Commuting on a Motorcycle
It isn't a giant commute - about a 15km round trip each day. Our strangely summery autumn here in Ontario means I'm commuting on two wheels every day. Over two weeks and ten commutes I've put over 150kms on the bike (I sometimes go the long way home). What is commuting on a fourteen year old Triumph Tiger like? Glorious.
In addition to actually looking forward to my commute each day, I (and the planet) are also enjoying the fact that I'm barely using any fossil fuel to do it. In the past ten days I've used 6.88 litres (1.82 gallons) of gasoline to get to and from work; I've still got three quarters of a tank from my fill up two weeks ago.
The Tiger is currently getting better mileage than a Prius and didn't make anything like the hole in the world that the Prius did in manufacture. My 0-60 in under 4 seconds Tiger is very nature friendly.
Other than a light rain on the way home one day it's been a dry time. The bike has been fire-on-the-first-touch ready every day. If I won't get soaked on the way in I'll take the bike (being at work with wet pants is no fun). I could attach panniers and have rain gear with me (I've done that before on committed 2-wheeled commutes), but being only fifteen minutes from work means I and the Tiger travel light. Riding home and getting wet means being uncomfortable for fifteen minutes, no big deal.
How long can I keep it up? With the current forecast it looks like I'll be car-less until well into October. The most recent forecast suggests a drop into the teens in the upcoming weeks, but I'll keep going until ice is a threat (I won't do that again on purpose). Warm, never ending autumns are a lovely thing.
Unlike driving to work in the car, when I commute on the bike I arrive oxygenated and alert; it's difficult to cultivate the same level of alertness sitting in a box. Showing up at work switched on and ready to go is a great way to start the day.
With no morning radio I'm not as plugged in to the world, but that's no bad thing either. Instead of pondering the latest human generated catastrophe (aka: the news), I'm gulping down morning mist and beautiful sunrises; it puts you in an expansive state of mind.
Soon enough we'll be into the long dark teatime of the soul (Canadian winter). In the meantime I'm going to keep drinking from the commuting on a motorcycle fire hose.
How long can I keep it up? With the current forecast it looks like I'll be car-less until well into October. The most recent forecast suggests a drop into the teens in the upcoming weeks, but I'll keep going until ice is a threat (I won't do that again on purpose). Warm, never ending autumns are a lovely thing.
