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2021! The “How was your commute?” thread!

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2021! The “How was your commute?” thread!

Old 03-10-21, 05:42 AM
  #51  
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Another pleasant uneventful commute though I did extend the ride a couple of miles. The temp was a chilly 28f degrees but the riding was nice. Anyway last evening while I was preparing for the commute this am I noticed my front bike light is broken. The switch to turn on the light no longer works. I am going to write the company and see if they will fix it. It is a good thing I have a spare front light. I do not like it as much as the other light but in a pinch this am it worked okay.
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Old 03-10-21, 09:15 AM
  #52  
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1147:

Last night I went home on my road bike, wearing shorts and a t-shirt enjoying the sunny 71°F weather.

This morning it was 35°F, pouring rain and a 20+ mph headwind. I took the fat bike because they're predicting the rain will turn to heavy snow this afternoon so I might have an interesting ride home. The fat bike's fenders aren't all that effective in heavy rain so I got soaked.

I had a Dr's appointment before work, so I rode there first. I think one of the worst parts of running errands via bike in the rain is when you make a stop and take off your gear you have a few minutes for your body to dry off. Then when it's time to head to your next destination you have to put the gear on again while it's still wet. Yuck.
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Old 03-10-21, 09:45 AM
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Just for fun, I did a pre-work round-trip commute this morning. Yep, the building's still there. Amazingly, there are empty parking spots when 75% of the workforce is telecommuting!

With so few people physically going in to work, the streets were pleasantly calm. Mostly sunny and a bit cool, warming up to 61°F before I got home. The highlight of the trip was the field across from the office; is the name for a group of meadowlarks a "meadow of larks?" That's what they sounded like. Amazing that such a clunky bird can sing so sweetly.
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Old 03-12-21, 08:08 AM
  #54  
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1149:

25F this morning, but the sun was out and there was virtually no wind. I rode the hybrid because the night before I packed the pannier. I could have taken my road bike, but I would have had to repack everything into my backpack and I just wasn't that motivated.

Apparently it's a slow news month, because a local magazine did an article on me: For five years, every day, he has ridden his bike to work. Meet Sioux Falls’ supercommuter.
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Old 03-15-21, 09:11 AM
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1150:

Tough, tough ride today.

Temp was decent at 30F, but overnight we had 6" of wet, heavy snow on the ground and more was falling. Wind was blowing hard at 25 mph. And the time change was already kicking my tail.

I left the house at 7 AM on the fat bike. I made it about 100 yards down the street when I reconsidered. I could ride, but only in my granny gear. I knew once I hit the unplowed MUP that things would get even more difficult. I decided to ride back to the garage and switch bikes, then take the bus for part of my commute.

I got back to the garage and pulled my other winter bike down from storage, transferred my luggage and lights onto it and then pumped up the tires. By this time it was 7:20 which meant I had 10 minutes to ride the 1.5 miles to the bus stop. That's pushing it on a winter bike even if there's no snow on the ground.

So I reformulated my plan. Instead of showering at the office, I went back inside the house to shower and shave. Then I left the house at 7:40 to catch the 8:05 bus.

The skinnier tires on my old winter bike don't do real well in mashed-potato snow, especially when cars have driven over it packing it down. The tires just don't get any grip and I end up sliding out and constantly putting my feet down to stay upright. I wind up walking certain sections. I really wish I could have taken the fat bike, but those wide tires don't fit in the bus bike racks. I got a better workout in that 1.5 mile ride than I would have riding 15 miles on a nice day.

I arrived at the bus stop right at 8:05. It took 25 minutes to go the 1.5 miles. Thankfully the bus was running about 3 minutes late so I didn't miss it. I threw the bike on the rack, and then let the bus take me 3 miles further into downtown.

Once downtown, I finished the half mile ride to the client location. This section of the commute was pretty easy because the plows had already run in the downtown area so it was just a little wet and sloppy.

