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-   -   The 2022 How Was Your Commute? Thread (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=1244463)

groovestew 08-24-22 10:57 AM

A little cool on the arms when I first started out, but I warmed up.

At the start of the pandemic, the city decided to drastically cut back on weed control, both chemical and manual, to save some money. More recently, they tabled a motion to ban herbicide use city-wide. That's been shelved for now, and they have committed to restoring funding to weed control, but for now, we have 6 foot high thistles encroaching on the paths:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a8a16c1b69.jpg

About 2/3 of the way to work, all of a sudden I heard POP! Pfffffffffffffffffffffff... Yup, a flat in the front tire. No idea what caused it. No evidence from the tire or tube. Okay, I have a spare tube aaaaaand... the stem is too short for my rim. Dang it! Okay, I guess I'm patching, and I suck at patching. Here I had left home early so that I could get to the office in time for a meeting, and now I'm delayed a good 15 minutes. Anyway, the patch held, and I made it work and to the meeting only 5 minutes late, but still a bit sweaty. While waiting for the cement to dry before applying the patch, I took a photo of my stuff all strewn around:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2eb5eb9ab2.jpg

Oops, looks like I moved the phone while the picture was taken. Sorry.

While I was working on the repair, an older gentlemen walking his dog stopped and asked if I needed a ride! I politely declined (I had already contacted a colleague as contingency), we chatted a bit, and he went on his way. Once I got going again, I saw him again watering his front garden, so I gave him a big smile and wave, and he smiled and waved back. There are good people out there!

Have a great day everyone.

Geergirl 08-24-22 07:29 PM

Too much rain!
 
My commute this year has sucked. Regaining stamina post-covid means I'm riding less than usual, and the torrential rain here on the prairies isnt helping either!

Tundra_Man 08-25-22 07:28 AM

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1485:

Commutes haven't been too eventful lately, so I haven't been posting much. Just riding back and forth every day, business as usual.

This morning was pretty nice. 65°F, a light wind and sunny. It was the first day of school and I expected traffic to be heavier than it was. I did get out the door about 10 minutes early, so maybe I was just ahead of the rush.

Was crossing a busy street heading west. Right as I entered the intersection the light turned yellow. About halfway through a driver coming from the opposite direction entered the intersection long after it had turned yellow, and quickly made a left turn directly in front of me. Thankfully I saw him coming and his turn was wide enough that I was able to stop and let him pass in front of me without hitting me. As he went by I don't think he ever looked at me.

groovestew 08-25-22 09:43 AM

My patch held for the trip home yesterday, so it's probably good. On the way home, a couple of deer jumped onto the path a little ahead of me, so I stopped to take a picture.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...27a501c53f.jpg

Today, I took a detour to check on the progress of construction on a new path through a ravine. Looks like they're getting ready to pave, so hopefully it's done soon. Nice ride today.

pdlamb 08-25-22 01:04 PM

@groovestew, very nice picture; how did you get the deer to pose for you? I've stopped and stared at deer for a minute or two, but they bolt as soon as I reach for a camera.

groovestew 08-25-22 03:34 PM


Originally Posted by pdlamb (Post 22623377)
@groovestew, very nice picture; how did you get the deer to pose for you? I've stopped and stared at deer for a minute or two, but they bolt as soon as I reach for a camera.

I was a lot farther away than the picture suggests; the picture is massively cropped. I'm actually impressed with how much detail was retained by the cropping. After I took the picture, I moved forward a couple feet and away they went.

Chinghis 08-25-22 03:56 PM

Today's commuting adventure on the LA River Trail (formerly known as the LA River Bike Path) came as I approached a runner coming towards me, on what I consider the correct side of the path - in my lane, running and facing traffic (me).

OK, cool, let me do a headcheck over my left shoulder, never know when a crazy-fast roadie might be coming up on you. Heck, I'll even look to the right, just a good habit. As we passed each other, I had one of those moments where you sense a presence near you ... And was passed by some jackass on an e-ped going about 30 mph. I was on my road bike, probably doing 17 mph, and he passed me like I was standing still. I flipped him off, hoping he saw it in the mirror, as I gestured that he should get off the trail. Ride your e-ped, fine, just have some freakin' common sense, and don't ride on trails meant primarily for bikes and walkers. Grrrr.

Darth Lefty 08-25-22 10:53 PM

I was on track for five days solid but my kid broke his pinky in PE today. So I'm WFH to deal with the kindergartners tomorrow while mom finds him someone to cast it.

It's a short ride now from the house straight to work, about 20 minutes. Good to be back.

groovestew 08-26-22 09:23 AM

Well I managed 5 solid days this week, but neither of my kids broke any bones, so...

Around here, school starts next week Thursday, and then I'll be scaling back my riding since I generally drive my kids to school on my way to work. Technically my wife can drive them (and she always picks them up) but it's more time efficient if I drop them off. As long as it's nice weather, I'll try to keep riding a couple times a week.

Nothing much to report about today's ride. Sunny, warm, and uneventful. Didn't even see any squirrels (they've been quite active recently). I know I'll be taking the long way home due to major construction on a bridge that I pass under when I ride my normal route. The path is completely closed for the weekend while crews prepare to add a new lane to the bridge above.

