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2020! The “How was your commute?” thread!

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2020! The “How was your commute?” thread!

Old 04-09-20, 07:18 AM
  #376  
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 934:

Had a 7:45 meeting. Got out the door late trying to fix a minor disaster with tonight's supper. Thought maybe I could make up the extra time on the ride, but there was a pretty stiff headwind so my extra efforts only got me back to my usual commute time. Then my laptop wouldn't boot up and I had to monkey with that. Finally got into the meeting at 7:51. Ugh.

34F this morning, but at least it was sunny. Sounds like the next week the morning temps are expected to be in the 20s and 30s, with most days topping out around 40 degrees. Ahhh... spring in South Dakota!
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Old 04-09-20, 01:30 PM
  #377  
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Yesterday, my commute was around a lake mostly flat for 22 miles loop.
Today's commute was a ride up the hill on mostly residential area and a nice downhill for 24 miles.
Both days temp at 40F early in the morning.
Monday did late on the day and there were lots of people outside, so prefer early morning on cool (cold?) temp with few people around.
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Old 04-10-20, 07:24 AM
  #378  
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Low 30's and wind a little lighter. Last night the wind was brutal. Was going to ride everyday this year to work but mother nature might be off the chain this year.
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Old 04-13-20, 10:14 AM
  #379  
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 936:

We received 6+ inches of fresh snow yesterday. The snow was thick and wet. Last night the temp dropped into the teens, which made the snow turn into rock hard chunks of ice.

Seeing as yesterday was Easter, I could about guarantee that they hadn't plowed the MUP. I thought about riding the fat bike the entire way to work, but when I opened the garage door I saw that the places that were clear of snow (like my driveway, and the tracks where cars had driven) were sheet ice. I opted to take the old winter bike, ride 1.25 miles and then hitch a ride on the bus for part of the commute.

I was a bit worried about the bus being a coronavirus hotspot, but when I got on I was surprised to see I was the only passenger. The driver said that since they closed all the businesses, hardly anyone has been riding the bus. Eight minutes later we reached downtown and I finished the ride to work.

The MUP should be completely plowed by the time I head home tonight, so I'm planning on riding the whole way home.
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Old 04-14-20, 07:50 AM
  #380  
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 937:

Yesterday the client informed me that they're shutting down the office and I will be working from home for a while.

So I did what any reasonable bicycle commuter would do: this morning I woke up early, rode to the client's location, then immediately turned around and rode home before logging into their system.

17F this morning. Steady headwind on the way to the client, but a tailwind on the way back. I rode the fat bike because I was concerned about some rutted ice. Turns out there were only a couple of sections that I could have carefully crossed on my hybrid, so the fat tires probably weren't necessary. I'll remember that for tomorrow's commute.
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Old 04-15-20, 11:21 AM
  #381  
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Today I chose a new route for my morning commute home.
First I climbed up a hill for some 500 ft gain and went around two small lakes and downhill.
For my surprise, the downhill route I took had a fresh asphalt (I think they did last year) and is a silk smooth 1 mile downhill .
There was no car (and limit is 25 mph anyways) so was a blast.
Looking forward to ride that downhill again.
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Old 04-15-20, 01:13 PM
  #382  
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Woo-hoo! I got a commute in! VPN equipment needed some specialist TLC, so I loaded up the bike and took it by the office. Clear blue sky, crisp north wind, light traffic in predictable spots, a couple of hills -- meaning half a mile of coasting. That wind, though: it's about a day after the front with storms blew through, so it's a day late. But it wasn't a dollar short! Oh, no. Going with the wind on an open flat stretch, I found myself pedaling 7 times, counting through another 7 coasting, repeat -- just like long hills in cool weather when I'm coasting but trying to keep my knees warm. Downshift at the turn later, then another turn heading into the wind and I had to downshift two gears.

Going for a mid-day ride on a working day in the spring; does life get any better than this!?
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Old 04-15-20, 03:37 PM
  #383  
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I work at a hospital from 6:45 AM to 7:15 PM. In the morning, there are almost no cars on the road. In the evening, there are more cars, but at the two big intersections I have to cross, I make sure I cross carefully and look both ways even if I have a green light. Seems safe for now. I’ve ordered front and rear lights so I can make myself more visible in the dark.
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Old 04-16-20, 06:54 AM
  #384  
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Rolling over 1k for the year tomorrow. North wind was kinda a pain this morning but nothing unusual. Same dang van passed well below 3ft again, they got a few words in return. Typically that's all it takes to teach drivers.. we'll see tomorrow. I hate punishing all the drivers for one or two idiots but if I have to ride down the middle of the road so be it.
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Old 04-20-20, 01:29 PM
  #385  
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Trying to figure out this work from home but craving to bike commute. Hard to get out on recreational rides. I have debated commuting to/ from work before I log in? Does that make sense or is that crazy?
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Old 04-20-20, 01:42 PM
  #386  
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Originally Posted by RidingMatthew
Trying to figure out this work from home but craving to bike commute. Hard to get out on recreational rides. I have debated commuting to/ from work before I log in? Does that make sense or is that crazy?
There is one thing that I need to do at the office about twice a week but it's not scheduled so I can pick a time mid-day when there's no meetings to go do it. This removes a lot of pressure to be at work on time or at home on time. I still don't dawdle - the no-school-no-daycare situation at home is no joke. SWMBO has also sent me out for a 2 hour ride each weekend, and I've been taking the kids around the block nearly every day before dinner.
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Old 04-20-20, 09:59 PM
  #387  
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An irregular bike commuters, clydesdale, 12 miles one way. Rode home and it took all. Had, really tired me out. 60-65 degrees.
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Old 04-20-20, 11:30 PM
  #388  
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Yesterday, Sunday, rode the bike to a freeway some 20 miles from home, rode a nice 10+10 mile on it and home .

