2012 - How Was the Commute Today?
#1201
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Hell of a headwind today. I had to pedal downhill at some points. Finally got new toeclips, so that helped it suck less that it could have. Traffic wasn't bad, no problems with drivers. Average speed went from 15-17 miles per hour to about 10 miles per hour due to the wind. Nice temp and blue skies though!
#1202
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It was warm today. That brings out the asses. The bugs are back. A big black one landed on my shoulder. They're always landing on my right shoulder for some reason.
This car got close to me. My taillight was on. It is not a blinky. I was actually further left until I saw him approaching closely in the mirror and honked, so I moved to the right. On descents, I move closer left, but the pictures are where where I'm pretty much starting my descent right after the peak. I had to move onto the line, which I don't like. He was going too fast and ended up having to brake anyway going downhill behind the other cars.
I've also seen cops crossing the white lines before traffic lights. Maybe I should send footage to their departments. I see undercover cops all the time.
This car got close to me. My taillight was on. It is not a blinky. I was actually further left until I saw him approaching closely in the mirror and honked, so I moved to the right. On descents, I move closer left, but the pictures are where where I'm pretty much starting my descent right after the peak. I had to move onto the line, which I don't like. He was going too fast and ended up having to brake anyway going downhill behind the other cars.
I've also seen cops crossing the white lines before traffic lights. Maybe I should send footage to their departments. I see undercover cops all the time.
#1203
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Great commutes today, despite the heavy winds on the way in.
56F and mostly cloudy with mainly headwinds and some crosswinds from the W @ 18-21mph gusting to 27mph on the way to school. On a hill that I regularly get 35-38mph, today I was only able to hit 32mph max with the wind at my face. Still made fairly decent time though given the nasty winds.
48F and dusk to dark with mainly tailwinds and some crosswinds from the W @ 5-9mph on the commute home. I think this is one of the first evening commutes that I've made it home before 9pm. I actually left campus on time instead of hanging around for a while like I usually do. I think I'm gonna start doing that more often. Felt great the whole ride and was strong during the climbs.
56F and mostly cloudy with mainly headwinds and some crosswinds from the W @ 18-21mph gusting to 27mph on the way to school. On a hill that I regularly get 35-38mph, today I was only able to hit 32mph max with the wind at my face. Still made fairly decent time though given the nasty winds.
48F and dusk to dark with mainly tailwinds and some crosswinds from the W @ 5-9mph on the commute home. I think this is one of the first evening commutes that I've made it home before 9pm. I actually left campus on time instead of hanging around for a while like I usually do. I think I'm gonna start doing that more often. Felt great the whole ride and was strong during the climbs.
#1204
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Decent temps this morning, 46f (8C). I don't remember the ride, but I am here. I can only do that in the morning, because traffic is not too bad, but in the afternoon I am wide awake.
#1205
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Windy again this morning. Nice ride though, just had to work at it a bit. It seems it has been windy every day for a while. Legs are tired, or maybe I am just old.
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#1206
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The temps was in the 40f's as I left the house and there was light in the sky. Also much wind as everyone else is describing. Oh well at least I was able to ride in this am. I am not sure I will be able to cycle in tomorrow as I have an eye doctor's appt at 1pm. Or I could cycle to work and then over to dr and then home. I like that idea!! I will have to think about that.
#1207
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Heck of a tail wind pushing me home last night after work....nice ride in, slightly cooler. Runners in the bike lane continue to annoy me, I'm a runner too and I never do that.
#1208
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41F/5C with a light tailwind. It rained just a little bit before I left the house, but not when I was riding. I need to remember to time my departure around the bus schedule. I got tangled up with 2 or 3 city buses. They've always been professional, but I don't like playing leapfrog, or holding them up. (They're good about not passing me and stopping immediately afterward.) I know when they come through. It's a 2 or 3 minute window I need to avoid.
I stopped at a stop sign (gasp) and waited for a pedestrian in the crosswalk, who was watching me like she couldn't believe I was waiting.
I stopped at a stop sign (gasp) and waited for a pedestrian in the crosswalk, who was watching me like she couldn't believe I was waiting.
#1209
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Have had a couple of wonderful days here in Okeechobee the last two mornings. Temps around 60 with no real wind for my ride north to the shop/office. Monday there wasn't any school and the traffic was really light, today the traffic was closer to normal, but still very easy to deal with. Wind in the afternoons is higher, but the temps have been in the low 80's so the riding is easy and fast. I had an 18.3mph average for the 16.56 mile commute yesterday. Considering the stops at traffic lights, and stop signs, this was a very fast commute day. I do love living in south Florida when it's like this!
Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL
Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL
#1210
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Very windy, not as windy as the ride home last night but close. Gloomy skies too. Started to snow flurry right after I got into the building. Hoping it's nicer when I leave today!
#1212
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Took a longer way to work today, on a route that takes me by my GF's business so she rode in today with me from my house. A few blocks from the house I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses, but it's cloudy today so I figured they wouldn't be necessary. Generally I wear some kind of eyewear, if it's not bright I wear a pair of clear lenses for wind and debris protection.
Well, today after 14 miles of riding my left eye was completely shot. Itching like crazy, all dried out and red like I've never seen it. I had a coworker drive me to QFC to get some eye drops. After getting the red cleared up I see what looks like a little blister on my eye. Not cool. I'm just sitting here with my left eye closed at my desk, putting in artificial tear drops regularly, planning on doing the allergy drops again soon. My coworker also lent me a pair of sunglasses to wear on the way home. Not really looking forward to that, I'll probably do it with my eye closed.
