I live in SFO and currently commute to IAH to sit reserve. Basically, I have to:

1) Commute out the afternoon before my reserve period, on my day off. That wastes at least half a day.

2) Hope that I can actually get on a flight. There were many times in December/ January (commuting SFO-ORD) where I almost didn't get on. I therefore started showing up at SFO at 0600 the day before my shift started, just to be sure of getting on. On one of my trips, I'm glad I did, since every flight after the 0600 SFO-ORD on United was cancelled due to weather. So that was an entire day wasted.

3) Hope the flight isn't cancelled due to weather, mx, crew availability, etc etc.

4) On the return trip, I just have to pray that I'll get released early enough to make my last flight home. Two days ago, I was literally walking to the gate in IAH to catch my United flight home after sitting reserve for 4 days. The phone rang and I was put on a roundtrip to Mexico City. The only problem? The trip returned to IAH after my last United flight was scheduled to depart. I ended up taking FedEx home, arriving at 0500.

Obviously, some commutes are easier than others. OAK-LAX, for example, or OAK-BUR, is about as easy as it gets. But just be prepared to commute in the night before your trip and commute home the morning after your trip. And be prepared to be stressed about your commute, especially if it's mainline hub to mainline hub with about 100 mainline pilots all vying for the jumpseat, and it's United with "-10" showing in the availability for your flight 3 days in advance.

Also, commuting to reserve...ugh, what an existence. A travel day, plus 4 days sitting around some ratty airport motel or crashpad, all for maybe a couple hours' block time. If they even call you.

Reserve at home? Whole different story, I'm hoping ;-)