31 August 2010

Qmmuting from Detroit

Posted by: Doug Reith

High-speed light rail? I won’t hold my breath. I’ll be commuting from the Motor City more appropriately by automobile (occasionally by train). Here is the background on why I will be making this commute to Q:

Six years have passed since I first moved to Ann Arbor. Although I have been proud to be an ‘Ann Arborite’, A2 was feeling too familiar and I was on the verge of becoming a “townie”. I decided my life needed a change of scenery.

As I began my quest for a new home, Detroit quickly became my top option and with good reason. I realized I spent a majority of my weekends visiting Detroit. Throughout the year I have:

...just to name a few. Despite all those visits, I have hardly scratched the surface of all that “Motown” has to offer. 

In addition, Ann Arbor hasn’t been the same after many of my fellow University of Michigan 2008 graduates all quickly dispersed. However, recently I’ve witnessed many good (and extremely talented) friends migrating east to the D. Many have been involved in social justice, volunteer and urban gardening work, giving me inspiration to contribute to the great potential of the city. As a native Michigander, I take great pride in my Great Lake State. I hope to broaden my Michigan experience by living in one of Michigan’s most notorious cities.

Beginning in September I will be living new home in the Woodbridge neighborhood of Detroit. Despite all my positive energy for the move, there is one big downside. I will need to commute from Detroit to Ann Arbor. The upside (at least what I tell myself) is that I will be driving with the sun to my back and in the opposite direction than traffic. Another plus is that I will be in both Tree City and the Motor City regularly, hopefully getting the best of both worlds. For instance, I will be able to enjoy shows at the Ark one night and shows at the Shelter the next. Root for the Lions one weekend and the Wolverines the following weekend. You get the idea.

However, no matter how I cut it, it will still be about forty miles of driving each way. Compared my previous two minute bike ride to work, this is a significant increase in time on the road. Therefore, I am anticipating the commute being harrowing at times, especially when that Michigan winter hits. So my big question is:

How will I maintain my sanity with a forty-five minute commute?

This is what I have planned:

5. Carpooling

I have found a few other brave souls who make the commute from Detroit to Ann Arbor and I hope to share rides. Ideally I can save some money, prevent emissions and make a few friends along the way. I have had some positive experiences with Craigslist rideshare, and hope that becomes a good resource for the lonely ride.

4. Geocaching

A friend got me into Geocaching or as I describe it to people “GPS treasure hunting”. I figure if I need some adventure on my commute, I can track one of these down. The basic idea is that people hide small caches ranging from a dime sized magnetic to a tool box all over the place and post the GPS coordinates online. Then “Geocachers” explore the world finding these caches, exchanging trinkets in them and signing the log of their visit. In my experience it has been a great way to explore and learn about places that would otherwise never have been visited.

3. Keeping in touch

As I have grown older and wiser (debatable) I have realized the importance of family and friends. Too often I get caught up in day to day tasks and don’t find the time or forget to drop a line back home or across the state or country to best friends. Finding a moment to catch up will make the ride go by quicker and keep the people who are important to me in my life.

2. Listening

I love discovering music and tend to be listening to music most of the work day. You can check out what I have been listening to at my Last.fm profile. I’m sure I’ll find time to keep up to date on some of my favorite podcasts including: NPR’s Planet Money, This American Life, TedTalks, and NPR’s Science Fridays. I might even take after my dad and get into books on tape. Either way, I look forward to the time to have undivided attention and simply listen.

1. Reflecting

Busy days often fly by and I hardly have a chance to take it all in. Having time without distraction (other than driving of course) will be nice to anticipate the day’s challenges or reflect on life.



So concludes my first blog post as a relatively new Q employee. I would love to hear your comments or suggestions regarding Detroit, commuting, podcasts or music! ThanQ for reading!

Category: Ann Arbor, Detroit, Inspiration