I didn't feel bad about cheating a little with the bus, as the schools are closed today and a ton of people are calling in to work because they don't even want to drive in this snow. At least I rode two miles. We'll have to see how much progress they make with the plows during the day. I may be able to ride the whole way home.
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Old 03-17-21, 04:19 AM
  #56  
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Another pleasant ride to work today. It was a chilly 28 f degrees when I left the house. Hopefully with spring arriving there will be more riding days than not.
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Old 03-19-21, 12:19 AM
  #57  
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Covid ruined my commute and health

My wife and I work at the same location 17 km from home, taking 1.5 hours per day. We have ridden a tandem everyday for 3 years until exactly 1 year ago. Fortunately, we have jobs that can be done online. I have missed the ride more than the office. My health has decreased and I really miss the mental break while riding. Anyone else consider the commute as part of your mental health?
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Old 03-19-21, 05:44 AM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by 3rsager
My wife and I work at the same location 17 km from home, taking 1.5 hours per day. We have ridden a tandem everyday for 3 years until exactly 1 year ago. Fortunately, we have jobs that can be done online. I have missed the ride more than the office. My health has decreased and I really miss the mental break while riding. Anyone else consider the commute as part of your mental health?
Absolutely. Riding helps keep me sane. My personal life has been a disaster the last three years, and exercise is the most effective anti-depressant available to us (not to mention it's free and doesn't have the side effects of medication.)

My job went remote for almost five months about a year ago, then they brought us back to the office for two months, then they sent us home again for another three months. Every single day I was working from home I forced myself to get up, ride to the office, then turn around and ride home before I started working remote. It seems ludicrous, but it really helped my mental state. It also helped keep my consecutive commuting streak alive, but that was a fringe benefit.

There were days, especially once the weather dropped below freezing, where everything in me was screaming "You're working from home! You don't have to get up and ride today! Stay in bed another couple hours!" Forcing myself to "commute" every day when I didn't actually have to was the toughest commuting challenge I've faced in my 5+ year streak. Tougher than bad weather I rode through. Tougher than when my sciatic nerve freaked out and I rode anyway. Tougher than when I was recovering from open heart surgery and resumed commuting the first day the doctor cleared me to return to work.

You don't have to be a nut like me, but I would encourage you to find time to ride occasionally. You may have to force yourself to do it, but once you're on the bike moving you'll be glad you did. I always am.
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Old 03-19-21, 07:59 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by 3rsager
My wife and I work at the same location 17 km from home, taking 1.5 hours per day. We have ridden a tandem everyday for 3 years until exactly 1 year ago. Fortunately, we have jobs that can be done online. I have missed the ride more than the office. My health has decreased and I really miss the mental break while riding. Anyone else consider the commute as part of your mental health?
I think the commute helps me both mentally and physically. The ride in is just enough exercise to wake my body and mind up. Without that I feel groggy the first few hours at work. The ride back helps me unwind.

My job requires me to be physically present. Personally, I'm happy with that. Trying to work from home would probably drive me crazy. At least at first it would.
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Old 03-22-21, 04:57 AM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by 3rsager
My health has decreased and I really miss the mental break while riding. Anyone else consider the commute as part of your mental health?
I absolutely see a difference in myself in the days I ride and the days I don't. I am a much happier person the days I ride. I consider that my mental health. Yep!

It was a nice ride in this morning with the temp at 27f degrees. I had to stop at a convenience store to get cash and also pick up a bag of peanuts for my lunch. Crushed peanuts will go on top of my salad. Well anyway the men who were standing just inside the convenience store were nice and held my bike up so it would not fall over. But then showed me how to turn the front wheel almost all the way back on itself and it will stablize itself. I knew about the turning the wheel back I just did not know you could turn it so far back that way. But they were very helpful. You learn something new every day!
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Old 03-23-21, 04:21 AM
  #61  
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Another pleasant yet uneventful commute this morning. The way all commutes should be. It was 2 degrees warmer today at 30 f degrees than yesterday ,though it felt colder today.
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Old 03-23-21, 07:23 AM
  #62  
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1156:

The good news: this morning it was a balmy 43°F which is above normal for March in SD. And I had a pretty good tail wind the whole way to work.

