The Commute to TCS

I picked a very convenient neighborhood to live in, mostly for Hitomi's sake since I work, or at least used to work out of my home office. (By office I really mean kitchen counter, though I have plenty of space throughout the house I can be working instead.)

Since acquisition by TCS, I've been going into work about every other day. There's a couple of options:

1) Drive, which Google Maps estimates at taking 15 minutes, 25 in traffic. Requires $8 more for parking and gas etc. I have not tried, but this is not bad, theoretically. In the morning, getting to work is likely okay, especially since I usually start work a little late, like 9AM. Getting on I-5 in the afternoon is likely a slog.

2) Bus, which is about 30 minutes, plus 15 for walking. The walk takes me through Pike Place Market and nice parts of downtown, which means I can integrate shopping in with my commute. Bus fare is $1.75-$2.00 each way. On the 66, there's always a free seat it seems and on the way back I'm on one of the first few stops. I can listen to music, surf on my Blackberry, etc.

3) Bicycling, which is about 25-30 minutes there--I'm fast and it's mostly downhill--and about 35 on the way back, if I take Dexter Ave and Stone Way, a more bike friendly route than Eastlake. There's a freed lane (no parking) going southbound before 9AM all the way to South Lake Union, so I have a lane to myself, which is nice. Still, some's occasionally parked or stopped illegally in this lane.

So, at least on the good weather days, bicycling is the winner. If I had to commute daily, I'd probably bike in the morning and bus in the afternoon. The trick, of course, is getting a bus outside the Ride Free Zone.