Commuting - What do you think about when you're riding?

Probably the third or fourth day that I commuted, my wife looked at my when I got home and asked, "So, what do think about for a whole hour while you're riding?"

In my brilliance, I said, "Aside from trying to figure out what that potential moron in the car is going to do, lots of stuff..." but didn't really have any detail to back that up. So I started paying attention for the next several days (sort of thinking about what I was thinking about...)

Here's a synopsis of what I came up with on my ride in yesterday:

Mile 1: Dang, it's cold... I need a helmet cover or something for my head...
Mile 2: Dang it's cold... definitely need some new gloves!
Mile 3: It sure is cold; I'm proud to be out here - I am NOT a wuss!
Mile 4: Dang, I forgot to plan that meeting agenda - I'd better figure out a way to get something out of that 3 hours. There, okay, got it...
Mile 10: Hey, where are my toes? They were there when I left the house. Oh yeah, baby - 11 MPH up that hill today... Jarery wouldn't call it a hill, but this is TX, and that's a hill! Whoa - watch out for that ice... that could be trouble...
Mile 12: Poor squirrel... speaking of that, where'd the armardillo go? Must have been cleaned up...
Mile 13: Cool - almost there... feeling pretty good about the ride this morning
Mile 14: Bummer - almost there... wish I didn't have that meeting - I could keep on riding. It's not even cold. I could ride forever. Wonder if anyone would know I wasn't there. Darn meetings anyway...
Mile 15: I must be the only one here who cycles to work. Cool and not...

Mile 1: Ya! I'm off the bus!
Mile 2: La la *thinks about nekkie female picts from previous night's internet browsing*
Mile 3 to mile 9: repeat mile 2
Mile 10: random thoughts about work
Mile 12: random thought about home
Mile 13: more work thoughts. need to stop that
Mile 15: Crap! I'm at work! grrrrrr!

Mile 1 - Will I ever get to work?
Mile 1.5 - I'm at work

Any one of the following:

1. Why am I *always* 25 minutes late to work? WHY?
2. What should I upgrade next?
3. Ooooh - look at that bike.

.. Jarery wouldn't call it a hill, but this is TX, and that's a hill! Whoa - watch out for that ice... that could be trouble...

Hahah :D
Ya I do a LOT of thinking in my rides
Its amazing how much thoughts can bounce around in a bazillion directions when your peddaling your butt off.

Long open streatches I listen to radio, heavy traffic areas I do like you and spend my time thinking about the idiots around me :)

I don't really think of anything. It seems that most of my higher brain function go into sleep mode and my medulla oblongata takes over. I'm usually always in body-monitoring mode.

i'm constantly looking at road conditions, then an escape route if someone pulls out on front of me, doors me, cuts me off, etc

Same here. I'm looking for openings in traffic and checking the cars behind and around me.

Maybe us in lower traffic commutes have more time to think. That is not necessarily a good thing. :p

This morning for the first 3 miles it was "the wheels on the bike go round and round, round and round, round and round..." and then "Ryan ride your bike to work, halleluuuuuujah" and then "the squirrel in the tire goes thump thump thump, thump thump thump, thump thump thump" and then "the headset that's not lubed goes squeek squeek squeek, squeek squeek squeek, squeek squeek squeek".

Yes, I'm demented.

1. Stay Green . . . Stay Green . . . almost there-AARRGHH.
2. My panniers still there? Good. Blinkie still on? Good.
3. Its a BIKE LANE, not a taxicab lane. Get Out.
4. Is she slowing down to check me out?
5. Stay Green . . . Stay Green . . . almost . . . WOO HOO.
6. Where does all this glass come from?
7. I gotta lube that chain.

I write a weekly e-mail newsletter for my bike club. Part of the newsletter is a random observation on life from a bicycle seat by me. I've been doing this for around 7 years now and I was the newsletter editor for our snail mail letter before that, so I probably have 100,000 words about random thoughts. I do all of this while I ride to and from work. Here's one on Jelly Donuts. Enjoy ;)

Jelly donuts. Just let those words roll off you tongue. Jelly donuts. Sweet. Gooey. Oily. Come on, say it again, Jelly donuts. Sure you say you never eat them but let’s be honest here. You walk into an empty conference room and there is a box of donuts on the table. The jelly ones just cry out to you, don’t they? You sneak one out and eat it below the table before anyone shows up. Sure you feel guilty, but you also feel like you just had a Jelly Donut!

