How was your Christmas commute?
12-25-15, 09:38 AM
#1
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How was your Christmas commute?
Here in NYC my 615AM 6 mile commute was gorgeous. The temperature was a comfortably warm but disconcerting 53 degrees. The roads were empty and I made it to work a full 4 minutes quicker than usual since the threat of motorists was greatly reduced. The ride home looks to be in the mid 60's and sunny. Just... plain... odd... for December in this part of the world.
12-25-15, 03:41 PM
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Commute was OK. But for some reason I decided to ride over the Brooklyn Bridge (I'm in Brooklyn, commuting to midtown Manhattan, in New York City) rather than my usual ride over the Manhattan Bridge.
The Brooklyn Bridge is simply not usable for bicycles anymore. There are just too many people on the walkway, spilling over on to the bike path. There isn't enough room. I think it's probably inevitable that the bridge will have to be closed to bicycle traffic.
The Brooklyn Bridge is simply not usable for bicycles anymore. There are just too many people on the walkway, spilling over on to the bike path. There isn't enough room. I think it's probably inevitable that the bridge will have to be closed to bicycle traffic.
12-25-15, 06:11 PM
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I commuted yesterday. It snowed when I was at work so I rode home on fresh snow:
12-25-15, 07:18 PM
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I'm off work all week, so no commuting. However, I managed to squeeze in a 25-mile ride this afternoon. It has been raining all week here, and my plans for a vacation week full of riding have floated down the river. I actually could have ridden on Christmas Eve as well, but we had workmen at the house all day and I couldn't leave.
12-25-15, 07:33 PM
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I see you have a eclipse pannier. I wasn't aware they made bicycle products. I had one of their tank bags on a Suzuki GS 850 back in the late 70's. Nice bag.
12-25-15, 07:48 PM
#8
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Loving it! next to no traffic.. Working New Years too.. just be careful of the stressed out angry drivers ENJOYING!!!!!! the holidays..
12-25-15, 07:48 PM
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Last edited by bikemig; 12-25-15 at 11:30 PM.
12-25-15, 10:21 PM
#10
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Traditional family stuff yesterday........my oldest son picked me up for annual Christmas dinner at GrandMa's. Early and lasted all day.
Today the threat of rain was in the clouds all morning. Early afternoon I decided "So what, it's 75 degrees!" Took road bike out for first time in new incarnation longer than a short commute. Was having problems in the past month. Made some lucky guesses in setup changes. 19 miles today without problems. Woo Hoo!!!!
Back home......listened to the Crosby, Stills and Nash album.
"Teach,........your children well......"
My oldest son bought me a 12 pack of Shiner Bock for my Christmas present.
CS&N was right.
12-26-15, 10:41 AM
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I and my BIL took a short ride. I'm slow even on a road bike given my bum ticker; he's a Socal skater dude and he goofs around doing wheelies and slides on his MTB next to me. He complains he can't ride out a manual or ride no-hands-no-feet; I can't relate but I'm glad he hangs with me. I told him he needs to teach my kid to pump a BMX bike because I don't have the first clue.
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12-26-15, 10:45 AM
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No commutes until Tuesday. Winter is about a month late but finally showed up last night. My commutes will be a little more challenging for the next couple of months or so but that's OK.
12-26-15, 11:23 AM
#13
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No riding to work for me this week (OFF) but it has also been rainy all week as well. I decided to run this week while traveling instead of bringing the bike and subjecting it to hundreds of miles on the back of the van in the rain. So far this week 12 miles running and I hope run some more today!
I hope to commute some next week but the rain is making me debate it more than usual.
I hope to commute some next week but the rain is making me debate it more than usual.
12-26-15, 11:36 AM
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No riding to work for me this week (OFF) but it has also been rainy all week as well. I decided to run this week while traveling instead of bringing the bike and subjecting it to hundreds of miles on the back of the van in the rain. So far this week 12 miles running and I hope run some more today!
I hope to commute some next week but the rain is making me debate it more than usual.
I hope to commute some next week but the rain is making me debate it more than usual.
12-26-15, 01:16 PM
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Having to work on Christmas and thus commute...
vs. not being able to ride at all, commute or not.
I'd gladly take the former.
vs. not being able to ride at all, commute or not.
I'd gladly take the former.
