Car Free Commute

I wake up, get ready, grab the bike and ride two blocks. The train pulls up, I get on and 20 minutes later get off and ride 1 mile to my job. This is my commute to work at my new job in Portland, Oregon.

New Commute starts and ends with the bike (image credit: Curt Ailes)
New Commute starts and ends with the bike (image credit: Curt Ailes)

For those of you who do not keep up with me on social media, I started a new job here in early February where my family and I have moved to take in new adventures in life. Part of this started with selling the car that we owned in Indianapolis eschewing a car lite lifestyle for a completely car-free alternative.

Thus far, it seems to be working out. Our new home, located in downtown Portland, has us within 2 blocks of Trimet’s MAX light rail system and even closer to the downtown streetcar line. I use the MAX daily for getting to and from work while my wife and son use the streetcar for daily functions as basic as getting to the multiple grocery stores along the streetcar as well as a downtown Target; all of which has alleviated us of $500 in monthly automobile expenses.

Portland's MAX light rail (image credit: Curt Ailes)
Portland’s MAX light rail (image credit: Curt Ailes)

So what does all this mean for my coverage of transit at Urban Indy? As you can already tell, my writing has slowed down and Shayla has happily stepped in to fill the void covering Indy’s transit movement on the policy and design analysis side of things. I will continue to offer coverage from time to time that is relevant to what we cover at Urban Indy.

Comments 4

  • Looking forward to seeing you in an episode of Portlandia this next season.
    Thanks for your past input, it was well received by me.

  • Bummed that you left. Also jealous. Very jealous.

  • Here was my Indy commute this evening from downtown to Irvington. Hit railroad underpass on NW Street at about 3800 east. For the nth time, realize it is literally impassable by bike and barely passable by car. Having learned from experience that south sidewalk is also impassable without waling the bike. Try north sidewalk for the first time. Get to eastside of underpass mostly okay. Hit one inch plus of fine dirt/gravel on upslope. Darn near fall on butt. Get to several points along the way where bike lane in unusable due to fine dirt/gravel thanks to zero maintenance efforts by city. Rely on memory to anticipate and avoid chuck holes in the dark. Welcome to another trip home in Indiana via bike.

  • Curt

    Enjoy Portlandia. It is by far my favorite city.

    Does this mean we will be getting Portland calendars hint hint ha ha

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