Commuters...need advice

[Jeepster-Matt]

I have an opportunity for a pretty cool job for the summer. Only problem is that it is a ways away.
I would be going Parker to Wheat Ridge everyday, about 50 miles each way.
My longest commute has been driving the tractor to the field, so this is all new for me.
For those of you who commute is this going to suck? Am I going to wish I never took this on?
My only other issue is that I have a big diesel truck that doesn't do too well on fuel, with prices rising I will probably have to work 1.5-2 hrs just to pay for the fuel to get there.
Moving is not an option, and buying an economical car is also out of the picture for now.

[Sound_Man]

I have a 50 or so mile drive one way to work everyday. The drive would suck if I was west of where I am headed in the morning. I have the sun at my back both ways. I too have a big diesel (GMC 3500 crew cab) that I drive on occasion. It costs over $150 a week to drive it to work. I do enjoy the time alone and the chance to leave work at work on my drive home. I get a chance to drink my coffee and listen to the news on the drive in. I am not driving in traffic, my drive is almost all dirt roads. The only thing I have to worry about is the occasional cow or antelope in the road. To me the drive is worth it. I have a great place in the country and a great job in town.

[MinesJeep]

I drove Golden, to Boulder 3x a week this summer for work not a great commute either, but worth it for the experience. If this unique job offer, will provide you real experience that will increase your likelihood and pay grade of future offers than even though you make less money in the near term than other options you will be better off in the the long run.

[HollywoodCTS]

Ina month or so my commute will be denver to Harrisburg, Pa. Luckily I can deadhead so no biggie. But the better pay, insurance coverage, and future prospects made it a no brainer compared to flying for a company here that could be gone tomorrow

[CGuava]

For now I'm driving from Longmont to Co. Blvd and I25 ~45 miles one way. Using my F350 Diesel. I love the drive when it's not in traffic, time to think about all the stuff going on in my head. Hate paying the $20/day to get to work (fuel wise).

I leave Longmont at 5 AM though to avoid as much traffic as I can there and back. I also get a ton more work done in the AM hours when no one is in the office.

I'd say check with your employer and see how flexible they are with your work hours. I'm assuming this is some kind of summer internship? If you're there because you're trying to learn something, it may be hard if 2-3 of your work hours aren't when everyone is there though. Driving w/o traffic makes life a lot easier, and Parker to Wheat Ridge definitely flies past some hot traffic zones.

All this said, it's definitely not something I'd do for longer than a year or so, I'm only 9 months into the commute and pretty much done with it. I've already found a place in Castle Rock where I will be moving to next month. Cut my commute in half.

[Pilot]

Ina month or so my commute will be denver to Harrisburg, Pa. Luckily I can deadhead so no biggie.

Yikes! Are you going to be based at KMDT? I used to live in Middletown.

[ZappBranigan]

I have an opportunity for a pretty cool job for the summer. Only problem is that it is a ways away.
I would be going Parker to Wheat Ridge everyday, about 50 miles each way.


OK, that doesn't add up. Parker to Wheat Ridge is maybe 20 miles max unless you are taking some weird detour. Even if you are in rural areas East of Parker I have a hard time believing it's 50 miles. Colorado Springs is only about 65 miles from Denver, how can you be in Parker and still be 50 miles away?

Now, 50 miles round trip, that makes sense. I guess the thing to do is crunch the numbers and see if it works. Figure on $4.50/gallon diesel and 250 miles/week commuting and see if you can afford it. :shrug:

[SPY]

OK, that doesn't add up. Parker to Wheat Ridge is maybe 20 miles max unless you are taking some weird detour. Even if you are in rural areas East of Parker I have a hard time believing it's 50 miles. Colorado Springs is only about 65 miles from Denver, how can you be in Parker and still be 50 miles away?

Now, 50 miles round trip, that makes sense. I guess the thing to do is crunch the numbers and see if it works. Figure on $4.50/gallon diesel and 250 miles/week commuting and see if you can afford it. :shrug:

Are you frickin high? Denver is 25 miles from Parker!

[CSP]

Parker to Wheat Ridge is maybe 20 miles max unless you are taking some weird detour.

Huh? It's five miles just to get from Lincoln and Parker Rd. to Lincoln and I25. I live four miles due east of Parker Rd. and my commute to I25 and E470 is 12.6 miles using the shortest route possible.

