Rate my ride - bike commuter

I've been commuting to work and back riding a bicycle for years. 

I ride my bike all year around in all weather.

 My average daily ride is...here, take a look on my health app. 

So, I ride about 18 miles a day. 

I live 4.5 miles away from my work place. 

Here I am going up the ramp to the Roosevelt island bridge. 

It takes me about 25 minutes to ride to work and a couple minutes faster to ride back. 

Riding back from work is faster because it's much more pleasant for one thing :) 

Going to work I have to ride longer hills - that also slows me down. 

And I ride to work at night as you may have noticed.

 Riding back home in daylight is less tense than riding in the dark. 

Here I am about to make a right turn on Vernon Blvd.

 Red light...no traffic... and so I go. 

The dedicated bike line here is empty at this time. 

Trucks and cars block the bike line in mornings on weekdays. 

I think the same stands true for pretty much every bike line in New York. 

The first Winter of Covid-19 pandemic, I had the best time ever riding my bike in New York. 

Streets were empty! 

There were no cars, no people - New York was very different back then.

 Riding a bike in the pandemic time was pure joy. 

My commute back then was about 20 minutes long. 

The same distance without any traffic makes it go way faster. 

I just made a left turn on the bike line going along the Queens Borough bridge. 

Let's try to make it through the traffic light.

 Just in time! Good. 

There are two more traffic lights before the bike entrance to the bridge. 

And here is a 180 degree turn on the bridge. 

Up the bridge we are going. 

The bike entrances on both sides of the 59th bridge are very dangerous. 

Narrow space with very limited visibility day or night. 

The 59th bridge has probably the worst bike line in New York in my opinion.

 Look at that! 

I have to ride on the pedestrian line because of crazy incoming traffic taking my bike line. 

Many of the incomings are mopeds with license plates banned on this bike line.

Those are banned by state law from going on bike lanes of the Queensborough bridge.

 I have to pull on brakes to let this fool pass safely between me and the pedestrian. 

And there is another one coming on the right and on the left.

And look at them - all the speed just to make a stop shortly after a dangerous maneuver. 

I don't mind pulling on brakes even going up hills to avoid getting in dangerous situations. 

The light from incoming mopeds blocks completely the view of what is behind them.

 I prefer to see red tail lights in front of me - it gives me hints on what to expect ahead :) 

And here we are going down the hill into Manhattan. 

My bike can go up to 38 miles down this hill on the record.

 The first red light I have to stop at. 

In the past year I've been learning to ride the Catching Green Lights Challenge. 

It's actually enjoyable. 

I ride slower to roll through instead of making stops on traffic lights. 

Slower riding without making stops makes a safer ride without losing time. 

Here I am going along Central park toward Columbus circle.

 Here I have to slow down for the light to change. 

Green - I am going without making a stop. 

That is the beauty of it :) 

And I am riding ahead of all the cars! 

I am on the straight line to the finish.

 That's it. 

I can park anywhere here... 

It took me 27 minutes to ride 4.5 miles door to door today. 

Average speed 10 miles.

 Let me switch to the phone camera to show you my bike. 

Here is my trusted mountain Trek made mostly of parts I salvaged from junk bikes. 

Normally I ride without switching to the fastest gear.

 The whole ride was actually on this gear. 

I can go faster if need to.

 The watch on the handle bar lets me know if I have to go faster :) 

Let me know what you think of my commute.

Have fun and happy rides :)