12-26-15, 01:34 PM
#16
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@Saintly Loser. I feel the same way. I rode over Brooklyn Bridge laSt Monday and it was harrowing. There are just too many clueless people on the bridge and now that they are doing construction it is even less safe because of the decreased space.
@vol I rode the Greenway the other day and it was pretty clear. I try to do it at least once a week.
@vol I rode the Greenway the other day and it was pretty clear. I try to do it at least once a week.
12-26-15, 10:09 PM
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Very thick fog. My commute generally starts at 3:30 to 4 AM...I left at 4 AM and was only going to be in the office a couple of hours. When I left the house, it was light fog, but not too bad, nothing I was overly concern with. As I kept going, it got much thicker. There was a major intersection where I could not see the traffic lights and I did not even realize I was crossing through it until I saw a light post that sort of sticks out on the right. It was a very odd feeling. When I walked outside to leave, the sun still had not made an appearance and the fog was even thicker. I was not real happy about riding home in this crap and was way to early and honestly unsafe for my wife to come and get me. For the most part in the area's I was really concerned about, there are long sections of side walk and no worry of cars cross them, so I stuck to them just to stay safe.
While I figured traffic would light to non-existent....why take chances.
Once the Fog lifted, I took my road bike out for a 40 miler. A present to myself for having to go into the office since they shut my desk system down and I could not log in remotely....
While I figured traffic would light to non-existent....why take chances.
Once the Fog lifted, I took my road bike out for a 40 miler. A present to myself for having to go into the office since they shut my desk system down and I could not log in remotely....
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Last edited by jaxgtr; 12-26-15 at 10:14 PM.
12-27-15, 07:38 PM
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My wife are off from work for a few days. She works at a Catholic school, and I work at a Catholic college.
Yesterday, we rode to a party in Astoria, Queens, about 8 miles away. It's pretty adventurous for my wife to take on 8 miles of city riding, including crossing the Queensboro Bridge. Even more adventurous was that while the weather is abnormally warm, it was colder than her usual limit. It was in the 40's, I think. But we dressed well, and we were comfy. We even got some strong gusts, and we noticed they were quite tolerable.
We had planned to ride the subway back, but then she said, let's see how we go. We can get on the subway before the bridge. But then she said, let's find the entrance to the bridge. And we rode all the way home.
NYC has more tourists this week than I have seen in my life. Getting through midtown late at night was insane. Pedestrian traffic was a greater hindrance than vehicle traffic. I should have taken video. It was amazing.
Yesterday, we rode to a party in Astoria, Queens, about 8 miles away. It's pretty adventurous for my wife to take on 8 miles of city riding, including crossing the Queensboro Bridge. Even more adventurous was that while the weather is abnormally warm, it was colder than her usual limit. It was in the 40's, I think. But we dressed well, and we were comfy. We even got some strong gusts, and we noticed they were quite tolerable.
We had planned to ride the subway back, but then she said, let's see how we go. We can get on the subway before the bridge. But then she said, let's find the entrance to the bridge. And we rode all the way home.
NYC has more tourists this week than I have seen in my life. Getting through midtown late at night was insane. Pedestrian traffic was a greater hindrance than vehicle traffic. I should have taken video. It was amazing.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
12-27-15, 11:00 PM
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Didn't commute as I was off for the holiday and most businesses were closed. I did ride one of the local trails, though. Beautiful 85F weather and sunny 
.
'Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
The AC was running
'Cause we live in the South!
.'Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
The AC was running
'Cause we live in the South!
12-29-15, 08:57 AM
#20
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apparently we are not done with it. I was prepping to ride this morning but pouring rain, wind gusts 10-20 mph, and 42F I just decided to drive. I hope I can make it to my next mileage goal by the end of the year. 34 miles to 4700 for the year!
Last edited by RidingMatthew; 12-29-15 at 09:05 AM.
12-29-15, 09:24 AM
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I somehow managed to ride about 120 miles over Christmas weekend, 25 miles on Friday, 45 on Saturday and 52 on Sunday. The rides were all squeezed between rain showers, with wet roads most of the time but no soakings. That brought my total cycling miles above 9,000 for 2015, the third year in a row that I've topped 9K -- much of that due to my commute distance increasing from about 22 to 31 miles am few years ago. About half of my mileage is from commuting.
