How I Commute

A lurker of my blog recently asked me recently how I do it -- Commute EVERY day. How do I literally NOT drive in today's age. My response was simple: Much like anything else in life, just start out, keep at it, and like anything else, it becomes habit. Sure, the weather isn't always great and I could pack it in and drive, but that is part of the challenge.

Let's take a deeper look at Vermillion. It is a logistically simple town to traverse making it easy to start commuting.

Terrain: Except for the few people who live below the bluff, Vermillion is flat as a pancake. Commuting doesn't take a toll on you effort-wise because there are no hills to traverse.

Ease of Navigation: Easy. There are very few streets that aren't in a grid format.

Streets to Avoid/Reason:
Main St. - Fairly high traffic depending on the time of day and it is very narrow in spots.
Cherry St. - Busy street at all times of the day. In the process of becoming a four lane road all the way through town. You can definitely ride it, but better to avoid it when possible.
Dakota St. - Busy at times as well, but is wide enough that cars should be able to give you room.
Plum St. - Main issue here is that it's a main through street to the South Side of town and to the hospital. It's moderately narrow with parking on one side. Best to choose a different north/south connector.

Reasons not to commute by bicycle in Vermillion: None.

It's more than just the commute though. It's the habit of not driving. I'm re-inspired to keep track of how often I drive and report monthly. Of course, this will make me think about anytime I get in an automobile and decide if it is necessary I do so.

Next post: A couple detailed days of typical commuting for me, since that was asked too! Oh yeah, stop lurking and comment once in awhile!