I drove downtown every day a few years ago and hated it. Driving in traffic is nothing like driving through a rural area and far from relaxing. I can't imaging going to Wheatridge every day.

[BalloonKnot]

I drive from Parker to Colo BLVD and I-70 (20-25 miles depending on route) and it takes me 45 mins to an hour each way. Sucks big time.

[Packman5280]

E-470 might make the commute easier, if you have the express toll thingy. driving through the middle of town, no thanks.

[ZappBranigan]

FWIW Mapquest says 30 miles from Parker to Wheat Ridge so there's no way he's got a 50 mile one-way commute unless he lives 20 miles East or South of Parker.

So, 60 miles = 300 mile/week commute. There are a lot of people who do more than that. Hell, the last year I was in College I lived in East Denver and commuted to Boulder 3-4 days a week for school. So it can be done, it just depends on whether you think the cost is worth it.

[ColoradoSkier]

A buddy of mine commutes from Guadalajara to Cincinatti. But he is in a different hotel everyday anyway, so that part is no big deal. Fly freight - way more insulated economically than flying people...

[ZappBranigan]

E-470 might make the commute easier, if you have the express toll thingy. driving through the middle of town, no thanks.

Except that E-470 runs East of town and his destination is Wheat Ridge which is West (near Lakewood.)

I was thinking about C-470 but it would add a huge distance to his commute because C470 doesn't go anywhere near Wheat Ridge. Would be more direct to bite the bullet and take I-25 to 6th Ave and then 6th to either Sheridan, Wadsworth or Kipling, depending on the final destination.

I occasionally drive I-25 in the mornings between Santa Fe and 20th and it's usually not too bad. Not sure about how it is further South, though.

[Packman5280]

oops, was thinking westminster not wheat ridge.

[CSP]

FWIW Mapquest says 30 miles from Parker to Wheat Ridge so there's no way he's got a 50 mile one-way commute unless he lives 20 miles East or South of Parker.

From where in Parker to where in Wheatridge? Center of city to center of city? I could go ten miles from the center of both cities and still be in a Parker/Wheat Ridge address. There's your fifty miles.

FWIW, Mapquest says it's 5.9miles from Parker to my workplace, yet my commute is 12.6 miles. Why? Using a generic starting place as Parker, which is downtown Parker, is several miles from my Parker home address. It's also 45 miles from my home to I70 & Ward Rd., which is in Wheat Ridge.

I can see a 50 mile commute easily as he did mention the usual commute involves a tractor. That means he isn't starting out from downtown Parker.

Give or take ten miles at either end of the commute isn't going to make it suck any less anyhow, so who really cares.

[Jeepster-Matt]

Parker to Ward and I70 was exactly 53 miles, took me right at an hour at 845am.
I wish the light rail went closer.

[Suki]

I'm not sure of what route you can take from Parker, but we live in Aurora (Quincy and Tower rd) and the fastes way from our house to alan's work (I70 and Kipling) is to take Tower to Airport rd to I70 and go straight from there. 225 is a mess no matter which time of day/direction. So it adds on a few more miles, but it's about 15 mintues faster.

What route did you end up taking? Looking at a map, I would think either E470 to I70 and then shoot across to Ward OR C470 to 70, but I would probably stay away from I25 to I70, it gets really really congested through that area. It's a crappy commute, unfortunately that's the commute that Alan has been doing for the last 3 years almost and it's wearin him down. :(

[Jeepster-Matt]

I took 470 all the way around, I thought about going 25 to 6th and up, but 25 was pretty backed up.

[Suki]

Yeah, I25 and 225 should be avoided like the plague during morning commute and I'd say anytime after about 230/3pm.

Maybe try the C470 route, I believe that you'll be going opposite of traffic so it may save you some time instead of going all the way around on 470.

[Yucca-Man]

Are you frickin high? Denver is 25 miles from Parker!20. Twenty miles. Hence the use of "Twenty-Mile Road" and the "Twenty-Mile House" stage stop on the way into Denver along the Cherry Creek Road... :flipoff2:

[Slacker]

What's the big deal everybody makes about commuting??? I commute from the upstairs bedroom to the downstairs office....and sometimes I even put my pants on.