Necessity is a Mother.

I live exactly twenty one miles from Down town Los Angeles or twenty one miles from work. Home is in the foothills of the Western San Gabriel's with plenty of great back country to explore. That twenty one miles seems an unreasonable distance for bike commuting so I haven't up to this point. Yep that's correct I employ a carbon emitter and I'm not always happy about that. Isn't change only possible when we take it upon our selves to make those individual changes to start the snow ball a rolling.  The past two New Years I've made a resolution to commute to work by bicycle at the least once per week and well you know how resolutions go they get swept under the rug hauled out a year later.

A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

My commute by bicycle resolution was ripped out from under that carpet and in a big way! But I'll get to that in a moment.

Our homes main waste line has been infiltrated by our lovely liquid amber tree roots...just so happens the six inch transition clay pipe to the cities sewer in the middle of the street has integrity issues and needs to be replaced and then the section under the street thermoform lined to prevent future root infiltration. The work is being done as I type and it's a boat load. Let me put it into perspective, it's a Rivendell Atlantis fully built by Riv buried beneath my front yard, no late night digging parties please; besides the ground squirrels have that job cornered these days.

My digging party
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

Next up the wife's car won't start, our philosopher mechanic not physic mechanic two weeks ago couldn't figure out what the problem is? It started fine for him, he did fix a bunch of other stuff. So the wife asks about renting a car for a few days? I looked up rental rates and it wasn't too bad, but I had this pervading thought ride your bike to work! Come on you know you want to. It's doable.

Incidentally, I've been getting Homer prepared for the next S240 up in Ojai so he's been fully racked and bagged, essentially ready to commute. Oh and there's rain on the horizon...will my plans to make a February overnight happen or will Mother Nature impede my attempt on the S240 a month club? Stay tuned, I know I'm checking the weather forecast often.

I made contact with the plumber, line cleared and the rest of the work scheduled for tomorrow, so I readied myself, lunch, dinner, clothes, layers for the evening ride, Cygolight charged, rear lights all working blah, blah, blah...I rolled out and onward to a new experience. Climbing and thinking, thinking and climbing...I pedaled 600' out of my house and realized that the pork chop I was carrying might not be refrigerated for a while so the wife brought me a small soft cooler and blue icy thingy. Trudging ahead I stopped at Trader Joe's for some rice chips and then headed down and through Glendale via Vedugo Boulevard... time wise I was doing really well so there was time to stop and take some pictures and generally soak in the route.

A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

Hollywood extends to Eagle Rock
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

Los Angeles River
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

Once I crossed the LA river I paused to take some more pictures and saw a cyclist passing by. later I caught up with him at a stop signal and asked about his commute. He said he was traveling from Orange County. I said your commuting from Orange County?  Smiling he informed me he was retired and could ride all day, the light changed, traveling in different directions leaving me with questions.

A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

Retired
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

2nd Street tunnel entrance
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

I arrived at work nearly forty five minutes early and reflecting on the ride I was most pleased.

Trusty Homer at rest in the shop
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

The return ride was diametrically different. A short jaunt to Union Station a short ride on the Gold line light rail to Pasadena and I rode the sixteen miles home, climbing and chasing my shadow the whole way, owning the road.. There was a quietude to the ride that you can't achieve during the day. Arriving home at just after midnight, warm shower, pecked a few words and promptly slid into bed.

A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

Waiting
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

February 25th 8:00am

This morning I feel the fatigue but feel surprisingly well. Necessity really is a Mother pushing me to make that resolution a reality. Commute day two ahead, rain looming I am determined to make this Ojai overnight happen.

And my neighbor across the street coincidentally has the same plumbing problem too!

Neighbors digging party
A photograph by Socalpedalpusher on Flickr

More Flickr pictures here.

Thanks for reading and remember keep the rubber side down.