Early morning commute

[stemaka]

I am a bus driver and work shifts.I have just started commuting to work again after about a year.I live in Leeds and work in Barnsley.So it's from Elland rd Leeds -Tingley-East Ardsley-Wakefield then A 61 to Barnsley.It's 18 mile each way and at the moment takes me about 1 hr and 15 mins.Once i get fit again (i'm an ex racing guy)i should do it around the hour (i have to carry my uniform,boots,cash tray ect in my panniers) so is quite heavy.
Because i work shifts,(i'm on earlies this week)i have to get up even earlier than when i went in the car(about 45 mins earlier).This morning i set off from home at 4.45 am.Tomorrow i will leave home at 4.00 am and on wednesday i will leave home at 3.00 am.Thur my day off so will look forward to a lay in.The hardest thing i find is not the cycling but getting out of bed.Must admit though it's a great time of the day for riding as there is no traffic.And i get to cycle back home after work in the early afternoon in the light,so i will use more of the lanes through Royston to Wakefield then home.
So does anyone else commute at an unearthly time of the morning like me?

 

[classic33]

Used to. At one stage I'd have been coming home at the the time your leaving.

 

[Debian]

I leave at 6.15 a.m. and that's a big struggle for me sometimes. Does 4 a.m. actually exist!

You have my sincere admiration for being able to get up at that hour and then cycle nearly 20 miles!

 

[thomas]

So does anyone else commute at an unearthly time of the morning like me?

I used to leave at 8 oclock, which I think is an unearthly time

 

[gaz]

I have troubles getting out of bed

 

[hackbike 666]

I don't,I've been doing it too long.Shiftwork since 1982.

Today I left at 330am,tommorow 430am wed 415am thursday restday and friday 330am.Sat/Sun,not sure yet

Must admit though it's a great time of the day for riding as there is no traffic.

Agreed although it becomes bandit country during the weekend.

 

[stemaka]

Agreed,take my hat off to ya mate.Nice to know i'm not the only one up that time of day.

 

[hackbike 666]

hello.

Agreed,take my hat off to ya mate.Nice to know i'm not the only one up that time of day.*

Yeah crap job today...not home till after 4pm if im lucky.

Made my sandwiches though and time has just flown.

*and you.

 

[joebingo]

Just did my first commute home at this time of morning.

Lush, London roads are awesome when there are no cars anywhere!

 

[potsy]

Another one here,shift work for 15+ years 4.45 leave the house on earlies,following week I get to have a lie in though leave about 12.40pm.
I too find getting out of bed the hardest bit,I regularly decide <no, giving it a miss this morning> then 5 mins later feel guilty and get up.
Did my 1st 10pm ride last night for a few months due to work pattern changes,wow forgot how quiet it was at that time,apart from a few scallies giving abuse through the local council estate

 

[Browser]

Due to the fact that I work with a load of wusses who can't be arsed to get up in the morning, I leave the house at 06:20, get to work 07:00-ish for an 07:30 shift start. Ressonable amount of traffic, most of which I avoid due to my rural route. Coming home at 19:30-20:00 is nice 'cos everyone else has done the 5mph commute by then and is out of my way

 

[HobbesChoice]

Ooh, just the thread I needed today for a little boost. I get up at 4:30am and am out the door by 5am for my 18 mile commute and I'm finding it more and more difficult to get out of bed. This winter seems to have really dragged and I'm thinking that the lack of sunlight may be getting to me now.

So, when my alarm goes off in the morning and I feel like the only person on the planet getting up at that time for an 18 mile commute I'll think of you who'll have been up earlier than me and who'll likely be at work tomorrow as I'm getting up.

 

[Keith Oates]

A few months ago when I was still in Vietnam I used to leave home at 0530 hours, I never found getting up to be a problem as long as I went to be before 2100 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[goo_mason]

Up at 5.30am and out on the road at 6am.

Crawling out of bed is extremely difficult, but I like the morning quiet and the wildlife you'd never usually see when things get busy. I also like being in at work, showered and at my desk before 7am; means I can take a long lunch, leave at 3.45 and still build up flexi!

 

[WimbledonCyclist]

Many moons ago I had a job that meant working shifts as well. I never had to leave as early as you did for the early shifts, but if I worked a late one, I'd be cycling home around midnight. I could argue that I was on the way home three hours before you got up. Whether that means you start work early, or whether I finished late, I'll leave that one for you to decide.

I wish for you that summer comes soon, with many glorious sunrises waiting to greet you as you start your day.