cold weather riding has been enjoyable.
I ride 40 miles a day round trip. My route takes me basically from Cottonwood Mall, around Coors Bypass to Coors, then to Paseo Del Norte, Tramway, Lomas, and onto the Manzano High School campus. It takes about 30 minutes, give or take, almost no matter what. Being out of the box, out of a cage, for the commute, has reconnected me a bit more to the natural world. And the concentration it takes to pilot a two-wheeler keeps me alert--I take less for granted. No cage comforts. But I do have a small Kenwood radio that blares M88 in the mornings. Good stuff. Always encouraging.
My inspiration to blog about commuting on two wheels comes largely from Gary Charpentier. You should check him out at ridetowork.org in the commuter blogs section. Last year he decided to brave the Minnesota winter commuting via a 150cc scooter. He made it and is doing it again this winter. Great writer.
So my first three months commuting 40 miles a day in all weather (save snow, as Albuquerque doesn't maintain roads very well then) and at speeds occasionally exceeding 70mph, has gone well. And getting 60 to 64 mpg doesn't hurt either. Let's call it "conscious and appropriate transportation." If more single occupant four wheeled vehicles were two wheelers, Albuquerque (and the world) would be better off for it. I've even seen a few two wheeled commuters riding two up. Now that's conscious transportation.
I ride 40 miles a day round trip. My route takes me basically from Cottonwood Mall, around Coors Bypass to Coors, then to Paseo Del Norte, Tramway, Lomas, and onto the Manzano High School campus. It takes about 30 minutes, give or take, almost no matter what. Being out of the box, out of a cage, for the commute, has reconnected me a bit more to the natural world. And the concentration it takes to pilot a two-wheeler keeps me alert--I take less for granted. No cage comforts. But I do have a small Kenwood radio that blares M88 in the mornings. Good stuff. Always encouraging.
My inspiration to blog about commuting on two wheels comes largely from Gary Charpentier. You should check him out at ridetowork.org in the commuter blogs section. Last year he decided to brave the Minnesota winter commuting via a 150cc scooter. He made it and is doing it again this winter. Great writer.
So my first three months commuting 40 miles a day in all weather (save snow, as Albuquerque doesn't maintain roads very well then) and at speeds occasionally exceeding 70mph, has gone well. And getting 60 to 64 mpg doesn't hurt either. Let's call it "conscious and appropriate transportation." If more single occupant four wheeled vehicles were two wheelers, Albuquerque (and the world) would be better off for it. I've even seen a few two wheeled commuters riding two up. Now that's conscious transportation.
posted by Brett Rimer at 10:40 PM
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