Multi-modal commuting
Here at SkyTruth we are always trying to reduce our carbon footprint, which is why I have started riding my bicycle in to work. The problem is that my house is about 3 miles away from the office, and the road that gets me there has no shoulder, no shade, tight corners and too many cars. So while I do feel quite virtuous about all that carbon I’m not emitting every time I ride in, I really don’t enjoy the ride very much.
However, we are blessed here in Shepherdstown with a GREAT resource just across the river in Maryland known as the C&O Canal. This is the old canal built in the 1800’s to ship goods from Cumberland, MD down to Washington, DC. It’s now a National Park, and the old tow path is well maintained so it makes for a really nice bike ride along the river, under the shade of big old sycamores, oaks and poplars. The only problem is that it’s on the other side of the river from my house, and the only crossing is the James Rumsey Bridge at Shepherdstown, which is at the other end of the hot, narrow, winding road.
Solution: borrow an old canoe from a neighbor and paddle across with my bike, tie it to a tree on the other side, and then ride down to Shepherdstown on the quiet, cool canal tow path, and finally cross the bridge and ride through town to the office.
View Paul’s commute to work in a larger map
Hah that is awesome. I have "multimodal" commute as well but I just take my folding bike on the train. I wish I could do a boat ride for part of my commute.