Putting the commuter away
The best part of living and working in Janesville is the commute, or the lack of commute. Whether you drive or ride to work it doesn’t take that long to get where you need to go. IMHO, it’s a bigger quality of life bonus than a water park or ice arena -- but hey, that’s just me.
A short commute for me means I ride my bike (bicycle that is) as much as possible. Some in town scratched their head at the former public works director when he added bike lanes on major thoroughfares but I welcome the lanes and use them when the weather is favorable. Pedaling only takes a few more minutes than jumping in the car, plus I get to give my farmer wave to the guys sitting in a garage drinking coffee on my route every morning…it’s the little things in life.
The downside to a Janesville bike commute is the winter weather. I guess you can call me a fair weather commuter. Taking a look at the short-range forecast it appears last Friday was my last bike ride to work. With rain in the forecast Monday and Tuesday, and a chance of snow on Wednesday the road bike will make a trek to the trainer in the basement for the winter. No more waves to the guys in the garage. I’ll just pedal this winter and go absolutely nowhere in the basement.
Between mid-April and mid-November I pedaled more miles on my bike back and forth to work than I put on my trusty old Saturn. Take that OPEC! So, I saved some money, stayed fit, went green, yada, yada, yada. The biggest win on my commute this year was a stop at my daughter’s school for lunch and she thought it was cool that I rode my bike. I wonder if she’ll feel the same way in middle school?
Steve Knox was born, raised and landed back in Janesville. He encourages you to participate as he writes on Janesville and beyond as this Generation X guy supports his Janesville mission, global vision. Steve is a community blogger and is not a part of Janesville Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the Janesville Gazette staff or management.
Nov 23, 2009 at 1:46 p.m.
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Name me some decent paying factory jobs left in Janesville. By the end of the year even more will be pulling out and going to Mexico. Beloit has all sorts of factories still open that pays a decent wage. The only jobs left in Janesville is retail and the corner jiffy lube. That is why so many people have to commute to Beloit or Madison if they still want to live in Janesville.
Nov 23, 2009 at 10:49 a.m.
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opinionforfree, there are still people who work in Janesville. Not everybody in Janesville is laid off. There are still good places in Janesville were people work.
Nov 23, 2009 at 9:43 a.m.
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That makes everything ok then
Nov 23, 2009 at 9:29 a.m.
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Opinionsforfree-Steve does not work for the Gazette. He does his blog voluntarily (for no pay) on his own time as do some other bloggers.
Nov 23, 2009 at 9:22 a.m.
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Hey Opinionsforfree dude, take a deep breath. Sure, it is terrible that people have to drive a long way to find work, but Steve doesn't work "at" the Gazette. It's my guess that like you, he's simply giving his 'opinions for free.'
Nov 23, 2009 at 8:36 a.m.
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"best part of living and working in Janesville is the commute, or the lack of commute."
Hey dude. have you noticed that your paper just finished an article about people that worked at GM Janesville driving 10hrs to get to their job, or that jobs are drying up around this area so fast that others are having to make just as long commutes. Were happy for you that you get to work at the gazette and write a silly blog about NOTHING and you get to write about your ride to work.
Nov 22, 2009 at 6:56 p.m.
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Steve, Christmas is coming. Wildfire fatbike.
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