The bad news: it was pouring rain the whole way, so I arrived at the office soaked. It's supposed to rain all day (2+ inches predicted) and that nice tailwind is going to become a fierce headwind for the ride home.
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Old 03-24-21, 02:09 AM
  #63  
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Took the riverbed to work about 6 miles out. I love not having to stop at any traffic lights.
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Old 03-24-21, 04:14 AM
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Another pleasant ride to work this am. The temp is climbing it was 37 f degrees today. And daylight is about to hit the ground when I arrive at work, so not much longer of the darkness.
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Old 03-25-21, 09:27 AM
  #65  
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1158:

28°F this morning, but clear skies and hardly any wind. I took the road bike. It was an easy 8 mile commute.

Last night after supper I decided to do a little bike maintenance, and wound up unintentionally spending the whole evening in the garage. Cleaned and lubed the chains on my road bike, hybrid and fat bike. Put my studded tire bike back in storage to get it out of the way. Adjusted brakes on my hybrid and my road bike. Adjusted the derailleur on my fat bike. Tightened the bottom bracket on my road bike (it constantly comes loose.) Replaced tires on my road bike (got 4800 miles out of the previous set, so I think that's pretty good.)

I still have to get the front tire on my fat bike fixed. It's been converted to tubeless, and I'm guessing it is due for a re-up on the sealant. I should do the rear tire as well. I don't have the sealant on me, so I'll have to make a trip to the LBS. As long as I'm heading there to buy the sealant, I should just bring the bike and they'll probably put the sealant in for free so I don't have to mess with it.
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Old 03-30-21, 04:50 AM
  #66  
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The temp was 28f degrees this morning so it was a little chilly. Other than that the ride was pleasant and with temps expected to be low 60's this afternoon I will extend the ride home.
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Old 03-30-21, 01:16 PM
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I got a puncture this morning... but in my arm, not on a bike ride.

Given my family's daily schedule now I don't know when regularly riding to work might resume, but it's a goal. Maybe in the summer.
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Old 03-31-21, 04:17 AM
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A very nice 42f degrees this am with dark partly cloudy skies. The ride was uneventful but pleasant.
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Old 03-31-21, 07:17 AM
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1162:

Chilly morning at 19°F, and a strong headwind pushing the wind chills down into the single digits. At least the sun was out. Only supposed to get into the high 30s today, but then start warming significantly over the next week.

Took the road bike today. Despite the wind I arrived at the client location 4 miles away in about 20 minutes. I definitely miss the road bike's speed during the winter months.

Saw another guy commuting on a bike with no gloves or head covering. He looked very cold. His hands looked beet red. Whenever I see people like that I immediately think "DUI." People who commute by bicycle by choice generally are better equipped.

Went under a bridge and two homeless people huddled under a blanket waved at me and said "good morning." I don't know if I could be that cheery if I were in the same circumstances.

Wound up riding 277 miles in March. Not my highest mileage March ever, but above average.
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Old 03-31-21, 08:04 AM
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They've finished the new bike lane on McClintock Dr in Chandler yesterday. Most of the construction is gone. Tried it out yesterday and this morning.
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Old 03-31-21, 09:19 AM
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Originally Posted by locolobo13
They've finished the new bike lane on McClintock Dr in Chandler yesterday. Most of the construction is gone. Tried it out yesterday and this morning.
I used to fly model airplanes out there when it was alfalfa fields
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Old 03-31-21, 09:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Tundra_Man
Went under a bridge and two homeless people huddled under a blanket waved at me and said "good morning." I don't know if I could be that cheery if I were in the same circumstances.
They probably see you all the time and use you to set their watches
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Old 03-31-21, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
I used to fly model airplanes out there when it was alfalfa fields
When I was a kid in the 60s we lived in Casa Grande. Before the interstates. We would drive thru Chandler on the way to Phx. It was about 2 mi long surrounded by fields.
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Old 04-05-21, 05:10 AM
  #74  
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Another uneventful ride but the wind was busy this morning, so there was more of a fight to get to work. As I type " fight to get to work" it seems the smart thing to do would just be go home. Who "fights" to get to work. Anyway, hopefully this wind that I fought this morning will bring me home this afternoon.
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Old 04-06-21, 04:15 AM
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A very pleasant ride this morning with the temp at 42 degrees. A nice way to start today!
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