More than a month and a half into going car-free and I have yet to hop on one of Missoula's buses. Its not like taking the bus anywhere would be extremely difficult, as there is a stop on my street two blocks down from where I live.
I think I still have a mental block about the convenience of bus service. Anytime I want I can hit the road on my bike and get to anywhere in Missoula about as fast as a car (sometimes its actually faster). That freedom to come-and-go as I please is still an issue that I seem unable to get over at this point; which is ironic because this is one of the main arguments that opponenets of mass transit use when defending single occupancy vehicle travel.
I love the freedom of a bike and the joy of experiencing the weather, hearing the birds, and anything in general that I might pass. I know that at some point I need to get on the bus here in Missoula, especially come winter when the snow hits, but for now I'll continue to enjoy the spring on my bike.
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14 hours ago
2 comments:
I tried biking to campus during winter coming from 5th and Ash, it lasted about a month. In January I mostly walked. By Spring my bike was completely trashed from riding in bad conditions. I took the bus only handful of times, but remember walking and looking at passengers cozy and warm in the mountain lion as I trudged along the side of the roads. Especially in winter, I think the busing system is a must. Or carpooling.
I live 2.5 miles from campus and biked all winter. IF you got fenders and studded tires you are fine is you are dressed appropriately. A bike setup for winter commuting is a good idea. I use a single speed fixed gear mountain bike with fenders and studded tires. People do it on road bikes too though. It is not that hard, you just do not go as many places.
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