The Road Best Traveled
I can't understand why so many people spend half their lives bitching and moaning about having a terrible commute. We all have choices in life. We can choose where to work, where to live, and if our commute just doesn't work out the way we like it we can always alter one or both of the choices we have made. And if changing a job or moving is simply not an option, we can choose sometimes to change our route, change the times we travel, or maybe just change our attitudes. There is no reason to just bore everyone else around you by complaining how bad your commute is every morning when you arrive at work and every afternoon you're heading home.
My current commute is an easy one, relatively hassle free. But then again, I planned it perfectly this time around after having a few real attitude killers. When I got a new job recently at a local college, I moved to an area I knew would have a pleasant commute. From my apartment I can just hop onto Alton Road where it catches Indian Creek around 65th, and follow its winding, palm-lined four lanes through a beautiful residential neighborhood until I get to Mount Sinai Hospital, around 45th Street. Then I take the Julia Tuttle Causeway, a.k.a. I-195, west across a flat stretch of pavement that seems to skim the surface of Biscayne Bay to the city of Miami. Bridges to allow boat traffic rise high above the water on either end of the Tuttle, revealing spectacular views of Miami's downtown, South Beach's east and west skylines and even Bal harbor to the north. Beyond the second lift, I hook a left on I-95, scoot quickly into the right lanes and catch the Dolphin Expressway, a.k.a the 836, west to the 27th Avenue south exit. From there it's just about 16 blocks to the corner of SW 7th Street where the college sits at the entrance to Little Havana.
The entire ride takes about 15 minutes, maybe 25 in rush hour, so on days when I'm not in a hurry I take alternate routes. If I just have a little extra time I like to exit the Dolphin on 17th Street, and maybe stop for a coffee somewhere on Flagler. I turn right, to go west on Flagler, and ramble past the old mom-and-pop shops that line this otherwise unknown local part of the city. Then I take a soft left around 22nd Avenue, on Beacom Boulevard, a rare diagonal route that leads directly to the college.
To be honest, this is one of my easiest commutes, and probably the most beautiful and picturesque. I especially like taking the Tuttle. After a morning rain, there is always a rainbow stretching high into the sky somewhere out west, above the Everglades, and the sky reflects off the bay's glossy smooth patina. It's one of my favorite stretches of urban highway in the country. My favorite, I think, is the Pulaski Skyway, which flies above two rivers, the wetlands and industrial port facilities in Kearny to link downtown Newark with the entrance of the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City. While it seems the Pulaski in Metro Jersey and the Tuttle in Miami couldn't be more different, they are actually quite similar. The eastbound Pulaski provides incredible views of Manhattan, and on clear days you can see bridges and rooftops in all directions. The Watchung Mountains can be traced along the horizon when heading west, and Newark's downtown and the Passaic River sparkle in the sunset. The Pulaski has charm on overcast and drizzly days, too, as the sight of several skylines transform into paintings as if brought forth from the imagination by an impressionist's brush.
I realize others who travel these paths on a daily basis might not agree with my optimistic, almost romantic estimation of these two commutes. Sure, there's traffic. Sure, I get cut off by idiots using their cell phones and hyper-passed by crazed sports-car driving maniacs every day. But the makings of a good commute, any commute, depends heavily on how you view your world. Are you just driving through, trying to force your way through the traffice? Or are you going to be a part of the bigger picture, and take part in the world around you? As for me, I plan ahead, take my time and always choose the road best traveled.
My current commute is an easy one, relatively hassle free. But then again, I planned it perfectly this time around after having a few real attitude killers. When I got a new job recently at a local college, I moved to an area I knew would have a pleasant commute. From my apartment I can just hop onto Alton Road where it catches Indian Creek around 65th, and follow its winding, palm-lined four lanes through a beautiful residential neighborhood until I get to Mount Sinai Hospital, around 45th Street. Then I take the Julia Tuttle Causeway, a.k.a. I-195, west across a flat stretch of pavement that seems to skim the surface of Biscayne Bay to the city of Miami. Bridges to allow boat traffic rise high above the water on either end of the Tuttle, revealing spectacular views of Miami's downtown, South Beach's east and west skylines and even Bal harbor to the north. Beyond the second lift, I hook a left on I-95, scoot quickly into the right lanes and catch the Dolphin Expressway, a.k.a the 836, west to the 27th Avenue south exit. From there it's just about 16 blocks to the corner of SW 7th Street where the college sits at the entrance to Little Havana.
The entire ride takes about 15 minutes, maybe 25 in rush hour, so on days when I'm not in a hurry I take alternate routes. If I just have a little extra time I like to exit the Dolphin on 17th Street, and maybe stop for a coffee somewhere on Flagler. I turn right, to go west on Flagler, and ramble past the old mom-and-pop shops that line this otherwise unknown local part of the city. Then I take a soft left around 22nd Avenue, on Beacom Boulevard, a rare diagonal route that leads directly to the college.
To be honest, this is one of my easiest commutes, and probably the most beautiful and picturesque. I especially like taking the Tuttle. After a morning rain, there is always a rainbow stretching high into the sky somewhere out west, above the Everglades, and the sky reflects off the bay's glossy smooth patina. It's one of my favorite stretches of urban highway in the country. My favorite, I think, is the Pulaski Skyway, which flies above two rivers, the wetlands and industrial port facilities in Kearny to link downtown Newark with the entrance of the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City. While it seems the Pulaski in Metro Jersey and the Tuttle in Miami couldn't be more different, they are actually quite similar. The eastbound Pulaski provides incredible views of Manhattan, and on clear days you can see bridges and rooftops in all directions. The Watchung Mountains can be traced along the horizon when heading west, and Newark's downtown and the Passaic River sparkle in the sunset. The Pulaski has charm on overcast and drizzly days, too, as the sight of several skylines transform into paintings as if brought forth from the imagination by an impressionist's brush.
I realize others who travel these paths on a daily basis might not agree with my optimistic, almost romantic estimation of these two commutes. Sure, there's traffic. Sure, I get cut off by idiots using their cell phones and hyper-passed by crazed sports-car driving maniacs every day. But the makings of a good commute, any commute, depends heavily on how you view your world. Are you just driving through, trying to force your way through the traffice? Or are you going to be a part of the bigger picture, and take part in the world around you? As for me, I plan ahead, take my time and always choose the road best traveled.
Comments