Jelly donuts are just about the most perfect food around. Everyone knows what they are and how good they are and how calorie packed they are! That’s why I am proposing that we bicycling commuters start referring to our daily, yearly and lifetime fuel savings not in mile per gallon or even in total gallons of gasoline saved but in a way that the motoring public can understand. To them it’s just gasoline. They pump it, they burn it and they forget it!


But what if you were to ask them in a friendly manner, “Hey, you air pollutin’, precious resource wasting, ozone depleting, global warming hog, how many jelly donuts did you burn on the way in this morning?” That question might just baffle them long enough for you to get away before they beat you to a pulp. But it might set them to thinking “Maybe the exhaust gases have addled his brain, but what is this about jelly donuts?”

Now stay with me here. One gallon of gas, as measured in the antiquated American system of measurement, contains roughly 34,000 Kcal. (For those of you out there who have forgotten your middle school science, that’s one calorie is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1C. A Kcal is the amount needed to raise 1 kilogram of water 1C.) A jelly donut contains roughly 250 Kcal. When a car is driven the distance to work of, let’s say, 20 miles round trip, it uses about 1 gallon of gas or it produces 34,000 Kcal of heat. You could heat that liter of water to 34,000 C! That’s one steamin’ cup of joe! But if you put it in terms of the number of jelly donuts you’d have to use, it would be 124 jelly donuts per round trip. Over a week, that’s 640 jelly donuts! Over a year that’s 32240 jelly donuts! If we had to put each donut in the tank, one at a time, that would be one heck of a mess!

On the other hand, on the same round trip by bicycle you’d only use a single jelly donut. To figure your own fuel savings in Jelly donuts, just divide the miles you drive your car by the car’s gas mileage (be honest and measure it. The EPA estimates are just that – bad estimates.) Then multiply the number of gallons used by 34,000 which will give you the Kcals you used. Now divide the whole mess by 250 which gives you the Jelly Donut units. From this substantial number, you can then subtract the number of jelly donuts per ride. For a rough estimate use 1 jelly donut per half hour of riding. (If you want to be more accurate go to http://www.shastasoftware.com/CycliStats/addride.htm for an involved spreadsheet.) Then just lord it over all of you slovenly co-workers!

1 do i need to pull over and put on/ take off some clothes?
2 gear down and pedal faster
3 are there any deer out today?
4 gear down and pedal faster.
5 miscellaneous work or home details
6 pedal faster
7 start over at 1

Left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... oh sh*t car!!!! left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... holy cow look at that as..oh sh*t car!!! left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg... left leg... right leg...

What do I think about? Nothing very nice.

1. I wish some of these drivers would try this. They'd probably like it.
2. One of these days I'm going to try one of those recumbent trikes (Almost every day I pass one going the other way).
3. Damn knees sure are stiff this morning.
4. Loosen up the shoulders (proceed to do freehand shoulder stretches when no cars are around).
5. My tennis game sure was "crap" last night.
6. Why don't I ever see any women around here on bikes?

and much more....

What do I think about? Nothing very nice.


My enemies!

What I would tell the public opinion researcher:

Mile 1: When will they ever do something about this trail that is turning into a creek bed
Mile 2: Review last night's "Masterpiece Theatre" episode
Mile 3 thru 5: Contemplate the implications of Shakespeare's Hamlet for the state of modern American politics.
Mile 6: Debate the relative merits of Laurence Olivier vs. Kenneth Brannaugh vs Mel Gibson's portrayal of Hamlet
Mile 7: Random thoughts about work
Mile 8 thu 10: Compile lists of projects at home that I need to get to over the weekend.
Mile 11: Contemplate the impact of the latest moves by the Fed on inner city redevelopment.
Mile 12: Debate which level of hell is most appropriate for the developer and marketers of the the civilian Hummer.

