Darth Lefty 

I was in DC briefly today and visited the National Gallery and the sculpture garden. From a bike perspective it looked like a mixed bag. Cycling infrastructure was mostly an afterthought but there was both a city bike share and the private app rental bikes. I guess you mostly either ride on the sidewalk or ride with the cars.

Further down in Manassas, VA where I was working Tues-Weds, it seemed like a cycling hellhole. Just travel lanes all the way across ending with a hard curb, no shoulder, bike lane, fog line... It wasn’t that nice to drive either with roads turning at random... drive a mile and wait four minutes at a light, 4 mile trips took 20 minutes. Sometimes there were left turn arrows but the waits were long, otherwise risk your life left yield on green, left turn lane sometimes totally absent, road markings pretty much invisible when wet.

SylvainG

Came very close to a bike to bike crash this afternoon. While I was riding in a bike lane, I noticed that someone was riding toward me in my bike lane instead of using the bike lane on the other (his) side of the road. When we got closer, I saw him move to my left as if to leave me room (bike lane is narrow). So I kept going but then remembered that a bike path is crossing on my right so I stopped pedaling and got ready for emergency braking. Sure enough, he wasn't leaving me room but getting ready to veer into the bike path on my right! He crossed right in front of me!!! Had to apply my brakes hard, bike rear wheel got off the ground, yelled at him which is when he realized I was there and also took evasive action! That's the only reason we didn't hit. I guess my Cateye 800 in mode in twilight hours wasn't enough to alert him that I was there, on the RIGHT side of the road. Cursed at him a bit, he apologized and we parted way. Second time in two months that I almost got hit by another bike because they weren't looking what they were doing.

SylvainG

Came very close to a bike to bike crash this afternoon. While I was riding in a bike lane, I noticed that someone was riding toward me in my bike lane instead of using the bike lane on the other (his) side of the road. When we got closer, I saw him move to my left as if to leave me room (bike lane is narrow). So I kept going but then remembered that a bike path is crossing on my right so I stopped pedaling and got ready for emergency braking. Sure enough, he wasn't leaving me room but getting ready to veer into the bike path on my right! He crossed right in front of me!!! Had to apply my brakes hard, bike rear wheel got off the ground, yelled at him which is when he realized I was there and also took evasive action! That's the only reason we didn't hit. I guess my Cateye 800 in mode (jump to 3m22s to see what it looks like) in twilight hours wasn't enough to alert him that I was there, on the RIGHT side of the road. Cursed at him a bit, he apologized and we parted way. Second time in two months that I almost got hit by another bike because they weren't looking what they were doing.

salcedo

Cyclists are the worst! A friggin plague thats what they are

salcedo

My commute route goes right by a small regional airport. Today on my was back a plane passed right by me on its way to landing. Felt pretty cool

mgw4jc

Awesome! Were you singing "Danger Zone" to yourself?

Temp here dropped enough to cause me to pull out my long tights for the first time this fall. 37F but sunny and warming to 57F. The sun made it feel pretty nice.

rhm

Nice mild temperature at 4:45 AM, bright stars and black clouds, all very pretty.

A skunk shuffled across the road in front of me, taking his time, but far enough away that I was able to swerve behind him. Oddly, once he saw me swerving to avoid him, he hustled a bit to get away.

And then three deer ambled into the road, one after the other, also moving very slow. I yelled at them. They weren't impressed.

It has already got a lot colder than it was four hours ago!

It was already noticeably colder by the time I got to work.

esmith2039

25 degree's and NE wind with wind chill in the upper teen's.. brrrr. And of course a train. I may need a nap today!

Tundra_Man 

17°F this morning with a steady 15 mph wind with gust to 40 mph. Brrr! Thankfully the wind direction was coming from the side so I didn't have to fight it as much. I decided to go with a long-sleeve shirt under my windbreaker, which turned out to be a wise choice.

As usual though, before I left the house when I was sitting in my living room snuggling with the cat and we were staring out the window at the cold, I was really tempted to throw in the towel, break my streak and drive. But once I was a few miles down the road it was no big deal. My toes got a little nippy but not too bad.

Consecutive work commute number 406 is in the bag.

FargoRider

Temp was 13°F leaving this morning with a 25 mph wind (gusts of 35) pushing me all the way to the office. I'm not sure I'm ridden that fast on a 4.5 mile stretch with the fat tire bike before. The windchill was -3° but didn't even feel it with it pushing from behind - fun ride.

I'll be riding directly into the wind on the way home, so I'll be getting my workout in today.

FargoRider

Congrats on the streak.

noglider 

@SylvainG, I stumbled upon a nice thing to yell when someone makes a boneheaded move: Not cool, dude! It's good if you don't want to completely curse someone out, which I think is ineffective and sometimes counterproductive.

Yesterday's rides were excellent. I felt really strong. I have evening meetings in my home neighborhood on Thursdays, and I usually arrive late because I underestimate the travel time. I left on time yesterday and arrived early. Yay me.

I have a cold, and the weather is cold and windy, so I took a break today, so this week, I've ridden to work only one day, but I'm cool with that.

noglider 

Today's commute on the subway was emotional. I saw a homeless person lying on the floor in the subway station as I entered. I reported him/her on the city's 311 smartphone app. The person had no shows and tattered socks. There is a mobile team that goes out and helps these people.

