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2015!! How was your commute today?

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2015!! How was your commute today?

Old 03-31-15, 07:09 AM
  #876  
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it was 34° this morning when I left the house with not enough clothes on and I got a little chilly. I am on my road bike this morning because I am riding into town this afternoon and then back home. This afternoon is supposed to be 73° so I look forward to it.
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Old 03-31-15, 07:52 AM
  #877  
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Felt horrible yesterday afternoon and evening. Headache, upset stomach, fatigue. I rode home in a 20mph crosswind but I was majorly out of it. Slept most of the evening. I feel better this morning, but still drove in to give my body some extra rest. I hate driving!
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Old 03-31-15, 08:39 AM
  #878  
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46F with a wicked head/crosswind. Forecast says this morning's SW wind will intensify and be a NW wind this evening just in time for the ride home. Moral of that story, stop looking at the forecast
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Old 03-31-15, 08:51 AM
  #879  
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I lucked out! Winds died down to about nothing at the half point of my 20km ride home..about -5C though so had to bundle up.. This morning great ride in, it's still chilly but again missed the wind and was able to loose my big mitts at my coffee stop halfway point..Temps are rising for us northern folks!! Can't wait for the first 10C+ ride! I think i smelled soil on the way in too..funny how on the bike you can smell the season
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Old 03-31-15, 08:51 AM
  #880  
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Originally Posted by arsprod
46F with a wicked head/crosswind. Forecast says this morning's SW wind will intensify and be a NW wind this evening just in time for the ride home. Moral of that story, stop looking at the forecast
Truth! LOL

It was right around freezing this morning, with lovely frost in the low/shady areas, and blue skies. Also it was a nice wildlife day, spotted a pair of trumpeter swans and white tail deer (not very rare, but like seeing them).
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Old 03-31-15, 08:57 AM
  #881  
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I will be chilly I have lost one my softshell PI gloves. if anyone sees it can they give it back thanks.
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Old 03-31-15, 09:16 AM
  #882  
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Originally Posted by parkersdad
it was 34° this morning when I left the house with not enough clothes on and I got a little chilly. I am on my road bike this morning because I am riding into town this afternoon and then back home. This afternoon is supposed to be 73° so I look forward to it.
40 degree temperature swing?? Dang I thought it was bad 'round here on days with a 30 deg. swing.

Nice ride this morning in the mid 50's. Supposed to be some showers coming through around lunch but then it should clear out with plenty of time to spare before the ride home in the 70's.
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Old 03-31-15, 11:54 AM
  #883  
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My second bike commute since moving from Arizona to Indiana. It's only 5 miles, whereas my one-way commute in AZ was 20 miles. So I appreciate that. Windier here though and I have to deal with these Southern Indiana hills. So I have learned to use my gears more. Beautiful morning ride though. Mid 50s and sunny. Hoping to make more of a habit of this.
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Old 04-01-15, 05:11 AM
  #884  
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It was another chilly ride this morning with the temp at 26f degrees, and clear skies with no wind. Though it was very nice to be riding today, as I plans were cancelled that would have required me to drive a car to work. Lucky me!
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Old 04-01-15, 06:14 AM
  #885  
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Today was my first bicycle commute ever. I rode around the lake a few times for exercise before heading in to work. With the lake loop and the commute in to work, I got a total of about 12 miles in. Commuting was different. With most of my riding, I can choose to be where the cars aren't. By commuting I threw myself in there with the cars. They all seemed to see me with my flashy lights and my reflective vests. A few thought that they should pass me a lot closer than I felt comfortable with, but most gave me a wide berth. On the most heavily travelled road that I had to traverse, there was one car that wouldn't change lanes to pass me even though the left lane was completely empty at the time. He forced me onto the shoulder, and once I was on the shoulder the other cars wouldn't let me in so I rode the shoulder longer than I would have liked. Hopefully, my tires won't pay the price. Anyway, I made it in and am looking forward to the trip home.
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Old 04-01-15, 06:35 AM
  #886  
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We had a 44-degree swing in temperatures yesterday between my morning and afternoon commutes. I handled the clothing surprisingly well, but my seat bag was jammed packed on the way home with my tights, jacket, head warmers and long-fingered clothes crammed in it. It was a great ride home and I had a rare tailwind.

