bike commute from Jamaica Plain to Kendall Square

It’s been two weeks since I stopped doing the daily cross-state commute and we moved to Jamaica Plain. I’ve been exploring the best bike route from our new home in Jamaica Plain to work in Kendall Square.

The ride is very bimodal in its enjoyment level. Green = pleasant morning spin – 75%. Red = sucky roads with drivers trying to squish innocent bikers – 25%.

If some wiser veteran biker out there has suggestions, I’ve made the map editable…I’m refining this as I figure out the best ways to get between the two bike paths, and then to get from the end of the riverway bike path to the river.(Making the map editable was apparently a misplace of trust in the “crowd”, as the original route was deleted and I had to remake it. So much for collaboration with the unwashed masses.)

Note the difference in the way back to get around the Kenmore Square death trap. And a slight difference in getting back across Rt. 9 after getting off the riverway as well.

This route is taking me 25 minutes door to desk…45 minutes less than my old commute. 90 minutes a day back. Y to the E to the S. Also – on the few days where I’ve driven, it’s about 23 minutes door to desk. Ride your bikes, people. Good for the climate, good for the city, good for you. And a lot easier than you think.

Update #1:I’ve tweaked the way there to get to the river rather than dealing w/ Kenmore – go up Park Rd to Commonwealth, right on Commonwealth, and left (careful!) across Silber, straight to the ramp across Storrow.

Update #2:According the REI “Bike Your Drive” iPhone app, I save 11.4 lbs of CO2/day by not driving, which is worth $.10 according to (low) EU carbon prices. Willing to sell credits to qualified offset buyers.

View Jamaica Plain to Kendall Square Bike Commute in a larger map

…will make a different route for getting home cuz there are some differences.

Jodie’s Funny Phone Story:

Silly little vignette about these wacky globally distributed times in which we live:

San Francisco: Jodie, while hanging out with Evan, left her phone at Peets.

The nice people at Peets called Anna, my wife, who was the first person in Jodie’s phone.

Providence: Anna called Blair (still not totally sure why) because Anna did not have Evan’s phone number.

Berkeley: Blair e-mailed Tracey. Blair called me.

New Haven: I left a message for Evan about Jodie’s phone.

San Francisco: Jodie’s phone was retrieved.

Hah!

Lily Allen / Reading Lots / iPod in the Bathroom

Ezra and Sal introduced my to Lily Allen last week. Holy cow she’s rad. Edgy lyrics, variety of instruments, clever syncopated rhythms, multiple (slightly predictable) harmonies. Maybe Gwen Stefani meets a (white British) Missy Elliot. That’s not quite right. But she’s rad. If you’re looking for two good tracks to start with, I recommend: Littlest Things and Alfie. Apparently she’s all the rage in the UK, but I can’t even buy her full album on iTunes. What gives?

Apparently she is catching some flak for being a rich girl fronting like she’s from the hood. Whatever.

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So far I’ve read a lot during break:

1. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: Jonathon Safran-Foer – uncannily similar in tone and structure to his previous book (multi-generational, quirky/poignant/sad), which is an interesting choice and I’m not totally sure what to make of it.
2. Half-asleep in Frog Pajamas: Tom Robbins – this dude is a straight-up wack job. a bit preachy and pretentious at times, but funny if not taken too seriously.
3. The Blind Side: Michael Lewis – story of a) how the Left Tackle became such a highly valued position — the second most highly paid position after quarter back, and b) how an inner city kid from memphis goes from the most ghetto of ghettos to the rich ‘burbs living with rich white folks to one of top recruits in the country, at, yes, left tackle.
4. Bonfire of the Vanities: mostly funny, with a bit of sad and disturbing mixed in, portrayal of NYC’s i-banker “Master of the Universe” mentality.
5. Just started “Sick Puppy” by Carl Hiaasen

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this has to be a joke. really. please? god forbid you sit on the toilet without your iPod.

Hello world!

OK. With a good deal of ambivalence I am starting to write a blog for 2007 I guess. Am I really worthy? (Probably not). Is this silly self-indulgence? (Absolutely). Do periods go after or before closing parentheses? (I can’t really say for sure, but I should know that given all the education that I’ve been privy to.)

WordPress is pretty slick though.