There were people on the train sleeping and totally covered up with their belongings. I felt if I reported them, the mobile team wouldn't be able to find them.

I take the subway to the 238 St station. The conductor announced, in a terribly pleasant voice, that the train would be making its last stop at 137 St. He said, "May I recommend that you get off at 116 St and wait for the next train so you won't be standing in the cold weather." I actually would have gotten out at 125 St because it's outdoors, but I thought it might be a nice change to wait at 116 St, so I did. As the train pulled out of the station, I waved and smiled at the conductor, and he returned the favor. Then a woman on the platform got into a conversation about how nice that conductor is. So many transit workers in NYC are very grumpy, because their jobs are so hard and thankless. She said that the conductor was featured on NY1, a local TV channel.

Then later a couple of mariachi musicians got on, singing and playing accordion and guitar. Their singing and playing were exceptionally good, and they made a family of tourists smile. The family and I both gave the musicians money. The music is still playing in my head.

Steely Dan

snow ride...... take it easy......

our first snow of the season!!!

19 degrees/9 degree windchill.

brrrrr, it felt like january out there.

ptempel

Getting cooler in the NY/NJ/CT area today. Dressed for 40s F and brought an extra layer for later on. Will go down to 32F or so this afternoon. Bib tights and thermal jacket it is. Along with two layers under the jacket and one on the legs for later on. Was liking the relatively clear roads and bridge sidewalk this morning.

SylvainG

Looks like some are simply daydreaming while riding. I'm actually surprise that there are not more cyclists being hit. Merits goes to the drivers, not the cyclists IMHO. I see them crossing intersection at low speed without any care for traffic around them. One of the road I take has 3 four ways stops in about 1,000 feet. Granted, the crossing roads are not really busy but many crosses the intersections without even looking or reacting to incoming traffic.

Phamilton

First ride ever in the 20s. I was not layered correctly and ended up taking several breaks, mostly due to the headwind, but also to sort of balance my body temp (cool down the upper half, warm up the feet/hands).

I wear thermal tights under some stretchy jeans, a long sleeve baselayer, a hoodie, and a coat over that. Leather gloves w/ fleece lining. A beanie works fine on my head. I wore one pair of thick wool socks inside my running shoes and my toes got really cold at about mile 8 of 12 so I stopped and put on another pair, which was a mistake because my toes were cold evidently because my feet were sweating. After taking my shoes off and exposing my sweaty feet to the cold wind, it didn't matter how many socks I'd have installed, my toes were ice for the last 25 minutes.

I hope I have enough energy to make it home. Hopefully the wind will not shift and I'll have a sweet tailwind all the way.

Still a relatively new commuter at 9 weeks, learning new lessons every day.

SylvainG

Well, I'm french so the cursing is a bit more colorful

First time since April 3rd that I chose not to ride today. We had rain last night followed by a cold front which created a flash freeze. Didn't want to venture at 12F and 30 mph winds on bike paths with ice patches. Hopefully, I'll be back on the bike Monday.

Phamilton

I'm glad you were safe and that the other cyclist was, well, a cyclist and not a motorist.

Do you downshift/stop/dismount for each of those 4 way stops? I will roll through a 4 way at top speed if there are no cars waiting as I'm approaching, and no visible cops. It's somewhat about saving time, but more about conservation of energy, and when it's really cold outside it's also about staying moving to stay warm! My 220 lb vehicle + rider + gear stops from 15 mph in about 10 feet, more or less. (I have no idea if that is an accurate number!)

I very seldom will give merits to motorists.

JDinTulsa

I've decided there's a long-term governmental conspiracy going on with the reported temperatures! I know (!) that 10 years ago when they said it was 36 degrees, it wasn't as cold as if feels now!
Anyway, it's my first winter to cycle commute, and I'm learning new things. Today I learned that I need to wear different shoes (mesh-type cross trainers don't keep the wind out!) and I need new gloves! Other than that, it was uneventful. Very pretty sunrise this morning!

SylvainG

I roll too, while being cautious, like you. But I was talking about those riders that are oblivious to the traffic around them. That's what I meant by the merit goes to the driver because they are the one that, although have the right of way, need to wait for the daydreamer to pass. I see too many of them while riding. They go 6-10mph, never slowing down at stop signs, expecting cars to yield way as if they are on foot.

salcedo

Low 20s here and I had a couple of very uncomfortable close passes on my way home today.

I live on a rural road with no lights and a 45mph speed limit. It has a really wide paved shoulder, so I usually ride on it. But today the shoulder was covered in snow, and it was very windy. So, I was riding on the road.

Maybe I should have taken the principal position, but it was dark, and cars drive really fast on this road, and I was worried they might not see me and rear end me. So, I was riding near the shoulder, and a few cars passed really close to me.

52telecaster

23 when i left the house this morning. have two sets of studded tires on wheels for me and gf's bikes. may need to install the wheels soon.

Abe_Froman

Yup, it was 26 when I road into work this morning. Roads were fine today, but were pretty slick yesterday after the first snowfall. I'm thinking of ordering a set of studded tires myself for my beater mountain bike bad weather commuter. Never had studs...are they worth it?

essiemyra

A very nice uneventful commute in this morning with the temp at 35 f degrees and clear dark skies.