Zin

The ride home yesterday was again a battle against 30MPH head winds. It was nice and warm as a bonus!

This morning was around 36F when I left home. Skies were clear. Air was crisp. The smell of wood stoves reminded me that Fall is hear. Winter is just around the corner.

* jack *

Back in town after a four day binge (I mean, vacation)...
Today's commute was to West Campus to help out with the Duke Bike Advocates' free bike 'Fix-Up' this morning:

jyossarian

Took the long way home past the UN and along the FDR. Got slowed down by a COB (Crabby Old B!tch) that wouldn't move to the side and took up the whole footbridge at E78.

On a brighter note, I took a test ride of a Swift folder. Nice and light! I'm gonna start saving my pennies and redeem my bottles and cans.

postmark

...took a fall this morning. All my fault, thank goodness no one saw lol. My glasses were fogging up so I was getting off the road to stop and wipe them down. Hit some loose gravel and POOF, down I went. Just my pride was hurt.

spidercyclist

Good ride to work and home . It is starting to get colder out at nite . But still a good ride . Have a good nite .

slagjumper

Foggy in Pittsburgh this morning as well. On the way home I saw a bike cop go up a one way street the wrong way, then ride on the side walk! Turned out he was rushing to a downed motorcycle cop who hit the front brake a bit too hard. They poor dude was just laying in the street like a beached whale. His BMI musta been 40. But then hey if I where him, I'd just lay there too. He was conscious and alert.

jmbranum

Yesterday was a great ride in OKC. The morning commute was super-nice weather (not too hot) and fast after I ran a couple of errands.

In the afternoon I rode a few miles to a local brewpub and a few, and then rode back for evening classes.

The ride home was pretty uneventful. I do have a better lighting system that i got this week which thus far is working out well. (using white LED's in the front and red LED's in the back)

chephy

A fine commute today. The summer refuses to go away - the mornings are cool, but I can get away riding in a short-sleeved jersey and shorts.

I left the house around 6:15 today - my first class is at 8:30 and the commute takes under an hour, but I wanted to get some swimming in before classes. And also I love riding early in the morning, when the sun is rising and the cagers are asleep. Had to roll through three red lights on my way - there were no cars around to trip the sensors up for me. Despite this I've been noticing a lot today (and generally lately) just how smoggy and smelly this city (and in particular the part I commute through) is. I have a feeling it's gotten worse just in the last couple of months which is rather strange, with the gas prices all going up.

Saw a total of about seven fellow bike commuters; not bad, given the part of town I bike in (the number would be larger around the downtown area). Most of them actually had lights too, which is unusual - my estimate is that only about half the bikers riding after dark in this town have any sort of lighting system. I guess people who ride around at half past six are dedicated commuters and hence have and use the proper equipment.

The weather people are promising us some thundershowers this afternoon.. perhaps I'll get soaked on the way back. Well, whatever happens, I surely do hope that I do not get another flat - I've had three in the last four days! What in the hell kind of miserable thing is that?!! Perhaps it's time to switch to Kevlar-belted...

jimmuter

Oh man. I felt like crap this morning but decided to go on in anyway. That made my little 2 mile commute seem a lot worse than usual. I've been feeling steadily worse as the day wears on. It should be a fun pedal home.

mjw16

It's been an ideal week for commuting. Cool, dry mornings and moderately warm but less humid afternoons. Also, the showers they predicted for Tuesday never materialized. My legs feel fresh from my week off of the bike and my left knee is nearly completely recoverd. I've been on an Ibuprofin drip for the last 3 weeks to treat the bursitis in my shoulders. I also installed a new saddle last night (much better comfort and relief than the old one) and will install a cool, new Nashbar moustache handlebar either tonight or this weekend. I also need to put my fenders back on. I'll then be in full commuter mode. I hope this weather continues to hold.

Zin

Another cool commute. Added wind pants to protect my knees this morning. Much less knee pain. We have a WINTER STORM WATCH for this weekend. Friday's commute looks much cooler. Our low today is tomorrow's high temp.

vtjim

It's headwind week here in Vermont, for me at least. I got headwinds in the morning. I got headwinds in the afternoon. I can't win. They keep shifting around on me during the day.

Although right now the forecast is for the wind to be at my back for the ride home. Fingers crossed.

Still summer-like!

jyossarian

I took the long way to work along the FDR and past the UN because aside from the usual junk I carry, I also had to bring in a laser printer cartridge, replacement box of oatmeal and other junk. Had to use my messenger bag because my backpack wouldn't hold all of it. Nice ride and hopefully a faster ride home since my load'll be a few lbs. lighter.

