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Big T's Catch Of The Day: My extreme commute (and the video to prove it)

BY Tony Miner  on February 5, 2013 @ 1:42 pm (Updated: 1:49 pm - 2/5/13 )

As some of you already know, I live in the lovely Skagit Valley and commute back and forth to Seattle five days a week from LaConner. I think you'd call my drive an "extreme" commute.

When people find out about my commute, or actually come for a visit, the word insane or the phrase "How can you possibly do that every day?" immediately come into play.

For the record: I love where I live and can't imagine living anywhere else. OK, maybe Hawaii, but that would be a truly insane commute so that won't happen.

It's 65 miles each way from home to KIRO, making it about 130 miles each day on my Hyundai that gets about 40 miles per gallon.

When you subtract the vacation and holidays, it's a little over 30,000 miles each year that I'm cruising up and down I-5.

With an average commute time of about one hour 15 minutes each way, that's about 600 hours per year I'm in the car, or 25 full days.

Again, it's a price I gladly pay for living in such a wonderful place. I though you might like to see what it's like to do my commute, so check out the video and come along for the ride!

And if you have a lengthy drive, and love where you live like I do, let me know and we can compare stories.

Tony Miner, KIRO Radio Anchor
Tony Miner is a news anchor and reporter for The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 3-7). When he's not telling the Puget Sound community about the latest news, you can find "Big T" cruising through the San Juan Islands captaining his boat StarFire.
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Comments (6)


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  • Mavila wrote...
    Looks like you don't...
    February 5, 2013 1:14 pm
    have to make your commute during peak hours. Still, I couldn't do it. Years ago, I commuted from Seattle to Edmonds and hated it. Now I work from home and am not often on the roads during peak hours, thankfully. La Conner is a great place although tourist season can be a little much.
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  • Pair o'dimes wrote...
    Distracted driving?
    February 5, 2013 1:24 pm
    Did Tony use his phone to shoot this? Does hands free operation only apply if you are using your phone as a phone and not a camera? Was he shaving and eating lunch at the same time?
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  • drichey wrote...
    Long commute
    February 5, 2013 2:41 pm
    I live on Camano Island and used to drive to Tukwilla every day. It was 140 miles round trip. Now I "just" drive to Everett every day. We still get the same questions you do about the length of the drive. I guess after living here for 30 years we're just used to it. But we also love living here. It's like coming home to your vacation house everyday.
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  • Amorget wrote...
    I'm with ya
    February 5, 2013 3:18 pm
    I drive from Camano to Bothell every day, but it's worth it to live in the Stanwood/Camano area.
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  • Heidi from KY wrote...
    Commute
    February 5, 2013 2:54 pm
    I thought I used to have a long commute when I lived in Kentucky. I lived half-way between Cincinnati and Lexington. I worked in Cincinnati. I would drive 35 miles to pick up a bus. Then take the bus into Cincinnati. I would leave the house at 5:30 a.m. and get to the office at around 7:30. Coming home I would leave Cincinnati at 5 and get home around 7. And I though I had it bad! You must be rich in order to pay all that gas.
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  • Hectic wrote...
    Not for me
    February 7, 2013 5:11 am
    That would be a nice drive, once or twice a year, but everyday? No way. btw, I work from home, jus sayin
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