Tell us about your commute ... OR ... What gear is your favorite?

[robrecht]

Not everyone here in New Jersey used to like to hear about my 1.25 mile commute from my first two apartments. So I started telling people I had a 45-minute comute (if I walked slowly and stopped for coffee and read the newspaper).

Now that we've moved out to the country, my commute through the rolling hills of Western New Jersey takes me over the Sourland "Mountain," a curvey wooded hill climb with 4 one-lane bridges, a 19th century General Store where I sometimes get coffee and a newspaper, and a bear crossing. People think all New Jersey is like Hoboken but it's not!

Not everyone understands why I take such narrow windy roads over the mountain when I could take real highways around the mountain. Well, even though my route is the shortest distance (13.15 miles) and the shortest drive time (20-25 minutes), the fact is through most of the wooded hill climb I can stay in 2nd & 3rd gear in my little Miata, hardly needing brakes at all as I slide around the curves and charge up the hills. Lately, I've come to love 3rd gear the best!

In the evening I'm likely to see hot air balloons flying overhead (when it's top-down weather), and my little guy old watches the cows across the street while waiting for Daddy to come home in his "cool cahr." The "Daddy Dance" as I come in the door is by far the best part of my commute.

[Alexandra242628]

Here is my commute:

25 miles each way from Hollywood (Ft. Lauderdale) to downtown Miami. What should be a normal 25 minute drive takes over an hour at times. I take I-95 the entire way. It is a complete parking lot and the scenery is awful. All industrial buildings, cheap hotels and gas stations. My only salvation is my elevator ride to the 30th floor where I can shut the door to my office and stare at Biscayne Bay all day wishing I was having some fun in that 65 foot yacht that just passed by...

[TheBerkinator]

I have a 22 miles each way daily commute from my suburb north of Cincinnati to downtown, which sucks! Takes me over an hour from the time I leave the house to the time I get to my office. Every morning I think to myself, is this worth it? I already have a rather sucky job, so why not move somewhere down south where it's at least warmer, and have a sucky job there?! One of the considerations for deciding on the silver color was that if hopefully one day we move somewhere warmer, the lighter color might help in the hot sunny days. Talk about planning ahead!

The commute has been a little less sucky by the presence of my new Pilot, of course .

[robrecht]

Originally posted by TheBerkinator
... I already have a rather sucky job, so why not move somewhere down south where it's at least warmer, and have a sucky job there?! One of the considerations for deciding on the silver color was that if hopefully one day we move somewhere warmer, the lighter color might help in the hot sunny days. Talk about planning ahead!

The commute has been a little less sucky by the presence of my new Pilot, of course .

Maybe they're hiring at Alexandra's firm on the 30th floor?

[Alexandra242628]

I think he said he wanted to go somewhere warmer, not hell, which is what Miami is for 6 months out of the year. Damn steamy here.

[robrecht]

Originally posted by Alexandra242628
I think he said he wanted to go somewhere warmer, not hell, which is what Miami is for 6 months out of the year. Damn steamy here.

We're connecting through Miami later this month to go see the grandparents at Thanksgiving. Travelling at that time of year and poor planning means we're stuck with a 4-hour layover.

Anything near the airport that we should go see? Never been to Miami before.

[Ziploc]

Originally posted by robrecht
~~snip~~Now that we've moved out to the country, my commute through the rolling hills of Western New Jersey takes me over the Sourland "Mountains," a curvey wooded hill climb with 3 one-lane bridges, a 19th century General Store where I sometimes get coffee and a newspaper, and a bear crossing. People think all New Jersey is like Hoboken but it's not!
~~snip~~

In the evening I'm likely to see hot air balloons flying overhead (when it's top-down weather), and my 18-month old watches the cows across the street while waiting for Daddy to come home in his "cool cahr." The "Daddy Dance" as I come in the door is by far the best part of my commute.

Ahh, robrecht, I actually found myself relaxing, reading about your commute topped off by that beautiful autumn photo. You're right--people do misjudge New Jersey as one big Turnpike accommodating industrial/urban overflow from NYC.

You're lucky that your move "out to the country" resulted in a commute of only 20-25 minutes. A real win-win situation--picturesque, rural home surroundings at the exceedingly reasonable price of a less-than 1/2 hour commute (presumably meaning Civilization is nearby)! What a great place for your 18-month-old to grow up.

Just remember to stay alert at that bear crossing!

[ramirami]

I commute 30 miles each way from a NW 'burb (Arlington Heights) to a south 'burb (naperville). Takes me 35 to 40 minutes as most of the traffic is in the opposite direction. Listen to ESPN radio on most days and use my corolla for the drive, which gives me 40mpg

[Alexandra242628]

Rob - South Beach is directly east from the airport if you want to check it out. I have some restaurant recs depending on the time of day you are going to be in town. If you can afford it, Joe's Stone Crabs is a must and is about a 20 minute drive from the airport. Or you can hit Bayside which is right downtown and about 15 minutes from the airport. Tons of shopping, restaurants, all right on the water where the cruise ships come in and leave.

[kadiir]

9.5 miles. 15-20 minutes in, 20-30 minutes home (the Friday 500 is usually backed up for 20-30 miles and can take me 45-90 minutes to get home).

I did have a 2 mile commute once (all streets). It was actually faster for me to ride my bike than drive (and so I did).

kad

[jrex]

I come from a west 'burb to downtown 23 miles in at about 30 minutes and 25 miles home at 45-60 minutes. I take 2 different highways because if I took the same one home that I take in, (the shorter one) the commute goes up to 60-75 minutes. As the old saying goes "Take the road less traveled". I am jealous of ramirami who gets 40mpg in his Corolla when I get 16 in my Tundra

[colorider]

I commute about 45 miles round trip daily from the north end of Loveland to the south end of Longmont. Most of the drive is on US-287 (2 and 4 lane) and about 5 miles of "city". USUALLY I'm on my ST1100 - unless the roads are not suited for two-wheelers - or if the temps are below about 20F.

YMMV

[Jet-Pilot-64]

I comute 30 miles each way to and from work. 40 minutes to work and 45 minutes to 1 hour home. Nothing to look at except idiot drivers weaving in and out of traffic at 100mph risking other people's lives... At least I have my Pilot, with its 5 star safety rating to protect me...

Sounds like a Jay Peterman catalog description form Seinfeld

[robrecht]

Originally posted by Alexandra242628
Rob - South Beach is directly east from the airport if you want to check it out. I have some restaurant recs depending on the time of day you are going to be in town. If you can afford it, Joe's Stone Crabs is a must and is about a 20 minute drive from the airport. Or you can hit Bayside which is right downtown and about 15 minutes from the airport. Tons of shopping, restaurants, all right on the water where the cruise ships come in and leave.

Thanks! I'll have to check the times--I love crab!

[Alexandra242628]

Here are some links:

http://www.joesstonecrab.com/

http://www.baysidemarketplace.com/