Oh also my first trip with the new Look Keo pedals (first clipless pedals I've ever had). While testing them around the neighborhood I thought I had it down, but I kept having trouble clipping in, usually because I was in traffic and I wanted to get going quickly so I didn't keep traffic up behind me (like turning left in the turn lane, at a red light). Ugh. My foot slipped off the pedal one time and gashed my shin.
Hope everyone else had a better day!
Well, today after 14 miles of riding my left eye was completely shot. Itching like crazy, all dried out and red like I've never seen it. I had a coworker drive me to QFC to get some eye drops. After getting the red cleared up I see what looks like a little blister on my eye. Not cool. I'm just sitting here with my left eye closed at my desk, putting in artificial tear drops regularly, planning on doing the allergy drops again soon. My coworker also lent me a pair of sunglasses to wear on the way home. Not really looking forward to that, I'll probably do it with my eye closed.
Oh also my first trip with the new Look Keo pedals (first clipless pedals I've ever had). While testing them around the neighborhood I thought I had it down, but I kept having trouble clipping in, usually because I was in traffic and I wanted to get going quickly so I didn't keep traffic up behind me (like turning left in the turn lane, at a red light). Ugh. My foot slipped off the pedal one time and gashed my shin.
Hope everyone else had a better day!
#1213
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Well, today after 14 miles of riding my left eye was completely shot. Itching like crazy, all dried out and red like I've never seen it. I had a coworker drive me to QFC to get some eye drops. After getting the red cleared up I see what looks like a little blister on my eye. Not cool. I'm just sitting here with my left eye closed at my desk, putting in artificial tear drops regularly, planning on doing the allergy drops again soon. My coworker also lent me a pair of sunglasses to wear on the way home. Not really looking forward to that, I'll probably do it with my eye closed.
#1214
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For what it's worth, allergy eye drops for whatever reason irritate my eye far more than the non-allergy drops. My g/f is a severe allergy sufferer and has the same issue. I get a lot of redness, burning and irritation with the anti-histamine drops vs. the regular ones. Your mileage may very, but if irritation persists with the allergy drops you may want to suspend use.
Update: Looks good! Blister is gone. Still feels tender though. I'll need to baby it on the way home, maybe tape it shut
Last edited by SuperGregNo1; 04-10-12 at 01:18 PM.
#1215
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My post from this morning got gobbled by a server error.
-9C with a light headwind. Was just about at my comfort limit for summer shoes with rain covers and jogging pants.
On the way in I saw about 100 snow geese floating on the lake in a line two wide oriented into the wind.
Today was the last day of classes, so I packed up everything from my lockers and took my bike lock out of the cage. I had 2 panniers, a trunk bag and a backpack with not much room to spare.
On the way home I came across two people on the MUP with a child holding hands between them. When I rang my bell the woman went to the left and the man to the right, so they were still blocking my way, only now facing the opposite direction. I thought it was pretty funny.
-9C with a light headwind. Was just about at my comfort limit for summer shoes with rain covers and jogging pants.
On the way in I saw about 100 snow geese floating on the lake in a line two wide oriented into the wind.
Today was the last day of classes, so I packed up everything from my lockers and took my bike lock out of the cage. I had 2 panniers, a trunk bag and a backpack with not much room to spare.
On the way home I came across two people on the MUP with a child holding hands between them. When I rang my bell the woman went to the left and the man to the right, so they were still blocking my way, only now facing the opposite direction. I thought it was pretty funny.
#1216
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The wind this morning was bad. Sand or grit was blowing up in my face. I wear prescription glasses—not cycling glasses. A look way down the road, and I saw what looked like a big poof of sand or dirt up the air. I didn't notice any bugs. I guess it was too windy for them. The traffic lights that weren't mounted securely were swinging wildly. On my way back some red SUV driver pulled out in front of me when I had the right of way. It did it rather slow to where to I had to brake quite a bit. It wasn't a close call, because I was on guard--just plain idiocy from the driver. About a quarter or half a mile or so later I caught up with this motorist. It was fat, black woman. Not only that but it was reclined way back in its seat.
#1217
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Damn, the first F word for about 2 years. Still remember how to change them though. windy, big time.
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#1219
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#1220
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Windy and gray. Very gray. Or should that be grey?
#1221
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A bit chilly today at 39f (4C). Not chilly enough to get dressed up too much, but enough to add something. Came across some police activity in the dark, and that is alway interesting. Two unmarked cars, and one marked. Someone was being led to the unmarked van. I was noticed, but I was all lit up, so I wasn't trying to hide in the dark.
#1222
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What's all this talk about tailwinds? I never seem to get them around here. The winds have been blowing here lately and I took the day off cycling yesterday to recover from 3 tough days of riding. I rode 55 miles solo on Sunday on one of those days when you never seem to catch a tailwind, and my legs were fried on Monday. I felt much better this morning after a rest day but caught every red light on the way to work. Some things never change.
#1224
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Gray is American. Grey is The U.K. and elsewhere, so grey for you! We spell lots of things incorrectly in America.
My commute was also gray, with light drizzle at first. 39F/4C, no wind. I took the "long way", which includes the MUP. It adds about one mile (1.6km) of distance, and includes a short hill climb.
My commute was also gray, with light drizzle at first. 39F/4C, no wind. I took the "long way", which includes the MUP. It adds about one mile (1.6km) of distance, and includes a short hill climb.
#1225
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Although much chillier than last week, the weather today was nice and sunny with mild winds. Unfortunately this is the week before Orthodox Easter and most people are rushing around getting ready either to leave Athens or doing last minute shopping and it's getting dangerous for cyclists since most people are paying more attention to texting/talking on their cellphones than driving!