2019! The “How was your commute?” thread!
#351
Senior Member
37F, rain and fog - overnight rain cleared almost all the ice and snow away so back to regular tires. Smoooooth!
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#352
Senior Member
In a really weird turn of events, a local news station caught wind of today being three years since the last time I drove to work, and called me up. They asked if they could interview and film me. They met me as I got off work at 6 PM tonight, and here's what aired during the 10 PM news: KSFY.COM: Sioux Falls Man Gives Up His Car For A Bike
#353
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Well, to be honest, that commute flat-out sucked.
Got up this morning and looked at my phone. It said it was 27F. I thought, "Wow! It got a lot warmer than they said it was going to get!" I was expecting 15F. I dressed accordingly for a nice, balmy 27F day.
I started heading down the road, and within a half mile I thought, "There's no possible way it's 27F." The headwind was just brutal. There was a few inches of fresh unplowed snow on the pavement. The wind was blowing it into drifts and into my face. I was moving really slow and freezing. Took me 45 minutes to ride 4 miles as 6 mph was about all I could muster, even down hills. I kept my triple in the granny ring the entire commute. Halfway to work, had you asked me why I ride my bicycle year round I wouldn't have been able to give you a good answer. If somebody had pulled up and offered me a ride I would have taken it even though it would have meant breaking my consecutive streak.
When I got to work and checked multiple weather sources they all said it was 6F with a -15F wind chill. THAT I believe.
Got up this morning and looked at my phone. It said it was 27F. I thought, "Wow! It got a lot warmer than they said it was going to get!" I was expecting 15F. I dressed accordingly for a nice, balmy 27F day.
I started heading down the road, and within a half mile I thought, "There's no possible way it's 27F." The headwind was just brutal. There was a few inches of fresh unplowed snow on the pavement. The wind was blowing it into drifts and into my face. I was moving really slow and freezing. Took me 45 minutes to ride 4 miles as 6 mph was about all I could muster, even down hills. I kept my triple in the granny ring the entire commute. Halfway to work, had you asked me why I ride my bicycle year round I wouldn't have been able to give you a good answer. If somebody had pulled up and offered me a ride I would have taken it even though it would have meant breaking my consecutive streak.
When I got to work and checked multiple weather sources they all said it was 6F with a -15F wind chill. THAT I believe.
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#354
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Very cool indeed, @Tundra_Man! Little news stories like that are the best form of cycling advocacy.
I'm at home today, lying on the living room sofa with a dog on my lap while snow and sleet beat on the windows. I could have ridden to the station this morning, but I had my doubts about getting home this afternoon.
I'm at home today, lying on the living room sofa with a dog on my lap while snow and sleet beat on the windows. I could have ridden to the station this morning, but I had my doubts about getting home this afternoon.
#355
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Mid-twenties F this AM. Aprx 5" of fresh snow @ 06:30. Shoveled the walk, city plow did the middle of the street. Telecommuted 07:00-09:00, as new snow came down. Still falling, pretty fast, as I left for the office. Figured I'd take a cross street over to the MUP, and if it was clear, I'd go, and if not, I'd take a bus. Unfortunately the cross-streets hadn't been plowed, so that was a very slow half-mile.The MUP had been plowed overnight, but had a few inches of fresh fall, and the usual windrows in the intersections. Slow, but passable. I passed a young lady on skis on the MUP, then encountered a couple of what appeared to be tourists on rented fatties (having a hard time of it), and one other commuter who was slower and less steady than me. Met another lady on skis on the bike elevator. No photos.
Last edited by madpogue; 02-12-19 at 02:04 PM.
#356
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Very cool indeed, @Tundra_Man! Little news stories like that are the best form of cycling advocacy.
I'm at home today, lying on the living room sofa with a dog on my lap while snow and sleet beat on the windows. I could have ridden to the station this morning, but I had my doubts about getting home this afternoon.
I'm at home today, lying on the living room sofa with a dog on my lap while snow and sleet beat on the windows. I could have ridden to the station this morning, but I had my doubts about getting home this afternoon.
#357
GATC
Snow day yesterday, snow day today, kids have snow day tomorrow so I will probably continue to stay home. Shoulder recovering.
#358
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PM - another 3-4 inches of fresh fall. MUP had been plowed, but had aprx 1-2 inches of fresh cover. Slightly slippery underneath. Tall windrows at every intersection. Side streets had mostly been plowed, but had patches of glare ice.
#359
Senior Member
I had to leave work early yesterday which worked out well weather wise. A pretty heavy rain fall went through from about 5:15 - 5:30 when I would have been out. Instead I was home by 3:30.
Cool but clear ride in this morning. Got a little extra distance for 14.5 miles on the way in.
Cool but clear ride in this morning. Got a little extra distance for 14.5 miles on the way in.
