The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,532
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
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Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1406:
Temp this morning was 31°F, which was warmer than the morning temps we had last week so hopefully spring is finally starting to arrive. A little bit of snow fell overnight, just enough to put a dusting on things but not enough to really change the commute. I took the road bike despite the dusting of snow.
High today is supposed to be in the mid-40s. Headwind this morning was in the low 20mph range, which wasn't fun but at least it was a reprieve of the 70mph winds we had over the weekend. Wind here in South Dakota is pretty typical, but I can't remember a year where we've had such a long stretch of high winds. I'm not exaggerating when I say in the last six weeks we've had three days with wind speeds below 20 mph. It's really starting to mentally wear on people, not just the cyclists. A friend of mine lost her shed over the weekend when it finally couldn't take the constant wind pressure any longer. Another friend of mine lost her gazebo yesterday. I've lost a bunch of tree limbs, my bat house and some shingles.
I got out of my routine this morning, which turned out to be a mistake. When I got up I noticed my phone was running low on charge. I plugged it in and set it on the kitchen counter, which I never do in the morning. Usually as soon as my pants are on it goes right in my pocket. Then I went about my routine as usual.
When I arrived at the client I reached for my phone and remembered that it is still sitting at home on the kitchen counter. Rats. They recently implemented two-factor authorization for everything, and it authenticates to my phone. I asked if they had a "plan B" for when someone leaves their phone at home and was told "not yet."
So I was down in the parking garage loading up my bike for a return trip home just to retrieve my phone when one of the network guys came running after me. They figured out how to get around the two-factor on my account for the day, so I didn't have to make an extra trip unless I just couldn't live without my phone. I wasn't going to mind heading back home with the wind pushing me, but coming back and fighting the wind a 2nd time wasn't appealing. I thanked him for catching me before I took off and decided I could last a day without a phone.
Also forgot to pack my belt. That wasn't due to me getting out of my routine, that was just me being a doofus.