Tuesday, December 09, 2003
EXCUSE FROM HOME FOR TEACHER
Please excuse my absence yesterday as the winter cold bug has taken hold early. I spent the weekend and last two days fighting sore throat, fatigue, cough etc. It's not a flu, though I did get a flu shot last Friday and I think I was on the verge of something then, so maybe it put me over the top? Anyway, suffice to say I didn't ride my bike to work the past two days. Buh! I feel bad, but I have had some time to think about it, and based on lots of advice I am better off resting this and getting strong again before I hop back on, or I risk a lingering sickness, no?
So what are my options? 1) Sue can take me in and pick me up from work. This makes most sense on the days when she works at the shop because she can make the trips part of each other when the schedules work out that way. This is what we have done the past two days. 2) I can take the city bus system. This option is not attractive for a few reasons, though i have taken the bus home a number of times since working in Downtown Harrisburg, and will do so in the future. First, crowded buses mean lots of germs and I might want to steer clear of that while recovering, second the walk to and from my boarding and deboarding points is about 12 blocks cumulative, plus the time standing out in the cold waiting for the bus is a factor. None of which are a big deal normally, but I am trying to fight this cold bug ya know? 3) I can drive our second car to the City Island lot and walk. This option affords me the flexibility of coming and going on my own schedule and not the bus's, it affords a better walk through City Island and Riverfront Park as opposed to along the streets of New Cumberland and downtown Harrisburg (I get enough exhaust when I ride thank you), and it is only 30 cents more daily than the bus ride ($3.00 vs. $2.70). I know, I Know there are environmental and social concerns to think about like single occupant driving and supporting alt. and mass transit, but once again, I'm trying to beat this bug.
So when I can't bike commute, I'll use whatever option is available and the best at that time, its nice to have all available for now. The weather is also a factor for commuting, and honestly, may cause me to balk at riding some days, but I'll try my hardest not to let it do so. It's not the cold, but it is the conditions following the real heavy snowstorms when I know the shoulders of the roads won't be very clear, and when the sidewalks I can take as options will be plowed over with the roadway snow. This is especially the case crossing Market St Bridge. Really, I have only the options of being on the roadway or the sidewalk over the bridge. No other options, I have to cross the Susquehanna here. And when the snow and ice present themselves in this situation, I don't trust being on the road with the cars in this tight spot, and finally I would have major trouble getting on the sidewalk if you see how piled high with snow and ice chunks it is 2 or 3 days after our big storms passed through here. Any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated.
And while you're here sign my new guest book! Just click on the link in the right hand colum under the feature picture and off you go, but don't forget to come back and finish reading what you may have missed.
So what are my options? 1) Sue can take me in and pick me up from work. This makes most sense on the days when she works at the shop because she can make the trips part of each other when the schedules work out that way. This is what we have done the past two days. 2) I can take the city bus system. This option is not attractive for a few reasons, though i have taken the bus home a number of times since working in Downtown Harrisburg, and will do so in the future. First, crowded buses mean lots of germs and I might want to steer clear of that while recovering, second the walk to and from my boarding and deboarding points is about 12 blocks cumulative, plus the time standing out in the cold waiting for the bus is a factor. None of which are a big deal normally, but I am trying to fight this cold bug ya know? 3) I can drive our second car to the City Island lot and walk. This option affords me the flexibility of coming and going on my own schedule and not the bus's, it affords a better walk through City Island and Riverfront Park as opposed to along the streets of New Cumberland and downtown Harrisburg (I get enough exhaust when I ride thank you), and it is only 30 cents more daily than the bus ride ($3.00 vs. $2.70). I know, I Know there are environmental and social concerns to think about like single occupant driving and supporting alt. and mass transit, but once again, I'm trying to beat this bug.
So when I can't bike commute, I'll use whatever option is available and the best at that time, its nice to have all available for now. The weather is also a factor for commuting, and honestly, may cause me to balk at riding some days, but I'll try my hardest not to let it do so. It's not the cold, but it is the conditions following the real heavy snowstorms when I know the shoulders of the roads won't be very clear, and when the sidewalks I can take as options will be plowed over with the roadway snow. This is especially the case crossing Market St Bridge. Really, I have only the options of being on the roadway or the sidewalk over the bridge. No other options, I have to cross the Susquehanna here. And when the snow and ice present themselves in this situation, I don't trust being on the road with the cars in this tight spot, and finally I would have major trouble getting on the sidewalk if you see how piled high with snow and ice chunks it is 2 or 3 days after our big storms passed through here. Any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated.
And while you're here sign my new guest book! Just click on the link in the right hand colum under the feature picture and off you go, but don't forget to come back and finish reading what you may have missed.
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