Previous years when I folks were promoting the [Commuter Challenge](http://commuterchallenge.ca), I felt a little left out, since I walked to work pretty much every day and setting aside a special *week* as a challenge seemed a bit silly. Where was *my* prize?
Well, now that work is a bit beyond walking distance (unless you consider a three hour walk walking distance–I’ve tried it once…), and I’ve been driving to work nearly every day. It’s not a bad drive: 15-20 minutes on the Expressway. But now I’m one of those horrible, planet-killing commuters, driving a single-occupant vehicle back and forth to work every day. Exactly the sort of person the Commuter Challenge is meant to… er… challenge.
So I figured I should take up the challenge.
Sunday: While not technically a commute, we had a Pathfinder game and since the place is about half-way to work, I figured I’d warm up and ride my bike there. It was a success, and I managed to figure out the detour around the construction on William Street.
Monday: Bus to work. I live near the McCormick [iExpress](http://www.grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/DocID/B556123DFF6AE13E85256B210066A182?OpenDocument) stop. So I could walk there and catch the bus. I missed the first one and had to wait 15 minutes for the next, throwing off my plan carefully crafted with [EasyGo](http://192.237.29.245/hastinfoweb/). As a result, I missed the connection at Fairway and had to walk the rest of the way (or wait 20 minutes for the #12 bus, which came out to about the same time). Total time to work: about 1.5 hours.
The only good thing about taking the bus is I can catch up on podcasts.
I caught the right bus and made the connection on the way home, so the trip home was closer to an hour.
Tuesday and Wednesday: Biked. I have to say, it’s a really nice ride into work. Total time: about an hour. I’m still not quite in shape enough to make it effortless. The ride home is a little harder, with a couple uphill slogs and more headwind. I think I might ride to Fairway on Friday and take the bus home.
I get to take the [Trans-Canada Trail](http://tctrail.ca) pretty much the entire way to work. Mind you, someone decided that in lieu of an actual trail, they should call Courtland Ave. and Manitou Dr. a “trail” for 3km despite being heavily trafficed motorways with barely a sidewalk. It’s not so bad, though, since I decided to take a detour along Vanier Drive through the residential area there. Most of the ride along the [Laurel Trail](http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=laurel+trail+waterloo&m=text) and [Iron Horse Trail](http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=iron+horse+trail+kitchener&m=text) is lovely and well worth the effort. Much nicer than driving, even if it does take four times as long.