For three years I have been a 100% bike commuter in the city of Anchorage, riding everywhere, all year long. I've braved temps to twenty below and up to the mid-80s. I've dealt with rain, sleet, freezing fog, snow, moose, and one bear.
Now I'm changing things up in my commute, moving out of the city to a small community 38 miles north, yet will still be working in the city. When I decided to make this move, I had a few options for the daily commute. I could buy a second car and make the twice daily drive, contribute to the crowding on the one highway between Palmer and Anchorage, and generally waste a lot of time and money on getting to work. I could car-pool, which is a better option, but would still require me to drive, and would end my bike commuting. Or, I could go multimodal, using a mix of bike and public transport. This is the option I've decided to pursue.
This option has its downfalls, including the need to be on someone else's schedule to ensure my connection between the two towns. However, it also allows me to continue biking, a total of 12 miles per day, be productive during the bus portion, and is much more cost effective than driving myself.
This blog, then, is a chance for me to record the process, make observations about the viability of multimodal transportation here in Alaska, and maybe serve as a resource for others who want to take the same approach.
Stay tuned. It'll be a trip. I promise.
No comments:
Post a Comment