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2018! The “How was your commute?” thread!

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2018! The “How was your commute?” thread!

Old 08-31-18, 10:25 AM
  #1626  
HardyWeinberg
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Originally Posted by groovestew
Had a nice streak going last week, then completely fell off the wagon. Rode today in rather cool temps (about 5C/41F)...the gloves that made my hands sweat at 10C weren't warm enough today. Stupid gloves.
5 days this week! Took last week off completely, mostly due to smoke but also some amotivation. But the smoke was real...
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Old 08-31-18, 12:12 PM
  #1627  
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Been a while since I was commuting and participating in the Commuting forum. Two moves and a transition to working from home have resulted in cycling being a recreational endeavor for me now, for the most part.
I sold my commuting rig before moving East - I'd use it for grocery getting if I still had it, but am now doing the riding for fun and fitness thing.

I'll be moving West again in a couple of years, and intend to get set up with another "do everything" rig.

Anyway, today's commute was barefoot with an affectionate cat in my arms, down the hall to the office. I hope to get a ride in later this afternoon.

So, "hi" to the new and old participants here - been a while.
Cheers!!!
Scott
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Old 08-31-18, 12:22 PM
  #1628  
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Chess update. Wphamilton, you would be hard pressed to explain the sequence of moves that led to these positions. Also, black has been recruiting.

On the same table was a car key. On the ring was only a membership card for a not very nearby racket club, which I called. They told me I was the second caller; the owner was on a jog, had already been contacted, and said she would return, so please leave the key.
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Old 09-02-18, 04:13 PM
  #1629  
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A few years have gone by.

I retired in 2012 and moved to Barbados. It is good to see that the thread is still going. I depended on it in dark cold winter mornings with snow on the roads. I have not seen winter for about 6 years or so, but I still ride as the bicycle is my transportation, when I don't ride the bus or walk. The money that I save on not owning a car is very nice. I don't think that I ever realized how expensive owning a car really was.
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Old 09-03-18, 07:18 AM
  #1630  
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Did the stupidest and weirdest thing this morning.. ran a red light. It was a left hand turn for me and a truck was in the other lane turning right. I stopped because when I approached the light was red. I was checking the front tire real quick since I know the timing of the light. I heard the truck rev up as he was going to go so I look up and the light was green, also the car coming from the left had stopped. So I went.. well the car from the left suddenly started taking off huh? Looked back up and the light was red. WHAT? Somehow I thought it turned green or the light malfunctioned, could of died on that. I've never did that before. I'm getting a camera before next year.
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Old 09-04-18, 05:03 AM
  #1631  
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A very pleasant uneventful commute this am.
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Old 09-04-18, 07:21 AM
  #1632  
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Cool, clear, and calm, but it's warming up fast. Most of the trouble traffic lights were green for me this morning, but one other one that's NEVER red -- well, it was red this morning. I think the guy who hit the walk light button gave up on waiting, crossed, and headed up the street well before I could see the intersection.
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Old 09-04-18, 07:41 AM
  #1633  
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This morning was awfully nice. I got on my bike and wondered why it felt so damned good. Then I realized that, today being Tuesday, I hadn't been on my bike since Thursday. Friday and yesterday, I rode Citi Bike, and those bikes are tanks, and the saddles are very uncomfortable for me. There was nearly no wind, which is pretty unusual. Today is the first day of the fall semester where I work, so it's a bit exciting.
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Old 09-04-18, 08:43 AM
  #1634  
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Took the long route this morning. No eventualities, but it looks like my bike needs some cleaning


3-4-18 commute
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Old 09-04-18, 09:13 AM
  #1635  
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First day of school, and there was a definite uptick in traffic volume, but I do ride past several schools. 5C/41F, no wind.
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Old 09-04-18, 09:34 AM
  #1636  
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Beautiful day but I drove because a previously scheduled meeting got flexed. I could have biked to/from the meeting the office and home and still gotten my daughter to her 4:30 MD appt but w/o the earlier meeting nailed down, cannot do that. Argh. Worst thing is, the meeting is likely to be pushed back 2 weeks at this point so I really could have biked today and not had to worry about it at all.
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Old 09-04-18, 04:27 PM
  #1637  
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Originally Posted by salcedo
Took the long route this morning. No eventualities, but it looks like my bike needs some cleaning


3-4-18 commute
exactly how tall are you?!?
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Old 09-04-18, 05:12 PM
  #1638  
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty

exactly how tall are you?!?
1.90 m I think that is between 6'2" and 6'3"

But the frame of this bike is just a bit small for me, and I set it up in a position to ride very aerodynamically in triathlon races. That is why the seat post looks very high.
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Old 09-05-18, 04:56 AM
  #1639  
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A pleasant uneventful commute in this am. I am loving the new stretch of road my town put in that is about a mile long and smooth blacktop. It had potholes and all sorts of bumps before they repaved it.
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Old 09-05-18, 06:33 AM
  #1640  
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Took an extra day off yesterday to make a 4 day weekend. No big adventures and no bike rides though.
Nice out this morning, still humid, but not miserable.

