My wife and I both started new jobs today. How’s that for amazing? This also marks my return to bicycle commuting. Here are a few thoughts about both my job and my commute.

The Job

I started a new job today, as a Web Developer at the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands. According to their Web site:

The Eppley Institute is dedicated to meeting the needs of park, recreation, and public land organizations. As a unit of Indiana University’s Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies, Eppley combines academic expertise with real-world experience to design practical solutions that work.

I will be working on various projects including building e-courses and working on their Web site, and any other projects that come up.

Those who have been following my blog for a while, or who know me personally, know that I got laid off back in December. At that time, I started my own Web Development consulting company. I decided running my own business wasn’t for me, so I started looking for other options … and ended up at Eppley.

On my first day, I managed to completely hose the copy of Windows XP on my computer (the classic hal.dll not found error). Probably fixable, but my boss suggested another option … so now the machine is running a shiny new copy of Windows 7.  My first impression? Well, I’m not too impressed. However, I’m told that I can install Linux on my workstation if I want — which I just might do. I think it’s going to be very cool to be in an environment that’s not completely Microsoft-centric.

The Commute

I ran my consulting business out of our apartment, so I missed being able to commute by bicycle. Oddly enough, my new commute is nearly identical to the one I had at my last job. Completely identical, in fact, except for the last turn. The distance is about the same — a little under three miles each way. Not an epic commute by any means, but I ride year-round, in all conditions, so things can still get pretty interesting. And, I’m a little more committed to riding every day than I was before, because we are a single-car family and my wife will be using the car to drive to her new job. Previously, she was in school and rode the bus to work, which meant I always had the car as a backup option. I didn’t use it much, but it sort of functioned as a safety net.

Some time ago, I stumbled across the very interesting site DirtData.org. The site is “An Experiment in Collaborative Cartography.” The idea is that people can create Google Maps of the gravel/dirt/fire roads in their area and submit them to the site. The more people who contribute, the better the maps will be. I’ve started a map of the Luzerne County area. It’s a work in progress, but so far, I’ve cataloged over 25 gravel roads in this area. Here’s the map. Note: there are two pages of roads listed. You have to open the map in Google Maps (click the link below the map on this page), and click on Page 2 at the bottom of the road list to see the rest.

View Luzerne County, PA for DirtData.org in a larger map

I’ve also started a map of the Bloomington, Indiana area, which I’ll post later. It’s fun making these maps, and I hope that they’ll come in handy in the future, both for myself and for others.

If you ride gravel roads in your area, I urge you to create maps to share with everyone.  Here are some useful links to help you get started.

• Map Key
• A pictorial tutorial
• DirtData.org Blog
• DirtData.org Wiki

I found out a couple of days ago that the company where I’ve worked for the past two and a half years is folding. Well, sort of: really, it’s mostly being absorbed by another company. However, that company does not need a Web developer. This means that come the first of the year, I’ll be out of a job. Thankfully, I think most of my coworkers are safe.

So, I’ve sent out some applications locally, but there aren’t a lot of openings in my field. I’ve also considered going the consulting route; I could probably pick up a client or two who used to use my company’s development services, and do projects for them on a contract basis. If I could find another client or two, I could be in decent shape.

I’ve also considered reinventing myself. I could be a clown makeup artist, a jukebox repairman, or maybe even a garbage man. Any suggestions out there?

Seriously, if anyone out there knows someone who needs a Web developer, either in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area, or in a telecommuting scenario, let me know!