I know that the Chief started a conversation on travel, but what about us plain-jane commuters?

I have about an hour each way right now, that will probably jump to 1.5 hours in a few weeks.

Up until 2005, I worked only about 10 minutes from home. My wife loved it, we could meet for lunch, she could drop by at work just to say hi, etc. It just didn't pay enough to live like we wanted to live.

So now the long commute to a bigger city with better paying jobs. But there are sacrifices - we don't get to see each other as much for instance. And I feel isolated from my community since I don't work there anymore.

Anyone else doing the commute thing? How's it working for you? Do you plan on moving closer to your work at some point?

We've done it in the DC area, and it wears you down. I had a 75 mile commute around the beltway to Baltimore from the Dulles airport area for two years. The wife commuted into the Crystal City area where there was virtually no parking. She had to drive to a park & ride, then take the metro train to the pentagon, and then catch a bus to her building.

I can identify with your pain. It is no way to live, but in this day and age it seems to be a fact of life for many careers.

15 years ago I lived in Queens, NYC. My office was a skant 17 miles away, in Midtown Manhattan. I walked a half-block to a bus, which took me to subway; from there I rode right into Grand Central Station, and walked a few blocks to the office. The 17 miles took between 75-90 minutes, each way.

So when we decided to move to NE Pennsylvania, people asked me "why?" For 3 years I drove 3 miles to a bus stop, rode a Trailways bus to the Bus Terminal, and walked across town. The +90 mile trip took 95 minutes. The downside is that you live/die by the bus schedule.

Today I drive 110 miles, each way, to work. It's a routine that I've managed to hold for the last 12 years.

So I can relate to anyone who hates their 1 hour rides... I don't recommend my ride to anyone else, but you do what you gotta do.

quote:

Today I drive 110 miles, each way, to work. It's a routine that I've managed to hold for the last 12 years.

Ouch, this is thread is turning into a collection of horror stories that are getting progressively worse!!

It's not so much of a horror story. I do what I have to do...

Yeah, I leave the house before 5AM... but I am able to leave work at 3:30. With the 2 hr ride, I've got time to take my 11 year old to his weekly Boy Scout Troop meeting, and 2x week we both get a TKD workout. With his 4 y.o. brother in the wings, I'll gradually spend more time with him as the older boy moves more into his own.

My much-better-half can be a stay-at-home-mom who maanages the older boys virtual charter school. So she appreciates my taking him in the evenings.

Sure, there are days that totally suck. But in the end I am thinking it'll be worth it.

Of course, $3/gal is pretty steep, but what can I do?

Right now I'm doing about 54 miles one way so 108 round trip and gas at a few pennies below $4.00 /gallon. Me and another guy started commuting together to cut the costs.