#360
Senior Member
Heavy rain the last two days, so I just took the bus to work. Today was cold but clear so back on the bike it was: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt0utrVHec1/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xtvkkwy38qvu
29°F with 15 mph winds, so not bad weather at all.
29°F with 15 mph winds, so not bad weather at all.
#361
The Fat Guy In The Back
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Consecutive work commute number 700: 2F with a -14F wind chill. The MUP still hasn't been plowed since Sunday and Monday's snow. With the cold temps of the last few days the snow is now getting a little stiff, making it tough to ride through. I rode most of the way in my granny front ring.
The next two mornings it's supposed to be below zero air temp, along with a good chunk of next week. This is the part of the year where it really starts to wear on me mentally.
The next two mornings it's supposed to be below zero air temp, along with a good chunk of next week. This is the part of the year where it really starts to wear on me mentally.
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#362
Senior Member
20F, snow, 15-20 mph winds. I almost bailed because of the wind - I'll take ice, snow, rain, almost anything but high winds. It was due west and my route is almost all north/south so wasn't horrible. About mile 8 I noticed I was slowing down and it was getting harder to pedal. The snow had built up underneath my front fender and was actually causing friction. I'll raise that sucker up before the ride home.
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#363
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I needed to run some paperwork by the office last night, so I got to experience a bonus 10 miles into a 10-20 mile headwind. For some reason it made me tired.
This morning started off slow. Nothing on the weather radar or forecast today, so I got out the main bike (instead of the rain bike) for its first commute in nearly three weeks. Had to pump up the tires, since they were down to "bouncy," but I couldn't get the pump chuck to stay on. Took me ten minutes and two pumps to get the tires aired, by which time I had worked up a sweat. Grr.
But it was a lovely, clear, frosty morning. Sunshine!! Traffic was pretty well behaved, if the lights didn't like me today that was OK. It was the kind of morning that wouldn't have been a bad thing if my commute was 5-10 miles longer.
This morning started off slow. Nothing on the weather radar or forecast today, so I got out the main bike (instead of the rain bike) for its first commute in nearly three weeks. Had to pump up the tires, since they were down to "bouncy," but I couldn't get the pump chuck to stay on. Took me ten minutes and two pumps to get the tires aired, by which time I had worked up a sweat. Grr.
But it was a lovely, clear, frosty morning. Sunshine!! Traffic was pretty well behaved, if the lights didn't like me today that was OK. It was the kind of morning that wouldn't have been a bad thing if my commute was 5-10 miles longer.
#364
Senior Member
40F and clear. My first commute since my accident last week. I was anxious, but it went fine. My new front light is impressively bright - 1300 lumens, but the number doesn't do it justice. It's BRIGHT. Still waiting on my Cycliq for the rear. And my new jacket makes me quite literally glow in the dark, which is cool. I tried a new route today, but it was not my favorite. Too few bike lanes, I took the lane quite a bit, thankfully nobody flipped out.
It snowed quite a bit in the mountains this past weekend, and I left a little later than normal today, so I got treated to a stunning pre-dawn view of the snow-covered San Gabriels on my way to work. It looked like a Bob Ross painting. Awesome.
It snowed quite a bit in the mountains this past weekend, and I left a little later than normal today, so I got treated to a stunning pre-dawn view of the snow-covered San Gabriels on my way to work. It looked like a Bob Ross painting. Awesome.
#365
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Originally Posted by Tundra_Man
The next two mornings it's supposed to be below zero air temp, along with a good chunk of next week. This is the part of the year where it really starts to wear on me mentally.
#366
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40F and clear. My first commute since my accident last week. I was anxious, but it went fine. My new front light is impressively bright - 1300 lumens, but the number doesn't do it justice. It's BRIGHT. Still waiting on my Cycliq for the rear. And my new jacket makes me quite literally glow in the dark, which is cool. I tried a new route today, but it was not my favorite. Too few bike lanes, I took the lane quite a bit, thankfully nobody flipped out.
It snowed quite a bit in the mountains this past weekend, and I left a little later than normal today, so I got treated to a stunning pre-dawn view of the snow-covered San Gabriels on my way to work. It looked like a Bob Ross painting. Awesome.
It snowed quite a bit in the mountains this past weekend, and I left a little later than normal today, so I got treated to a stunning pre-dawn view of the snow-covered San Gabriels on my way to work. It looked like a Bob Ross painting. Awesome.
AM commute - 20F-ish, clear and sunny, but fresh cover from overnight. Cross streets were slushy/sketchy, MUP was snowy but passable. Minimal windrows.