The wind shifted overnight, so I had a nice tailwind most of the way to work this morning as well. The weather gods are smiling on me after so many lousy days over winter. I might take the long way home this afternoon if the winds calm down a little and my wife doesn't mind me getting home late. My afternoon commute takes 2 hours when I go the long way but there is virtually no traffic.
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Old 04-01-15, 06:37 AM
  #887  
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Originally Posted by justblues
Today was my first bicycle commute ever. I rode around the lake a few times for exercise before heading in to work. With the lake loop and the commute in to work, I got a total of about 12 miles in. Commuting was different. With most of my riding, I can choose to be where the cars aren't. By commuting I threw myself in there with the cars. They all seemed to see me with my flashy lights and my reflective vests. A few thought that they should pass me a lot closer than I felt comfortable with, but most gave me a wide berth. On the most heavily travelled road that I had to traverse, there was one car that wouldn't change lanes to pass me even though the left lane was completely empty at the time. He forced me onto the shoulder, and once I was on the shoulder the other cars wouldn't let me in so I rode the shoulder longer than I would have liked. Hopefully, my tires won't pay the price. Anyway, I made it in and am looking forward to the trip home.
Welcome to the club! Bike-commuting is a great way to start the day!

I'm the opposite of you, I'm transitioning to a home office and now I can pick my routes for joy. I know how you feel about the busy roads, there's a section of road near my old office, I don't see any reason to ride it again - this makes me happy. But I rode that road for the last 7 years, daily, year-round. I find with more experience that I have riding on busy roads, I use the lane better, making most cars pass more respectfully and I get a thicker skin with the small number of drivers that fail to be respectful ('cause they ain't going away).
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Old 04-01-15, 06:39 AM
  #888  
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I cruised into work this morning I had a temperature of 50°. That is a very comfortable riding temperature for me. When I got to work one of the guys was waiting behind his car and he jumped out and scared the shat out of me. It's all in fun though he rides as well so we laughed it off after I about flipped the bike over.
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Old 04-01-15, 06:50 AM
  #889  
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Originally Posted by justblues
Today was my first bicycle commute ever....
Congrats! Yes, drivers can be odd. Since you're already okay riding more miles than what your commute length is, consider finding some alternate routes to work that get you off the main roads. So instead of cruising around a lake first, you'd meander through some neighborhoods or something.

I had a decent tailwind on the way home yesterday. I just love it when the wind noise goes silent, you only hear the tires rolling on the pavement, and pedaling up a hill gets easier even if you push a little harder.

A nice 53F for this morning's ride. I left a little early and added a couple of miles on the way in. Spring in full effect!
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Old 04-01-15, 07:04 AM
  #890  
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Originally Posted by mgw4jc
Congrats! Yes, drivers can be odd. Since you're already okay riding more miles than what your commute length is, consider finding some alternate routes to work that get you off the main roads. So instead of cruising around a lake first, you'd meander through some neighborhoods or something.

I had a decent tailwind on the way home yesterday. I just love it when the wind noise goes silent, you only hear the tires rolling on the pavement, and pedaling up a hill gets easier even if you push a little harder.

A nice 53F for this morning's ride. I left a little early and added a couple of miles on the way in. Spring in full effect!
I mapped out my route carefully and where possible, I avoided busy roads. There is a 1.5 mile stretch that cannot be avoided and it is very busy during commute times, largely because it cannot be avoided. I am working late today and should go back after the commuter traffic has died down so the ride home should be less stressful.
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Old 04-01-15, 07:14 AM
  #891  
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have been sore this week from snowboarding over the weekend. skipped Mon. Tue and today were good about 35 degrees yesterday and 33 degrees today.

yesterday 3/31 was an easy ride in and an easy ride out. more and more i find i like to go slow and cruise to enjoy. there are stretches i like to go quick. but the foot and motor traffic is too unpredictable for me to really let loose. that's fine though. relaxing commute, it is.

yesterday 3/31 on the bridge, i had to bark to a couple of high school kids in prom clothes to "move out of the way" after ringing the bell at them, and then on the way home to a runner in the bike lane, "sir you're going to have to move" after ringing the bell at him multiple times - in brooklyn, i also had to ride up right to a taxi and tell him to "can you stop and let me thru?" in my best boss voice. he was in the bike lane, and kept inching forward and not letting me pass. in any case, he waved me thru.

today 4/1 was kinda weird. lots of cars and trucks cutting me off so they can stop. why would you do that. you're stopping anyway. the only person going thru that is me b/c i'm on a bicycle and it's a cakewalk going thru that - for me and just me. thankfully my senses were on high alert and saw them coming a mile away. but seriously, it makes no sense.

