How was the commute today?
04-21-06, 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by caloso
Changed my route slightly and a couple of interesting things happened:
1) I was passed by the local roadie hammerheads heading down to the Thursday night South River Road ride. I forgot that that's started back up now that it's DST. I need to remember to ride the geared bike and bring shorts and a jersey on Thursdays.
2) I was nearly taken out by some moron who couldn't be bothered to use his turn signal. I'm sorry that my telepathic powers are on the blink.
3) Waiting at a light, I saw a woman in a car I kind of know from the office. She said she recognized my bag and thought it was me. And as the light turned and she started to pull away, she said--in a very serious, I'm going to pray for you sort of way--"Be careful!" I said, "I always am. You be careful yourself."
1) I was passed by the local roadie hammerheads heading down to the Thursday night South River Road ride. I forgot that that's started back up now that it's DST. I need to remember to ride the geared bike and bring shorts and a jersey on Thursdays.
2) I was nearly taken out by some moron who couldn't be bothered to use his turn signal. I'm sorry that my telepathic powers are on the blink.
3) Waiting at a light, I saw a woman in a car I kind of know from the office. She said she recognized my bag and thought it was me. And as the light turned and she started to pull away, she said--in a very serious, I'm going to pray for you sort of way--"Be careful!" I said, "I always am. You be careful yourself."
hammerheads, heh...
my crystal ball is in the shop
Hope ya'll have a good weekend... Be safe, have fun
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rip sydney
04-21-06, 08:40 PM
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... Second commute of season and second flat tire... Whats up with that!!
will try for the Hat Trick tommorrow....
will try for the Hat Trick tommorrow....
04-21-06, 08:56 PM
Two H's!!! TWO!!!!!
You know what's great?? For the first time since graduating from uni I can call myself a commuter again! No, I didn't get a job yet, but I volunteer at the Humane Society now and, since, I don't have a job I go there pretty often (3-4 times a week on average). It's only a 17 km (10 mi) round trip, but still - it's commute! I get to ride my bike regularly!
Today was one of those ridiculous days when the wind was blowing exactly from where I was going. Strong wind. Actually, wait: a few times it was blowing from the side and at one point I even wondered if I am going to lose control and swerve into traffic because of it.
I also had a very small breakfast and just a few cookies for lunch, so I was not feeling very energetic on the way back. And the way back is mostly an upgrade with one more or less serious hill just at the end of the route. I should eat more.
The weather is really warming up. I love it!
Today was one of those ridiculous days when the wind was blowing exactly from where I was going. Strong wind. Actually, wait: a few times it was blowing from the side and at one point I even wondered if I am going to lose control and swerve into traffic because of it.
I also had a very small breakfast and just a few cookies for lunch, so I was not feeling very energetic on the way back. And the way back is mostly an upgrade with one more or less serious hill just at the end of the route. I should eat more.
The weather is really warming up. I love it!
04-21-06, 10:06 PM
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Rain !!
04-21-06, 11:06 PM
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11 miles each way. The perfect commute except for all these cars hogging the road. It was Sunshine all week-35 to 40 in the morning and 65-80 for the ride home. Can't wait for 50+ degree mornings so i don't have to think about extra layers. How many miles will you put on this commuting season?...More than last year. My Subie is missing me terribly.
Pasta tastes better than Petrol-IMO
Pasta tastes better than Petrol-IMO
04-21-06, 11:15 PM
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Today was one of those (many) days that makes living in the desert worthwhile. I rode home after dark, but the weather was perfect, light breeze mostly at my back, 75ish, very nice. New tires I absolutely love, feel more connected to the road but with less rolling resistance than the old ones. Almost no traffic, maybe 10 cars the whole time. Riding home is a great way to top off a crazy day. Sometimes I feel so bad for people who drive.
Peace,
Adam
Peace,
Adam
Last edited by ArizonaAdam; 04-21-06 at 11:52 PM.
04-22-06, 10:44 AM
I survived lotoja
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Howdy,
We are getting to the time of year here in Utah that is perfect for my commute. The temps are 40's to 50's in the morning and 60's to 70's in the afternoon. In the morning we get light southerly winds and by afternoon the wind has changed to northerly, since I go south in the A.M and north in the P.M. it works well for me.
My employer just put a half day Friday schedule into effect so I get Friday afternoons to ride ride ride...
M.R.
We are getting to the time of year here in Utah that is perfect for my commute. The temps are 40's to 50's in the morning and 60's to 70's in the afternoon. In the morning we get light southerly winds and by afternoon the wind has changed to northerly, since I go south in the A.M and north in the P.M. it works well for me.
My employer just put a half day Friday schedule into effect so I get Friday afternoons to ride ride ride...
M.R.