Saw 2 more bikes locked outside my bldg. today bringing the grand total up to 7. We only have two small bike posts that fit two bikes each so the other bikes were locked to a tree and a signpost. I wonder if building management will take note and install more bike posts.

jyossarian

Wow, no posts since my last post. Left work early and rode home quick. Parked my car on the other side of the street and saw a girl teaching a guy how to spin in place on his rollerblades using his heel and toe wheels.

ellenDSD

Commuting has been good so far this week This morning though... a little good and a little bad. The good thing was that I saw another commuter - COOL! The bad was I made my kiddo fall as we were heading out this morning because I stopped in front of him and while he was able to stop too, his dismount was less than graceful and down he went. Man I feel HORRIBLE about that! Then this afternoon, some yahoo passed me on the right going thru an intersection. It's one of those with a right turn only lane and a straight lane. I was in the straight lane towards the right but I guess I wasn't going fast enough to suit the individual behind me. He roared passed and scared the bejesus out of me.
My wrist hurts too. I don't think I injured it; don't remember doing anything but it's kinda tender and sore. I wonder if I need to adjust my handlebars??

Gotta take the bad with the good, I reckon, but we sure are enjoying our rides.

New2Cycling

I pissed off a driver in an SUV. I was in the right lane and going about 15-20 mph but I guess that wasn't fast enough for the 25 mph road. There was another car in the left lane and he couldn't pass immediately. This really upset him. Me and SUVs don't always get along.

caloso

Technically, it wasn't on my commute but returning to the house from my early morning ride: I was out of the saddle and big-ringing it over an overpass and I heard a car sitting on my wheel. I looked back and it was 4 teenage girls all waving and smiling. They tooted and passed.

Hah! I still got it!

Toasted

It all started last night when, after hitting the gym for a quick run to relieve some stress, I hit 32(36?)/11 and heard the most god aweful noise I've ever heard a bicycle make, and I've heard them make a lot...upon investigation I found my chain line was off...in that gear ratio the rivets were striking the inside of my front deraileur! GASP! Time to go in for my 30 day cable adjustment/lube job...oh, wait, I can't, the bike shops not open that late...hmmm, what to do what to do...

All of this goes through my mind while I'm sitting in the middle of the road like a nitwit trying to get my chain back around my crank arm (yeah, it came COMPLETELY off!). Finally got it and went nice and s-l-o-w the rest of the way. It's dark and a game just got out at the shool right by my house, so I think I'm going to make an adjustment and test it in the morning...I am worried about the kink in my cable, though...

gew0419

Today's commute was great. This morning I actually passed someone on the up hill side of my ride. I don't ever pass any one. I get passed a lot. She looked like she was struggling a little, but I didn't know what I could do. I just gave her a "good morning" and "have a nice ride" and went on my way.

This afternoon it was cool enough that I had to put on my jacket. I wonder if anyone really reads all of these posts. I do. I had a good ride home, saw a couple of other riders. I'm seeing more and more riders. Could it have something to do with the gas prices going up and up and up?!? ...ummmmm. No dogs, no old ladies, no drivers getting pissed off at me. It was a very good day!

spidercyclist

Great ride to work today. Also a great day at work, for once. On the ride home, I had to ride fast because there was a storm coming in. I beat it by about 10 minutes. There were actually two other bikes on the bike rack today. I think the most I've ever seen is six. I hope tomorrow is as good as today was. Have a good night.

RonH

Today should be great. I can bike to work.
Couldn't yesterday. Had to do a "Share the Road" presentation at a health fair/car show (a what??) in Duluth - about 22 miles from my house. Had to take lots of literature, bumper stickers, display board, etc. Many motorists were happy to see it and learn about sharing the road. The concept of "give 3 feet when passing" was new to many, but all liked the idea. A bike commuter was very happy to see the presentation. There aren't many bike commuters or recreational riders who ride the roads out that way.

oboeguy

I saw a bunch of other folding bikes on my way home yesterday (see latest post in my "Foldermania" thread in the folder forum).

I've had some nice rides lately, hence my intermittent attendance in this thread (heh, not enough to complain about ). Yesterday there was a nice tailwind so I rode most of the way a full gear faster.

luckysnafu

Last night on my ride home I yelled at a lady on her cell phone in her van who didn't use her turn signal and almost hit me. Then the car behind her comes up beside me to pass and the lady inside yells at me to not be so agressive on the road...umm...ok, but I just wanted the lady to use her turn signal, its not that hard you know

* jack *

This morning's commute almost didn't happen. I woke late, and discovered I had a flat tire on my daily rider. Having no time to change or patch the tube, I pulled out the bad-weather bike.

Because it's been relatively dry here as of late, the backup bike had been sitting for a while and both tires were very low. I pumped them up as fast as I could, and then hauled butt to work.

Since my backup is a converted MTB, I took some off-road shortcuts and hopped a bunch of curbs... it was actually quite fun. I should do it again sometime...

vtjim

Yesterday afternoon I had a good tailwind pushing me all the way home. Was one of my faster commutes. This morning it was sort of a quartering tailwind, and I was pretty energized for some reason, so it was also a good ride.

Legions of squirrels are out. Plus (domestic) cats. Saw 2 cats yesterday, and one this morning. Hunting squirrels?

Oh and I saw two deer this morning right after I left the house.