What actually fills my time:

Mile 1: When will they ever do something about this trail that is turning into a creek bed -- boy are my legs sore this morning.
Mile 2: 81 ... 82 ... 83 ... 84 ... 85 ... that's not too bad a cadence for wearing winter clothes
Mile 3: Random thoughts about the mess at home leftover from unfinished projects
Mile 4: Think about artistic nudes from previous night's internet browsing
Mile 5 to mile 6: repeat mile 4
Mile 6.5: I wonder if the wife would ...?
Mile 7: 89 ... 90 ... 91 ... 92 ... 93 ... much better cadence and look at that 19.9 mph -- I am a cycling god! {Picture self ascending podium to take yellow jersey**
Mile 8: Gotta find better sunglasses for this stretch. Maybe a welders mask
Mile 9: Contemplate future recreational rides
Mile 10: Contemplate complex and elaborate mechanisms to keep my U-lock from rattling on the commute.
Mile 11: Making good time ... wow look at those legs..oh sh*t car!!! Whew!!! I wonder how much longer it will be before I see the first miniskirt of spring?
Mile 12: Ok thread between the lanes ... time the light ... watch for that idiot ... walk faster idiot I've got the green light ... duck that low overhang in the garage ... now get to the office.

Probably the third or fourth day that I commuted, my wife looked at my when I got home and asked, "So, what do think about for a whole hour while you're riding?"
All 4 days this week my thoughts while cycling to and from work will be R & B and Doo Wop with a touch of Carole King just for a pleasant diversion. This week's playlist, played randomly:
Carole King - One Fine Day
Carole King - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Carole King - A Natural Woman
Carole King - Beautiful
Carole King - Home Again
Carole King - I Feel the Earth Move
Carole King - It's Too Late
Carole King - Jazzman
Carole King - Smackwater Jack
Carole King - So Far Away
Carole King - Tapestry
Carole King - Way Over Yonder
Carole King - Where You Lead
Carole King - Will You Love Me Tomorrow-
Carole King - You've Got a Friend
A New Found Glory - The Glory Of Love
Belmonts - Tell Me Why
Bobby Day - Rockin' Robin
Brooklyn Bridge - 16 Candles
Cadillacs - Gloria
Capris - There's a Moon Out Tonight
Capris - Why Do I Cry
Chantels - Maybe
Cleftones - Heart And Soul
Cleftones - Little Girl Of Mine
Cleftones - You Baby You
Crests - Sixteen Candles
Crests - Step By Step
Crests - Who Put The Bop In The Bop
Crests with The Duprees - The Angels Listened In 1959
Crows - Gee
Danny & The Juniors - At The Hop
dee dee sharp - mash potatoe
Del Vikings - Girl Girl
Dell Shannon - Sea Of Love
Dell Vikings - Whispering Bells
Dell-Vikings - come go with me
Diamonds - Little Darlin'
Diamonds - Walking Along
Dovells - Bristol Stomp
Drifters - Money Honey
Duprees - Why Don't You Believe Me
Edsels - Do You Love Me
Everly Brothers - Be-Bop-A-Lu-La
Falcons - You're So Fine (1)
Fiestas - So Fine
Five Heartbeats - Crazy For You
Five Satins - Do You Remember
Five Satins - Doo Wop A Mllion to One
Five Satins - Sillouettes On The Shade
Flamingos - Till the End of Time
Fleetwoods - Come Softly To Me (1)
Genies - Who's That Knocking
Gladiolas - Please Don't Go
Heartbeats - A Thousand Miles Away
Impalas - I Ran All the Way Home
Jesters - The Wind
jive five - i'm a happy man
Jive Five - My True Story
Jive Five & The Chantels - Donna
Lauren Hill - Doo Wop
lauryn hill - Accapella
lfo - Wishing on a Falling Star
Little Anthony - Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pop
Little Anthony - The 10 Commandments Of Love
Little Anthony Imperials - Tears on my Pillow
Lou Christie - Lightning Strikes
Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs - Stay
Monotones - Book Of Love
Moonglows - Ten Commandments Of Love
OJays - Used To Be My
Owls - Josephine
Paragons - Let's Start All Over Again
pastels - been so long
Paul Anka - Diana
Penguins - Earth Angel
Penguins - goodnight sweetheart goodnight
Platters - In The Still of the Night
Platters - Only You
Rays - Silhouettes On The Shade
Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Loving Feeling
Rightous Brothers - Soul and Inspiration