also a commuter cyclist who passed me on somewhat dubious conditions and at a speed i totally judge him for, cut off several pedestrians ahead of me which i saw. AGAIN, WHY? there is no one on the road at 7 am and you're riding in the pedestrian path and cutting off people on foot, why? there is nothing but negative karma in that.

cop cars sitting in bike lanes both days. really annoying. i really want a camera on my bike or helmet to take photos and send them to the tumblr, cops in bike lanes. why are you parked there? everyone on a bike hates you for making them take the lane when they really shouldn't have to. you make the roads less safe for everyone when you do that, cops. stop parking your damn cars/vans/golf carts in our lanes! and that includes the bridge!

anyway. there was a regular old 4-door sedan grey Japanese car parked next to a bike lane, not in it, this morning. i was really happy passing them. yay motorist!!! for taking the high road! thank you! you are amazing for not parking in the bike lane. love you. happy sticker.

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Old 04-01-15, 07:51 AM
  #892  
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@justblues Welcome to the club! You will come across some odd drivers from time to time. The best response is to continue cycling in a predictable and safe way. Don't let him push you onto the shoulder. I hope your ride home was more enjoyable.


I had another uneventful ride in this morning. Weather is fantastic!
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Old 04-01-15, 08:50 AM
  #893  
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I had to go by the bank when leaving the office yesterday, which meant my old commute route was a little more convenient. But just as I remember, that old route SUCKS! Instead of 60% 2-lane roads and 40% multi-lane or residential roads, it's more like 90% 2-lane roads with MUCH more traffic! Stressful as all hell. Another reminder why I switched to my current route, which is ~1 mile longer, but much less traffic, and less hills.

There is a bank closer to home I could have gone to, but they would have been closed by the time I could get up there. Oh well.
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Old 04-01-15, 09:15 AM
  #894  
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Originally Posted by tarwheel
We had a 44-degree swing in temperatures yesterday between my morning and afternoon commutes. I handled the clothing surprisingly well, but my seat bag was jammed packed on the way home with my tights, jacket, head warmers and long-fingered clothes crammed in it. It was a great ride home and I had a rare tailwind.

The wind shifted overnight, so I had a nice tailwind most of the way to work this morning as well. The weather gods are smiling on me after so many lousy days over winter. I might take the long way home this afternoon if the winds calm down a little and my wife doesn't mind me getting home late. My afternoon commute takes 2 hours when I go the long way but there is virtually no traffic.
I have a similar route that I take home when I'm in no hurry and the weather is agreeable. I love when I can pedal for 15-20 minutes without seeing a car on the road. It was 38F this morning and should be 67F on the way home with a tailwind.
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Old 04-01-15, 09:25 AM
  #895  
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Originally Posted by mgw4jc
Congrats! Yes, drivers can be odd. Since you're already okay riding more miles than what your commute length is, consider finding some alternate routes to work that get you off the main roads.
Yes, congrats and welcome to the addiction. However, don't assume using side streets or even MUP's will be any better. Today's evidence and stupid driver example #972 - major MUP crossing, wide, bright painted lines - and a moron in a Toyota Landcruiser (monstermobile) pulls right into the middle of the crossing path. There's no one ahead of him, no one behind him, and there he sits. The curbing is such that there's almost no way to go around without riding off a curb. As I approached I see he's looking down at his phone. I yelled (really yelled) HEY! He jumps up (bet there was some poo involved), looks at me bleary-eyed, and nods his head yes. Yes what? You're an idiot? Assume every car is going to hit you and no one's paying attention, because they will and they are. Still better than driving!
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Old 04-01-15, 09:36 AM
  #896  
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****ing winds...

-6°c this morning but at least the sun is out
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Old 04-01-15, 09:49 AM
  #897  
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Today (Wednesday) is the first day riding to work this week. I felt slow and draggy, so I didn't push myself. I still managed to average 12 mph (over 13 miles), which is OK, I guess.
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Old 04-01-15, 10:16 AM
  #898  
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pleasantly surprised to find it 50 degrees this morning with a high 67. looking forward to riding the rest of the week. Saving gas money!

ps I found my other glove thanks for looking for me.
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Old 04-01-15, 10:20 AM
  #899  
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34 on the way in meant booties and winter gloves.

70 on the ride home = shorts and tee shirt! LOL
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Old 04-01-15, 02:27 PM
  #900  
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I have a mean combination of cold and allergies, so probably no commuting for me this week. However I just installed Spokey Dokes on two coworkers' bikes while they were away at meetings.
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