22 minutes!

Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever figure out the traffic patterns around here. I returned to work last week after my vacation and was faced immediately with non-summer traffic patterns. During the summer (school vacation, don't you know...) driving to work is quite a reasonable task. Of course during the summer I try to ride my bike in to work a couple of days a week, so I spend less time in my car anyway.

My post-vacation commute has been totally obnoxious - until this morning, that is. I've finally accepted that I need to be driving surface streets for my morning commute, and that sometimes I can take the faster highways home. My drive to work takes me over I-93 before the entrance ramp, so I can decide at the last minute which way (I think) is best.

It's Friday morning, and for some reason the Friday traffic patterns seem to differ from the rest of the week. I drove over I-93, saw that the traffic was flying, and opted to follow that fast road. 22 minutes! It took me 22 minutes to get to work today, instead of the 45 to 50 that it's been taking the rest of the week. No wonder I've been annoyed. And yes, I know, I need to calm down, adjust my "leave home" time, and just accept the traffic for what it is.

Heading home today? I know I'll follow the surface streets and not the highway. Friday afternoon is the time for everyone to head out in every possible direction for the weekend. Add to the day of the week the fact that Monday is a holiday for some, and I would expect the afternoon highway traffic to pretty much be at a standstill. Ah, the wonders of traffic...