I’m Phil Mooney, chair of MCBC’s Off-Road Committee, a member of MCBC local team Walk/Bike San Rafael and an active member of the Bay Area cycling community. I’ve written before about how an e-bike changed my commute, and to celebrate Transit Month in September, I’d like to share what my daily commute looks like.
I live in downtown San Rafael and work at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park. I’m lucky: I can store my bike in my faculty office, shower at the Rec Center on campus, and rely on nearby transit. That flexibility lets me mix bikes and the SMART train for an efficient, enjoyable commute. My typical commute sees me riding to work in the morning and riding the train back home in the evening.
Why do I love my commute? Easy, I get to ride my bike! More seriously, it saves me from sitting in traffic on 101. Even in the “reverse commute,” the 101 freeway is clogged in both directions. Driving takes at least 45 minutes, plus parking headaches and the walk across campus to Darwin Hall. The train is wonderful. It’s clean, quiet, and reliable. For $4.50, it’s 50 minutes station-to-station, plus a short ride to my office. Watching birds along the bay from the train window beats staring at brake lights.
But the best option is riding the whole way, which I do most mornings. On my e-bike, it’s 90 minutes; on my road bike, closer to two hours. Either way, it’s a beautiful, energizing start to the day that keeps me fit and sane. It’s also a great way to get an extra car off the roads and cut my carbon footprint.
From my home in Gerstle Park, I roll through downtown San Rafael to connect with the SMART Pathway, which is part of the Great Redwood Trail. This pathway was built to provide first and last-mile connections to SMART Rail Stations and offer a dedicated facility for people to walk, bike, and roll safely within and between communities. I follow this pathway nearly the entire way to campus.
The pathway keeps improving. Thanks to persistent MCBC advocacy and SMART’s recent push to expand, riders are seeing real gains. Earlier this year, a new 2.9-mile stretch opened from Petaluma to Penngrove. It replaced one of the sketchiest parts of my route with a bucolic ride through farm fields and beautiful pasture land, Sonoma Mountain rising in the distance.
In my bike racer days, I would have had the fitness to ride both directions daily. Now, I’ll admit it, I get tired. I almost always let the SMART train carry me home. It’s the perfect way to unwind, watch the sun dip behind the bay, and get ready for dad duties at home.
September was officially Transit Month in the Bay Area, this year’s theme was “Adventure starts on transit,” and organizers encouraged the public to discover new experiences accessible via Bay Area transit. If you haven’t tried mixing transit with your ride, give it a shot. You might just find, like I did, that your morning commute becomes a highlight of the day.