Menifee to Newport Beach Commute Blog

Bryan Kuhl is one of Menifee's newest residents, and beginning with the New Year, he'll be commuting to Newport Beach each morning to get to work.

So as part of his way to give back to his newly adopted community, he launched a blog to document his morning travels...

http://wagoncreekproject.blogspot.com/

Here's what Brian thinks about commuting 3+ hours each day in his car...

What makes everyone cringe at the fact of commuting such a distance? These are the days of comfortable cars with climate controls, CD players, MP3 player hook ups, etc. Why would it be so bad to sit and drive for lengthy periods of time? Truck drivers do it. Field technicians do it. Why can't I?

I used to do it, commuting from Menifee to Santa Ana, by the 405 & 55 freeways. If I took the 91 freeway into OC, I would have to get up at 4:00am, and be out the door by 4:30am, and then hit the 15/91 interchange by 4:55am. By that time, the interchange was already a parking lot. But I could get into work by 6:00am.

And of course, that allowed me to leave work at 3:00pm. And YOU HAVE to leave OC by that time, if you wanted to get back to Menifee before the big rush hit.

You can also take Ortega Highway, which I did many times. The Ortega route is further in miles, but a little shorter in time because the traffic moved more quickly. The problem is that if an accident occurred along the Ortega, you'd be stuck there for an hour or more. And I got stuck there a couple times.

But right now, and for another two more years, construction on Ortega is causing lines of cars, several miles long during peak commuting hours.

I moved out to Menifee from Orange County with the intention of quitting my job there, and starting my own business here, which I have done. But it still took me two years later to quit that job. I recommend Brian look seriously for jobs around here, or, start his own business. Otherwise, the commute will turn you into an angry man.

Just look at me.