Darth Lefty 08-26-22 06:54 PM

In the end I rode anyway because I wanted my complete week. I’m really glad to be back.

groovestew 08-29-22 10:29 AM

Really dogging it today. I'm tired from a fitful sleep last night with many bad dreams, undoubtedly caused by eating too much fried chicken and rich creamy sides last night, topped off with a big bowl of ice cream late in the evening. All home-made (except the ice cream) so it's good for you, right? I think I could ride every day this week and still not burn off the calories from yesterday. Pretty nice morning for a commute though; just a bit chilly.

Have a great week everyone.

groovestew 08-30-22 09:10 AM

Ever seen a murder of crows? There were several dozen in one area on the way home yesterday, but only a few let me take their picture. There were tons more in the trees off to the left.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8672618e15.jpg

This morning, a coyote screamed across the path only a few meters ahead of me, too fast for a photo. Nice commute; much better energy than yesterday, though I did get easily passed on a climb by a guy on a mountain bike. He kinda looked like Billy from Stranger Things.

groovestew 08-31-22 10:24 AM

Last day before the start of school, so today is my last day of "regular" cycle commuting. I'll still ride, but not as often, and once it snows, I'm done. Pretty nice morning, sunny and not a breath of wind.

essiemyra 09-04-22 10:50 AM

I was able to ride my bike to the assisted living I work on the weekends today. So that was nice and since work does not start until 8:30 am I am not riding in the dark. In 3 weeks I will be retired from my full-time job and just working part time at the assisted living for 14 hours a week and all all the biking I want!

Shortwave 09-08-22 11:32 AM

It is so humid in Louisiana! Every commute ends with sweat, sweat, annnnd, yup, more sweat. Luckily my work has showers and lockers.

Someone was trashing a Trek Domane 2, so I took it and turned it into my new fixed gear commuter. (The bike is in great shape, the components were either missing or busted). Here's the bike now!
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0ce80bb35b.jpg

Darth Lefty 09-08-22 12:12 PM

New wildfire nearby. Started on Tuesday, the day of the record-ever temperatures. Hotter again today and everything is smoky. Bike riding not really in the cards. Weather takes a nose dive into the 80s next week, if they can get on top of this fire and it doesn't burn all the way to Nevada like the Caldor and Dixie fires last year

Tundra_Man 09-12-22 08:10 AM

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1496:

Woke up to pain in my lower right abdomen. It seems to have settled down the longer I've been awake. That was weird. I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to ride my bicycle to the hospital again.

Fall weather has arrived. It was 45°F when I left the house. Wore a sweatshirt. There wasn't any wind, so that was a rare treat. When I arrived at the office my hands were feeling pretty cold. They'll acclimate as the season progresses, but I haven't felt that since about May.

As I was riding, a younger kid about 11 or 12 was riding his bike the opposite way. He didn't have any gloves or head protection. As he passed he looked at me and said, "It's cold!" lol

AstroEng 09-13-22 06:53 PM

Looped chain...
 
Almost home today and my chain got a pair of loops in it. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I was in the smaller ring and in a high gear, so I guess I had too much slack in the chain and probably hit a bump. It was annoying, but relatively easy to fix once I took a minute to figure out how it was sitting.

9 years riding daily and that's the first time I've ever had that happen. I googled it at home later, and it seems like it usually happens when the rear wheel is off. I didn't see any references to it happening while riding. I guess I should measure the chain and make sure it isn't also stretched.

It was an absolutely beautiful day though!

Darth Lefty 09-13-22 10:42 PM

Took the truck for another go at the transmission shop and got a ride in thereby.

Return trip on Thursday? Friday? dunno yet

Darth Lefty 09-16-22 11:57 AM

Got a short lap in Wednesday too.

Schedule such a mess, who knows. Might take some commutes from house to work anyhow. It's the only time I've got to myself but it impinges a little on work time

Tundra_Man 09-16-22 12:18 PM

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1500:

Now THATS a nice big round number. I like nice big round numbers.

It rained most of the night, but had stopped by the time I headed out to work. I had wet pavement, but nothing falling from the sky.

Other than that, it was a completely uneventful commute for number 1500. When I reached downtown I stopped to take a photo to commemorate the milestone:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...160b4a2d72.jpg

Darth Lefty 09-17-22 11:31 AM

Congrats! Honored just to envy you

Joe Bikerider 09-17-22 07:21 PM

Darth, I enjoy your notes and wanted to pass on a thought. Yesterday I buried my wife’s sister and it made me think, as it should. Her brother had assembled some family pictures. which we saw the other night.

Our family has had some ups and downs as I think you are having too. I love the way you are holding it together. That’s what dad’s do. Keep it up. You and your kids are both important. Keep riding.

Sorcerer 09-18-22 08:37 PM

Came down with Covid!
 
Bummed
Last week on Thursday my schedule said to show up 45 minutes early, which is the time I use to ride to work.
So I decided to drive, for that and other reasons. One other reason was that I was feeling tired. Another reason was getting ready for bike packing on Friday night.
I gather now that fatigue was the onset of Covid-19.