Silhouettes - Get A Job
Spaniels - Stormy Weather
The Five Keys - The Glory Of Love,1951
Thurston Harris - Little Bitty Pretty One 192
Tony Allen & The Champs - Night Owl
Videos - Trickle, Trickle
Drifters - On Broadway
Drifters - Saturday Night at the Movies192
Drifters - Save The Last Dance For Me
Drifters - Some Kind Of Wonderful
Drifters - There Goes My Baby
Drifters - This Magic Moment2
Drifters - Up On The Roof
Intruders - (Love Is Like A) Baseball Game
Intruders - I Wanna Know Your Name
Intruders - I'll Always Love My Mama
intruders - ITS A THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE
The Intruders - Cowboys to Girls
Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing
Isley Brothers - Living For The Love Of You
Isley Brothers - Love The One You're With
Isley Brothers - Spill The Wine
Isley Brothers - Whos That Lady
Luther Vandross - A House is Not a Home
Luther Vandross - Always & Forever
Luther Vandross - Any Love
Luther Vandross - Anyone Who Had A Heart
Luther Vandross - Can Heaven Wait
Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father 1
Luther Vandross - Don't Want To Be A Fool
Luther Vandross - Don't You Remember
Luther Vandross - Give Me the Reason
Luther Vandross - Here and Now
Luther vandross - Hit it again ft queen latifah -21st
Luther Vandross - I Really Didn't Mean It
Luther Vandross - If Loving You Is Wrong
Luther vandross - If Only For One Night
Luther Vandross - It's Over Now
Luther Vandross - Killing Me Softly
Luther Vandross - Knocks Me off My Feet
Luther Vandross - Like I'm Invisible
Luther Vandross - Love The One You're With
Luther Vandross - Love Won't Let Me Wait
Luther Vandross - Lovely Day
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
Luther Vandross - Power of Love
Luther Vandross - See Me
Luther Vandross - She's a Super Lady
Luther Vandross - So Amazing
Luther Vandross - Stop to Love
Luther Vandross - Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl)
luther vandross - SUPERSTAR (LIVE VERSION) 1
Luther Vandross - The Closer I Get To You_w_Beyonce
Luther Vandross - The Thrill I'm in
Luther Vandross & Cheryl Lynn - If This World Were Mine
Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson - Best Thing in My Life are
Marvin Gaye - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Marvin Gaye - Aint That Peculiar
marvin gaye - can i get a witness
Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Trough GrapeVine
Marvin Gaye - I'll Be Doggone
Marvin Gaye - Lets get it on
marvin gaye - pride and joy
Marvin Gaye - Stubborn Kind of Fella
Marvin Gaye - Trouble Man
Marvin Gaye & Tammy Terrell - You're All I Need
Miracles - A Fork In The Road
Miracles - Baby baby don't cry
Miracles - Bad Girl
Miracles - Choosey Beggar
Miracles - Going To a Go Go
Miracles - I Like It LIke That
Miracles - I Second That Emotion
Miracles - I'm The One You Need
Miracles - Love Machine
Miracles - Mickey's Monkey
Miracles - More Love
Miracles - Ooo Baby Baby
Miracles - Shop Around
Miracles - The Tears Of A Clown
Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears
Miracles - Whats So Good About Goodbye
Miracles - Would I Love You
Miracles - You Really Got a Hold on Me
OJays - Back Stabbers
OJays - For the Love of Money
OJays - I Love Music
OJays - I'm a Girl Watcher
OJays - Livin' for the Weekend
Ronettes - Be My Baby
Ronettes - Da Doo Run Run
Ronettes - Do I Love You
Ronettes - Then He Kissed Me
Ronettes - Walking In The Rain
Sam and Dave - Bring It On Home To Me
Sam and Dave - Gimme Some A Loving
Sam And Dave - Hold On, I'm Coming
Sam and Dave - I Thank You
Sam and Dave - I'm a Soul Man
Sam And Dave - May I Baby
Sam and Dave - Soothe Me
Sam and Dave - When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
Sam and Dave - Wrap It Up
Sam and Dave - You Don't Know Like I Know
Sam And Dave - you dont know what you mean to me
Spinners - Games People Play
Spinners - I'll Be Around
Spinners - It a Shame
Sweet Inspirations - Oh What A Fool I've Been
Sweet Inspirations - Sweet Inspiration
Sweet Inspirations - To Love Somebody
Sweet Inspirations - When Something Is Wrong With My Baby-1

