Bicycle path adjacent to the Freeway
So I decided to take up the BCC Bike Commuting Challenge and commute to work on my bike this morning. This was my first attempt at such a feat as I have previously always used buses and trains to get to work. I certainly don't live in the best location for a bike commute, but decided to give it a shot since I am desperate for an excuse to get back in shape.
Since I live west of downtown Portland, my commute went adjacent to the Freeway, up through Washington Park and the West Hills and then down into Portland. It was a nice mix of beautiful, not-so-beautiful, and learning that I am not in very good shape...Skyline Boulevard in particular was brutal...
In fact, to give you an idea of the hills involved, here are some names of the roads I traveled:
-Cedar Hills Boulevard
-Knollcrest
-Skyline Boulevard
-Fairview Boulevard
-Vista Avenue
Favorite moment of the commute: Watching a Unicyclist cruise down the hill at like 30 MPH. I honestly thought it was a runaway clown who was going to crash and die. After I stopped to turn around and watch, he actually handled the hill quite impressively for not having any handlebars.
Least favorite moment of the commute: Getting lost in Washington Park - that place is a maze.
Downhill through Washington Park and into Portland was especially beautiful though. If you can, I highly recommend pulling out your bike to commute. You will save some money, get in shape, and help the environment. BCC was kind enough to post some pictures of my commute, and I have posted them and others below for your viewing enjoyment.
Did I mention Skyline Boulevard was brutal...?
Neighborhood I rode through
A beautiful cottage I rode past - it's even for sale
The Rose Garden at Washington Park
Washington Park with downtown Portland in the background
Drinking water supply for Portland - the sign says it's a crime to throw anything into the water
I made it - Downtown Portland
04 June 2008
Bicycle Commute
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3 comments:
I think you should buy that cottage--looks cozy. I don't know if I could even commute to my job by bike, but I console myself with the fact that I only go twice a week. And now Mr. Fob doesn't commute to work at all (and he always walked before). I guess it's time to fix up my bike since we're moving to the "bicycle capital of the world", right :)
All that's standing between the population of Portland and mass poisoning is a sign?! Doesn't anyone read comic books? The water supply is the first thing supervillains go for!
foxyj,
I would LOVE to live in that place, but I haven't yet been able to track down how much it's going for. Then again, because of it's location, it is probably selling for an outrageous amount.
mr fob,
I agree completely! I laughed out loud when I first saw the sign, because I couldn't believe how vulnerable the water supply for an entire city seemed. Hopefully they have cameras monitoring the area becuase there are usually no people anywhere in sight.
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