What? I commute on the 101 and 280? Am I crazy????

For my first commuting blog, I had intended more of an introduction post to start things gently. Alas my title has jumped into the fray and instead we cut right to the chase. However we shall pause briefly and still introduce just what this blog is about.

Three weeks ago, I started a job with a long commute. It is the first commute I have had in over 10 years. I live in San Francisco. I used to pride myself in having a job that allowed me to walk or even ride my bike to daily. It was great until the great layoffs in the recent "non depression".

After 2 years of occasional contract work and really not much of anything, I now find myself working in Sunnyvale. My first thought was SUNNYVALE? Down the peninsula?  That is a long ways away!  But then I looked at the map and said no sweat! Its only 42 miles away!

42 miles, yes. Easy? No. This was 42 miles on the dreaded 101: That snarled scrap of freeway that attempts to connect travelers up and down California. It is particularly snarled between San Francisco and San Jose.  Sunnyvale lays seemingly innocent along this road.  What the unwary traveler does not realize, is the horrendous backup that occurs where the bridges across the bay dump thousands of luckless commuters onto an already overcrowded freeway. This would be the Dumbarton and the San Mateo bridges. 

Who in the world thought the center of silicon technology should lay in the middle of such a rats nest of roads?  Is it their goal to protect the valley from people trying to steal technology?  If so I can’t imagine a better way than to prevent anyone from being able to drive there!  If this is their goal, they have succeeded.

My first drive to my new job was just 50 minutes. That was easy. I thought I would love this drive! Well, that was on a Friday. I was unaware that everyone in silicon valley takes Friday off. Probably so they don’t have to commute.   The coming Monday?  My first commute, 2 hours.  Traffic jams, accidents, mattresses, and a chicken all cause havoc upon the road. 

The dread began to grow on me.  I realize that this was no quick commute. And the following days proved to be even longer, and only occasional at the standard 90 minutes of heavy traffic.

It struck me right away the odd reasons for the delays. Accidents yes. But Mattress? Chicken?  I suddenly remembered my first commute drive in 1998 where on the radio it was reported “Traffic backed up on bay bridge because of pig on the road”. 

Mattress, chicken. Pig. Garbage can. People having sex on the side of the road, wow… this proved to be a most interesting commute after all!

Determined to keep a good attitude, and the suggestion of a friend to keep my sanity, I have started this blog. I will report my observations and try to find the absurd upon the 101 and the 280.   I will try to keep the wordage down, as I tend to add a few to many.  But on particularly bad days I promise nothing!

Onward we go dear reader!  The traffic awaits!

Stay tuned for our first real installment: Are all BMW owners total asses?