I was just shy of 550 miles for August, my biggest month this year.
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Old 09-05-18, 07:20 AM
  #1641  
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Overcast day, and the tropical storm made the clouds a bit heavy (ran into a few droplets until I sweated enough I didn't notice any more), but it was very pleasant temperature-wise. Cruising down a 3/4 mile flat stretch with no lights, I was passed by a guy in a convertible with his top down. I thought, "What a nice day for a ride in a convertible with the wind in your hair," followed, by, "What a GREAT day for a bike ride with the wind in your face!"

Traffic was mostly light, and I handled the heavier traffic with aplomb. (What is a plomb, anyway?)
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Old 09-05-18, 08:27 AM
  #1642  
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Today seemed like the sweatiest day of the summer. Part of it is that my apartment is hot and badly ventilated. The A/C in the living room works well, but the one in the bedroom doesn't work worth a damn, so we don't even use it. We'll replace it next year. Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the year, and the night have been the hottest, doo. So I had a fitful sleep and woke up irritable. I rode to work as slowly as possible.

Along the way, I saw my mother in law taking her morning walk. I knew it would be a matter of time before I met her on my commute. I was riding north, and she was walking south. I yelled her name out, and she turned and saw me and raised her hands. Just as she did that, a cyclist rode by and clipped her hand. She stopped to make sure my mother in law was OK but I could see she was on the verge of scolding her. I was pissed at the cyclist but didn't say anything.

I'm at work now in my overchilled building. What a world.
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Old 09-05-18, 09:37 AM
  #1643  
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I had a great ride to and from yesterday. In was a short ride but I rode some extra on the way home but before I got home I broke another spoke on my new bike. I am taking it back to shop again. I have less than 400 miles on it and have broken 2 spokes. Time for some customer service to happen. i really do enjoy the 650B wheels and 47 mm tires but the spokes are driving me crazy.
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Old 09-05-18, 09:56 AM
  #1644  
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55F, sunny but hazy (blue sky, no mountain). 1st day of school!
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Old 09-05-18, 12:37 PM
  #1645  
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I normally shift a lot. I’m not that strong due to my bum ticker so I can’t just stand up and power through most of the time. But today I was feeling ok so I decided to try one gear for the whole ride. I selected 30-15 and off I went, on my shortest, easiest route. It went fine... but I’d have trouble going back uphill on the dirt.



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Old 09-05-18, 01:32 PM
  #1646  
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Back on the commuting wagon this week. But boy is it hot out there or what. Feels like 90+ right now. Thankfully today morning was 10 degrees cooler than yesterday morning, so had a very pleasant ride in. Going back would be in near 90 temps. Thankfully the humidity would have dropped by then.
Planning to commute all 4 days of the week. Last two weeks of August were with minimal biking, so need to make up for that. Plus, summer is almost over. Or should be.
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Old 09-05-18, 04:55 PM
  #1647  
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For the first time since August 2016, which was when I started cycling again, I got caught in a heavy downpour/heavy wind thunderstorm. I could see the rain wall coming toward me as I was crossing a bridge and thunder less than one second after the lightning strikes. It was difficult to keep the bike going straight with all those wind gusts! Lots of branches across the MUPs. Lasted for about 10 minutes and then it cleared up. Still had about 30 minutes left in my commute so by the time I got home, I wasn't really any wetter than during high temperature/humidity riding. Gave the bike a good wash then dried it.
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Old 09-05-18, 08:24 PM
  #1648  
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I tried to stay in 30-15 all the way home. I had to dump down to 1st gear only one place, on a bit of trail where the momentum dies just where it gets technical, and stopped in a few others to let the bum ticker settle down. But overall it was a really good ride. I’m surprised how well I did. I’m stronger than I thought.

I did give a driver a scare at an intersection... my fault but it wasn’t that close.

The chess set is gone.
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Old 09-06-18, 06:22 AM
  #1649  
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
Traffic was mostly light, and I handled the heavier traffic with aplomb. (What is a plomb, anyway?)
.
I had to Google both words. Merriam Webster doesn't have "plomb" and other dictionaries don't have consistent meanings. But it is a French word which means "lead" (the metal) in English.

A decent ride in this morning, though still plenty warm and humid. Seems odd to be Thursday already. No complaints here though.
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Old 09-06-18, 07:23 AM
  #1650  
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Nice ride home last night, a bit muggy, but still better than driving!
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