1. Its 6:15am. Jeez! Is it ever cold this morning. Better push hard to warm up.
2. Is it ever dark off the main road... lights on.... wonder what the sunrise will look like today.
3. Damn, I'm getting tired! At least I'm warm now. I better ease off a bit.
8. Same old same old... been on this ride 100 times before ..... yawn....
10. Toes usually freeze up by now, good thing I picked up those booties...
15 Here comes the overpass... better downshift. Look at all the cagers stuck in traffic below.. Bwwahahaha.. Freedom!
16. Damn, the canal is extra stinky today.
19. Holy sh*t. That tractor trailer didn't even see me. Look out you a**hoe!
20. Boy, is a hot shower ever going to feel good.

When was the last time I charged this light?... I sure like Andy's HID... wonder how I could con the redhead approving one of those...?The redhead sure looked good in that green sweater, last night...hmmmmmm, yeah... I should mention that to her... might build me up some credit toward that HID light...I hereby dub this wind the "Box Cutter Wind"...Relax the shoulders, your neck isn't THAT cold.... crap maybe it is... relax them anyway, and your toes... that an oil spot, or ice?... there's the shadow that looks like a dog in the road... how many times did that fool me, jogging...? glad I ride and I don't have to jog anymore... my knees...? yep, my knees DO feel better since I don't run every day... little lighter out this morning... by this rate, it'll be full daylight by April, rendering DST moot...Be nice to ride dirt trails in the evening after work again though... especially before it gets too hot again... wish I could ride dirt on work days and still commute... not worth moving out of town though... suck it up, you've got it pretty good... sweat's coming up, get some ventilation, before you chill...uhhh, not that far, run the zipper back up a bit... okay, good enough...cold sucks, but it keeps the bugs along the river down...dog...watch the dog...sweet, he's not interested...wet spot...fenders were a good call... bring up the cadence a bit... not feeling all that strong this morning...shoulda gotten to bed earlier, ice dancing really isn't worth staying up for, but popcorn and scotch on the sofa with her is too nice to pass up... TiVo, now THERE'S an idea whose time has come...go ahead and pass, man, plenty of room... this mirror is only slightly better than nothing, better when there's headlights though...cool, thanks for not crowding me... just for that I won't shine my light into your rearview... wow, did he wave? never happens...cat, or 'coon?...cat, or 'coon?...cat, or 'coon?..........'coon, never see a cat jump into a storm drain...is that a jogger, or a ninja?...ninjogger...aaaaand here's the old couple who walk in the middle of the street... "morning"...yeah...what kind of accent does he have? ...relax your shoulders, or you'll be stiff all day... better though, since I restarted the yoga... didn't feel like someting was about to snap, when I rolled out of bed... time check... okay, cool, I could still catch the train, if I got a flat here... turnoff... cold weather shortcut today, or the bikepath...not feeling that cold, anymore, bike path it is...


you get the idea...

This is great !This is great !This is great !This is great !This is great !This is great !This is great !This is great !

1) smooth out pedal stroke
2) maximize spin
3) faster *****cat kill kill!!!

I ride at 5:00 - I don't think!

This is my entire commute to work from the time I leave the house with my bike until I park it in the bike room.