Non-bike commuting story, cf. a neighbor. Last night, 10:30-ish, wife and I are listening to Jimmy Church and thinking about what project bike to put on the stand next, when we hear the familiar DzzzzZZZZZT.... DzzzzzZZZZZT of spinning car tires. Girl next door, a third-shift ER nurse, leaving for work, can't get her Prius out of the driveway. It's literally up to the floorboards in snow. It's packed in all around the bumper covers etc. So we go out, and all three start digging. Just as we're getting to where we can push her out, her husband comes out to "help". All that time, he didn't think to look out the WINDOW; he just noticed, by looking at his phone, that she wasn't at work yet. Dude is your textbook phone addict. Redolent with the smell of Bourbon, so he prob. wouldn't have been much help anyway.
Last edited by madpogue; 02-13-19 at 12:35 PM.
#367
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That thought certainly has crossed my mind. I'm likely looking at some major surgery that will curtail all riding for about six months, so I'm kind of trying to keep the streak going until then.
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#368
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I show my wife you guys riding in the freeze and tell her it wouldn't bother me to ride in the rain and wind. I think if everything were stable right now she wouldn't worry, but with my procedure coming up and her stressed out over upgrading her business, it just seems fraught. Today is probably our biggest rain of the year, and I drove. Last night blew a gale, and there's likely down trees on the bike path, but maybe not - that's happened a lot the last couple years and all the stuff that died in the drought has mostly fallen down by now.
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#370
Senior Member
40°F and sunny for the ride in. Traffic was fairly light. Legs felt dead so I ran a gear lower than I normally do for most of the ride. Bright spot of the morning - because the registers were down at Taco Bell, I ended up with a free breakfast.
#371
Senior Member
Hmmm, Taco Bell breakfast? Maybe, mayyyybee, if it were free.
Bit of a tailwind in places for yesterday's ride home. Then a cross wind. But managed to break 17mph for the ride which is rare.
A bit cold at 26F this morning, but warming to the low 60s this afternoon. Nice!
On Monday's ride home I heard a loud boom and even felt it. No clue where it came from but the local news reported on many people hearing it also. I thinks it's still a mystery, but may have been some blasting for construction.
Bit of a tailwind in places for yesterday's ride home. Then a cross wind. But managed to break 17mph for the ride which is rare.
A bit cold at 26F this morning, but warming to the low 60s this afternoon. Nice!
On Monday's ride home I heard a loud boom and even felt it. No clue where it came from but the local news reported on many people hearing it also. I thinks it's still a mystery, but may have been some blasting for construction.
#372
Senior Member
I don't really mind the cold, but don't mess with the snow/ice. Plus, I haven't had to since we've had fairly mild winter the last several years. This winter is different for sure. The first 7" snow of the season we had in November was more than Kansas City received each winter for the last 3 or 4 years. I've never had studded tires, because I've really never needed them since I started commuting. My commuting is so minimal this winter that I may break down and get a set.
That said, it was VERY warm here yesterday, with temps in the low to mid 50's. Even this morning was warm at 40, which I can't remember the last time it was that warm for a morning commute. It was also the first commute in a long time that all the ice was melted from the roads! Unfortunately, it won't last long as the next cold front comes through around noon today dropping the temp about 5-degrees per hour all afternoon until we're well down into the teens. :-( With the 20mph headwinds and gusts close to 40mph expected... I may leave work a tad early today. 3-5 inches of snow expected tonight.
That said, it was VERY warm here yesterday, with temps in the low to mid 50's. Even this morning was warm at 40, which I can't remember the last time it was that warm for a morning commute. It was also the first commute in a long time that all the ice was melted from the roads! Unfortunately, it won't last long as the next cold front comes through around noon today dropping the temp about 5-degrees per hour all afternoon until we're well down into the teens. :-( With the 20mph headwinds and gusts close to 40mph expected... I may leave work a tad early today. 3-5 inches of snow expected tonight.
#373
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Tuesday's snow melted off the streets yesterday, and on the canal towpath yesterday evening it felt mostly like slush, barely slowed me down. But temps dropped into the 20's overnight and at 5 AM the remaining snow had a tough frozen crust, no way I could ride on that without studs, so I took the road to avoid the canal. Slightly longer, so I had to hustle; and slightly unfamiliar, so I don't know where it's likely to be wet. And it was fine, mostly a dry asphalt stained light gray by the salt. Uh, mostly. At one point I realized I was riding across a 40 foot black patch of snowmelt that had been running across the road during the night and was now either mostly frozen or entirely frozen. I didn't want to find out. I was going 15 or 16 mph and there was no time to react. I uttered an epithet and kept going. Nothing went wrong. Whew.
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#374
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I say the same thing sometimes, mainly because when I know that it's a choice and not feeling like "have to" it's a lot easier mentally. But sometimes it's alsoe kind of a kick to count "consecutives" in terms of years rather than days.
#375
The Fat Guy In The Back
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-2F. More brutal headwinds today once again made it feel like Sir Brad was giving me a tour of the Pit of Misery.
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