Today I had my commute ride at late afternoon. Since the trails around here are closed, I took the local road and I have this intersection with traffic light that goes to the ramp of freeway.
Three lanes, right one goes straight to freeway, or you turn right to a large road. Middle lane goes to freeway or turn left. Left lane turns left.
So, my spot is on middle lane since I want to turn left. I stop over the sensor and waiting when a _ _ _ _ driving a high end car stops on my side with left tires on left lane
Traffic light opens, guys goes to freeway and I signal left and turn into my ride. Great ride on 60s F

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Old 04-21-20, 05:41 AM
  #389  
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Originally Posted by RidingMatthew
Trying to figure out this work from home but craving to bike commute. Hard to get out on recreational rides. I have debated commuting to/ from work before I log in? Does that make sense or is that crazy?
Makes perfect sense to me! I'm riding about 2-3 times a week and I agree, recreational rides just don't do it. I find it hard to get motivated to just ride without a destination.
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Old 04-21-20, 05:53 AM
  #390  
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Almost perfect morning.. high 40's and little wind. Some how managed to get detected at every light in KCK, 5 total! That's quite a accomplishment. KCMO no luck but that's expected.
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Old 04-21-20, 07:17 AM
  #391  
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Originally Posted by RidingMatthew
Trying to figure out this work from home but craving to bike commute. Hard to get out on recreational rides. I have debated commuting to/ from work before I log in? Does that make sense or is that crazy?
Not at all! I've been logging in when I normally start my bike ride to work. Get off an hour and a half early (one hour for the ride, another for the post-ride shower) and go for a nice long ride in the afternoon. Although with rain in the forecast, it might mean a looong lunch today and tomorrow.
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Old 04-27-20, 08:32 AM
  #392  
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Washed bike yesterday.. rain today. Oh well. Wind is back for a few days looks like.
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Old 04-27-20, 09:51 AM
  #393  
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Good weather days continuing around here but now I have some meeting at late afternoon, 5 PM to be precise going forward on this stay home, stay healthy times.
Sunday did a nice ride around my place and there is this speed detector/sensor on the side of the road after a nice downhill. First time I see my speed hitting 37mph
Pick from the ride.
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Old 04-29-20, 07:40 AM
  #394  
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Got another commute in, woo-hoo! Had to run by the office to pick up more equipment for telework, aka WFH. (Why do we need another acronym for what's been happening on a smaller scale for the last dozen years?)

Anyhow, the ride. Nice day for a ride, would have been lovely if it hadn't been for the strong headwind going in. Still, I was able to route through trees and neighborhoods, such that there wasn't too much wind noise or wind resistance. Little traffic, as usual for the time being, so it was low stress, and in the eddies there was an amazing variety of spring songbirds.

Coming home? Tailwind: sit up and beg, and it was like flying with hardly any effort!
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Old 04-29-20, 11:21 AM
  #395  
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Today I did a lake loop of about 20 miles clockwise.
Normally I do it anti-clockwise because of the shoulder availability.
I did clockwise before, but didn't remember there is a stretch of some 3 to 4 miles without any shoulder.
Thinking on safety and all, I'll probably stick with the anti-clockwise route going forward although the number of cars is very few compared with pre-covid19 era.
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Old 04-30-20, 07:37 PM
  #396  
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This was the first week since lockdown started that I haven't gone in to the office at all.
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Old 04-30-20, 09:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
This was the first week since lockdown started that I haven't gone in to the office at all.
I went twice to office on April - once to bring back a dead computer and another to fix the laptop that seems needs to connect to company network after update.
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Old 05-05-20, 03:16 PM
  #398  
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When/if we go back to work as normal, we'll be required to wear face masks; so they bought us some. Not allowed to go inside the building, so I rode down and back. Wow, what a great ride! Still hardly any traffic (helped that I left 45 minutes earlier than usual), overcast and cool. I played my normal game of "What's that bird?" Maybe someday I'll recognize more than half the songs...

Anyhow, when I got home I chased a chipmunk into the dryer vent. He ain't staying in there, by gosh! So I rushed into the house, turned the dryer on high, and flushed him out. Didn't realize until later that I'd dropped my ID card in the process -- the smart card I need to log in and telework. Grr. Took me nearly an hour to find it, on the ground laying on a downed branch near -- you guessed it! -- the dryer vent. Almost took the joy out of the early bike ride. (But not quite!)
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Old 05-05-20, 07:00 PM
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We have new rules in place at the office. Masks and a temperature scan and questionnaire when you arrive. Have you been to China or Italy? Why, do you still think they have more coronavirus than we do? But it's moot so far, I haven't been in.
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Old 05-05-20, 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
We have new rules in place at the office. Masks and a temperature scan and questionnaire when you arrive. Have you been to China or Italy? Why, do you still think they have more coronavirus than we do? But it's moot so far, I haven't been in.
They've been doing that at my work for the past month or so. No travel questionnaires and masks are optional.
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