04-22-06, 01:45 PM
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yesterday was kind of weird. i don't remember much remarkable about the morning, but the afternoon was kind of a cast of thousands.
i planned to leave right at 5:30 so as to be home, feed the cat, pick up the car and warm clothes and get to the park for the opening pitch at 6. pushed it just a little too far, and then when i was locking the bike cage up again noticed that my access cards were missing from around my neck. sigh. bolt bike to railing, back into the building, locate some kind soul who'd lend me their cards so i could retrace my steps, call the security guys, send emails, re-retrace the steps with babbling convivial security guy . . . back at the bike cage and back on the bike at 6:07. and no change so as to throw self and bike onto a bus and make it faster. i arrived sometime in the 4th inning out of 7. and i meant to ride home in a leisurely style that would make my knees love me, sigh sigh.
one nice thing about this new set-up is that the bike cage is in the parking lot and the showers and lockers are in the building, just one floor higher. having such a simple post-ride procedure is cutting something like half an hour off the old routine of park bike, walk up hill, walk round tennis bubble, enter health club, navigate to front desk, wait behind signing-in tennis players to pick up towels, unpack shower gear, shower, rinse, repeat in reverse order. i'm still using the old tried-and-true route over the industrial bridge for time reasons too. nice rides, nice days these days.
songs: the sloop john b, the beach boys; devil baby, mark knopfler
i planned to leave right at 5:30 so as to be home, feed the cat, pick up the car and warm clothes and get to the park for the opening pitch at 6. pushed it just a little too far, and then when i was locking the bike cage up again noticed that my access cards were missing from around my neck. sigh. bolt bike to railing, back into the building, locate some kind soul who'd lend me their cards so i could retrace my steps, call the security guys, send emails, re-retrace the steps with babbling convivial security guy . . . back at the bike cage and back on the bike at 6:07. and no change so as to throw self and bike onto a bus and make it faster. i arrived sometime in the 4th inning out of 7. and i meant to ride home in a leisurely style that would make my knees love me, sigh sigh.
one nice thing about this new set-up is that the bike cage is in the parking lot and the showers and lockers are in the building, just one floor higher. having such a simple post-ride procedure is cutting something like half an hour off the old routine of park bike, walk up hill, walk round tennis bubble, enter health club, navigate to front desk, wait behind signing-in tennis players to pick up towels, unpack shower gear, shower, rinse, repeat in reverse order. i'm still using the old tried-and-true route over the industrial bridge for time reasons too. nice rides, nice days these days.
songs: the sloop john b, the beach boys; devil baby, mark knopfler
04-22-06, 04:33 PM
----
Left the house so late I took the shorter route (non-bike path), which eventually leads me down Brighton Ave and Commonwealth Avenue. It's a almost 2 miles shorter (8.75m) and much faster because I tend to get right out with the traffic so I move at a much faster speed. But the ride is all about cars. Watching for them, moving around them weaving between and around them, watching for the car doors- it's very different than the winding bike path.
Was way underdressed for the temperature today so I stopped at City Sports, which was having a sale and bought two great long sleeve wicking undershirts for real cheap and wore them home.
Rode the rest of the way home on the bike path, which was a delight.
Am off to Cambridge on the bike now to see a show- parking in Cambridge is notoriously tough- but not if you're on a bike.
Was way underdressed for the temperature today so I stopped at City Sports, which was having a sale and bought two great long sleeve wicking undershirts for real cheap and wore them home.
Rode the rest of the way home on the bike path, which was a delight.
Am off to Cambridge on the bike now to see a show- parking in Cambridge is notoriously tough- but not if you're on a bike.
04-23-06, 09:47 PM
Sophomoric Member
I had a spooky commute home Friday night.
I got off work an hour early, at 10:30 PM. It was the first warm Friday night, so the street corner crack dealers were out in force on the first part of my commute. A group of them laughed as I rode by within three feet of them. I don't know if they were laughing at me.
I ride by the state capitol, but tonight it was surrounded by a jagged chain link fence, security for a Nazi rally on Saturday. I had to ride through several checkpoints. I wasn't stopped, but there were cops sitting in cars watching me.
Then came the nightclub district. Double parkers and tipsy cagers were hogging the street there. Three young girls in a car yelled something at me, then pulled into an alley and turned back around, like they were waiting for me to ride by. I pulled over where some bar patrons were talking on cell phones and waited for the girls to drive away.
I had planned on a long night-ride, but I was so freaked out by everything that I was relieved to just go home. I think my imagination is too strong. I just kept thinking about the menace and corruption in our society...crime...drugs...alcohol...cars...race...sex....
Riding in the city ain't as risky as carrying your bike across the Mississippi River, but it does have its moments.
I got off work an hour early, at 10:30 PM. It was the first warm Friday night, so the street corner crack dealers were out in force on the first part of my commute. A group of them laughed as I rode by within three feet of them. I don't know if they were laughing at me.
I ride by the state capitol, but tonight it was surrounded by a jagged chain link fence, security for a Nazi rally on Saturday. I had to ride through several checkpoints. I wasn't stopped, but there were cops sitting in cars watching me.
Then came the nightclub district. Double parkers and tipsy cagers were hogging the street there. Three young girls in a car yelled something at me, then pulled into an alley and turned back around, like they were waiting for me to ride by. I pulled over where some bar patrons were talking on cell phones and waited for the girls to drive away.