Felt like crap and called in sick on Friday morning, got a test, Saturday morning the result is positive.

Work won't let me return until 10 days from Day1.

Going to miss my bike commute next week.

Darth Lefty 09-18-22 10:03 PM

Sorcerer: Bummer, man!

Joe, thank you. That is very kind.

Tomorrow is "showers," but 0.12 inches for the entire day, so maybe it's a watch-the-radar morning and if that works out, deal-with-whatever afternoon. Hope this helps with the Mosquito fire north of here. It had a pretty severe new run a couple of days ago and the left end flared up again, but there was light rain here in the foothills today. In a happy irony this fire was also slowed down by the burn scars from fires in 2013-14, which is why it never took off like the Caldor fire last year

edit: forgot about cardio appointment downtown. No ride

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f7dbc9c60a.png

Darth Lefty 09-19-22 05:22 PM

My commute today! Wikipedia: "The average untrained healthy male has a V̇O2 max of approximately 35–40 mL/(kg·min)." My VO2 max is 20.2. Dreadful for a cyclist or pretty ok for a heart patient, you decide. Of course I'm doing the denominator no favors. It was a ramp of 20 watts/min and I made it to right about 200W. I got to see the plot of CO2 exhaust and blood oxygen, where one dies and the other ramps up going anaerobic. That was cool. I did maybe another minute? after that before I tapped out. Glad I was able to push myself ok in this test, because what I'm able to do is so inconsistent. If I'd had a sandwich first I couldn't have done nearly so well. Or I might have hit angina before tapping out. Today I was ok.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...93450e169.jpeg

Tundra_Man 09-20-22 06:55 AM


Originally Posted by Darth Lefty (Post 22653029)
My commute today! Wikipedia: "The average untrained healthy male has a V̇O2 max of approximately 35–40 mL/(kg·min)." My VO2 max is 20.2. Dreadful for a cyclist or pretty ok for a heart patient, you decide. Of course I'm doing the denominator no favors. It was a ramp of 20 watts/min and I made it to right about 200W. I got to see the plot of CO2 exhaust and blood oxygen, where one dies and the other ramps up going anaerobic. That was cool. I did maybe another minute? after that before I tapped out. Glad I was able to push myself ok in this test, because what I'm able to do is so inconsistent. If I'd had a sandwich first I couldn't have done nearly so well. Or I might have hit angina before tapping out. Today I was ok.

I thought I'd had every cardiac test they've invented, but this is a new one to me.

Glad you're OK, at least for today.

Darth Lefty 09-20-22 07:49 AM


Originally Posted by Tundra_Man (Post 22653433)
I thought I'd had every cardiac test they've invented, but this is a new one to me.

Glad you're OK, at least for today.

It's a pulmonary exercise test, the same one you used to see in Gatorade commercials. Breather tube measures flow in and CO2 concentration, pulse-ox taped to forehead, ECG for heart rate, and blood pressure cuff for good measure. The bike just makes resistance. This is the same kind of "FTP ramp test" the roadies do on Sufferfest/Trainerroad/Zwift but with a bit more equipment.

https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/ftp-tests/ramp-test

Tundra_Man 09-20-22 09:21 AM


Originally Posted by Darth Lefty (Post 22653486)
It's a pulmonary exercise test, the same one you used to see in Gatorade commercials. Breather tube measures flow in and CO2 concentration, pulse-ox taped to forehead, ECG for heart rate, and blood pressure cuff for good measure. The bike just makes resistance. This is the same kind of "FTP ramp test" the roadies do on Sufferfest/Trainerroad/Zwift but with a bit more equipment.

https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/ftp-tests/ramp-test

Reminds me of when they gave me a treadmill stress test (I rode my bicycle to and from the appointment.) They hooked me up to the heart rate monitors, put me on a treadmill, and every 30 seconds they increased the speed and the incline until I cried uncle.

Before we started I asked the technicians, "How long do people usually last?"

"Between four and six minutes is typical," they answered.

"What's the current record?" I asked.

One of the technicians shrugged his shoulders. The other one said, "I had a guy last almost fifteen minutes once!"

"Turn it off at fifteen minutes and one second," I replied. They thought I was joking and started the test. Around fourteen and a half minutes they were saying they were going to shut it down. "Don't you dare turn it off yet!" I screamed as I was running at a full sprint. I made it the fifteen minutes and one second.

I'm kind of ornery like that. Actually, I felt like I could have kept going if it weren't for the incline. They had the treadmill so steep that it was taking all my strength to hold on to the bar to keep from falling off the back of the treadmill. My arms were what were giving out more than my cardiovascular system.

Darth Lefty 09-20-22 11:44 AM

The dumbest one I've had so far was a bike stress echo. It was supposed to let them image the heart while it's actually under strain but the test setup was so hokey it didn't work. Laying completely flat on back, pedals at the end of the bed. The push-pull of pedaling moved the mattress around and it wasn't steady enough to get the shot. I also once had a treadmill stress echo. You have to jump off the treadmill and run to the table so they can shoot it before your heart rate drops. Still pretty stupid...


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