Short Commute Story.

The weather is starting to be very nice to us bike commuters. Mine takes me through some very low traffic routes. For instance, the first part is through an abandoned state school. I have seen some articles describing some of the arcane treatments for the severely retarded adults and children who were wards of Paul Dever School.

Commuting this time of year is very casual and there is a ten or twelve minute window where there could be some traffic. As with most places, school buses are the most difficult vehicles with which to share the road. There is very often the attitude of the drivers that they are owners of the road and safety is something the others have to practice. Most in this area drive much to fast, and take far too many chances, while depending on the rest of us to give way. So far, it's been working out fine for them. I suppose the rest of us have a better attitude when dealing with a bus full of kids.

Here are a few photos I took on the way home tonight. Click on any one to make it really big.


One of the entrances to Paul Dever school is behind the parking lot of General Dynamics in Taunton, Ma.




Abandoned staff residence.


Gravestone marking the burial area of the original family that owned the land at the turn of the 19th century





A Midnight Rider

Good commuting road

One of three RR crossings

Decrepit industrial area





The end of the short commute.



The "winter commute" is a short five miles. A 35 mile drive completes the route. The rest of the year it's eleven miles and there is lots more traffic to maneuver on the home bound leg. The "long route" morning ride from six to seven AM, is usually me and a couple of pickup trucks sharing the back roads. The only thing I'm waiting for is daybreak to get a little closer to 6AM.