I had planned on a long night-ride, but I was so freaked out by everything that I was relieved to just go home. I think my imagination is too strong. I just kept thinking about the menace and corruption in our society...crime...drugs...alcohol...cars...race...sex....
Riding in the city ain't as risky as carrying your bike across the Mississippi River, but it does have its moments.
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Last edited by Roody; 04-23-06 at 09:54 PM.
04-23-06, 10:49 PM
----
At 5pm rode in in the windy cold tonight. A little reminder of how it's still not summer here in N.E.. When I left at 10pm it had turned to a hard cold rain. I took a combination of side streets and well lit main roads home. I was well covered in rain gear and everything, other than my face and head, was quite dry, including my feet- shoe covers, little mini-gators and rain pants and jackets. And my waterproof reflectorized work gloves from Home Depot.
All things considered a delightful ride but the kind that makes it awfully nice to get home.
All things considered a delightful ride but the kind that makes it awfully nice to get home.
04-24-06, 01:51 AM
Just a commuter
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OK, I did my very first commute of the year today, any before you say anything: we've had the mother of all winters this year, and then I had a flat back tire...
Anyway, it was a perfect morning: no wind, no cars, kinda sunny, and overall greatness. The legs held out but it was hard breathing at times. It took me an hour, but give me a couple of weeks and I'll shave that with 10-15 minutes.
Later!
Anyway, it was a perfect morning: no wind, no cars, kinda sunny, and overall greatness. The legs held out but it was hard breathing at times. It took me an hour, but give me a couple of weeks and I'll shave that with 10-15 minutes.
Later!
04-24-06, 06:24 AM
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Wet roads an 40% chance of rain means I took my DF trek with full fenders, instead of the trike. The ride was a little chilly, at about 6 or 7 degrees. It should be nice this afternoon though.
04-24-06, 07:00 AM
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Driving again ... sigh
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04-24-06, 07:30 AM
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Manageable headwind & overcast this morning. Temps around 40F.
A girl's bike has been lying in the grass next to my MUP for about 5 days now. It's pink. The rear wheel looks like it got kicked hard a few times, and the handlebars look a little bit bent. I always wonder if I should tell the cops about abandoned kids' bikes. I assume they're stolen or something.
A girl's bike has been lying in the grass next to my MUP for about 5 days now. It's pink. The rear wheel looks like it got kicked hard a few times, and the handlebars look a little bit bent. I always wonder if I should tell the cops about abandoned kids' bikes. I assume they're stolen or something.
04-24-06, 07:56 AM
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My knee is killing me. I was up and down ladders for 4 hours yesterday and I think I might actually be bruised. I couldn't stand up to sprint today, so I had to accelerate while seated - which sucked. I need to heal up...
04-24-06, 08:02 AM
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3 day weekends are sweet. Back on the bike after a weekend with my parents and brother visiting. Temps in the mid 60s this morning so I was very sweaty by the time I got to work. 80s this afternoon for the ride home which will be nice. I might not reach my goal of 200 miles this month since I had to drive for work so much 
04-24-06, 08:07 AM
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Quite nice from PG to Alexandria. Foggy down by the Potomac.
04-24-06, 08:15 AM
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Damp ride with light drizzle so "caution" was the word. I've been riding my other two roadies over the last couple of weeks so getting back on the foul weather beater felt odd.
04-24-06, 08:45 AM
That darn Yankee
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Before whenever i went from my Wallys world bike to my Bianchi it would feel weird. The suspension on my Wallys 'bike always felt like it was shifting from under me. I've now gotten used to switching between the 2 as I'm doing it on a quite regular basis now.
Today there was minimal traffic. I had almost no difficulties getting into the 3rd lane that i needed to be.
Today there was minimal traffic. I had almost no difficulties getting into the 3rd lane that i needed to be.
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Life is about hanging onto what you think is important and finding out what really is important.
"Stop Ruining my joke!", "No, a joke implies humor attached at no additional cost"
So many sayings, so little sig space.
04-24-06, 09:36 AM
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First time commute via bike (fixed-gear track, even) from Chicago to Oak Brook, IL, about 20 miles. Took it pretty easy and was more than a little concerned about getting lost or relying on a suburban street with no shoulder, but things went off without a hitch.
Except when I got to work and realized that I'd forgotten regular drawers, so I'm stuck wearing spandex under my khakis all day today.
Except when I got to work and realized that I'd forgotten regular drawers, so I'm stuck wearing spandex under my khakis all day today.
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04-24-06, 10:15 AM
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soaking, but not bad. Need to figure out some waterproof foot wear.
04-24-06, 10:34 AM
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A nice day for a 10 minute commute.
04-24-06, 11:35 AM
Mostly riding...mostly
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no ride today, alarm clock malfunction...did a great 50 mile group ride on Saturday though, and I'm now TOTALLY hooked on group rides. just 1, that's all it took, but i'm gonna go ALL THE FREAKIN TIME now :-)Total rush to see my average speed read 20.5 after 40+ miles of riding. And leading the train even if just for a little bit (compared to the stronger riders), was totally awsome. I loved the draft especially! :-)