Lock the door...
Has the neighbors' dog been in our yard?
It's brisk/****ing cold.
The gate is squeaky.
Tree branch - duck.
That car is idling and has no driver. Free car to good home.
No cars coming.
Nice sunrise/no sunrise.
It's brisk/****ing cold.
No cars coming.
No cars coming.
Ow, my knee.
Why is this so hard.
There's that person again.
Anybody gonna hit me?
Wasn't there a house there yesterday?
Oh, I'm out of shape.
I'm totally going to catch that guy.
Am I the only one who stops at stopsigns?
Caught him.
Why doesn't anyone stop at stopsigns?
No cars coming.
Oh yeah, I'm going to make the light.
Don't even think about it.
You'll never make the light.
Told you.
C'mon buddy, let's get going here.
I'm going there.
And... swing to the outside...
Push push push.
Whoa.
Whoa.
Clear!
1453.
Everybody's here.
Lights off.

Here's a little stream of consciousness blog I did last year...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=1175192&postcount=8386

I usually think about girls, whether I'm commuting, riding solo, or on a Sat morning group ride.

$%^&, my face is cold
No dogs in a long while
The gravel shoulder is a lot easier to ride on when it is frozen, but it is bumpy
Concentrate on avoiding the ice patches
I'm going to die going up this hill
Better brake going down the hill to avoid high speed wipe-outs on ice
These Nitto North Road bars are cool
My glasses are not only fogged up, but the fog has frozen
Better get some goggles
These new mittens are too warm
I want to get in the left turn lane, but can't see since my glasses are covered with ice
Damn! the sidewalk over the bridge is covered in snow...Guess I'll ride in the road
I'll bet that school bus driver wishes I weren't in the middle of his lane
Snow on the shoulder of the road...have to ride in the road
Better sprint up the hill to avoid holding up traffic
What's that pain...I'm going to have a heart attack right here on the road
I'm hot and sweaty...over dressed today
Only bike in the bike rack...aren't I special

I usually think about girls, whether I'm commuting, riding solo, or on a Sat morning group ride.
The only answer so far, except for my wisdom, that doesn't sound, IMO, as if voluntary cyclists aren't a bunch of masochists.

Thank goodness for Walkman, Diskman, and the .mp3 format. Otherwise I might be whining about cycling to work too.

I had to think about this....
Nothing, just use all my senses and be aware. I try to limit my 'thoughts' and be aware the streets\traffic.

Mellow trail offroad, backlanes -yes, much pondering, sightseeing.

My favorite non-thought riding is freeride.
I loose the ability to 'ponder' as everything is so fast and technical, it's all about being loose and guiding the bike under you along changing lines.
2 hours last fall freeriding a rigid bike and I stress fractured my forearm (no crash).
But it was sooo cool!
I almost blanked out, like Zen.

Be the bike, not 'ride' the bike stuff.

The tandem needs new spokes
the recumbent needs welding
The tourer needs better panniers
The tandem needs the drum brake replaced by a mechanical disc brake?
the commuter needs lighter tires
The . . . you get the idea, the usual money problems

...this glass wasn't here yesterday...
...I look like a dork in this climber's helmet...
...I probably am a dork...
...I wish I didn't sweat so much...
...this Brooks springer really levels the bumps, can't wait for the new one...
...keep these tires or go to 32mm Armadillos...?
..."On yer left!" "Yer LEFT!" (ok, not a thought)
...the Valley sure is beautiful today...
...no Swans in sight...
...I really need to stop and blow my nose...
...take a leak, too...
...that purple mark is still there...

:roflmao:

Except for "is she checking me out" those are all the same as me!

...I really need to stop and blow my nose...
Stop? Dontcha wear gloves?

Stop? Dontcha wear gloves?

Brings up something that toally grossed me out:
I recently joined this local bike club. On my second ride, described as 'brisk' in the newsletter, I ended up drafting the leader. We were bucking a steady headwind when he decided to blow a booger. You know, plug-left-and-let-fly. I suppose under normal weather conditions, the exhaustae would have hit the ground. But no, the wind caught the nasty stuff and I got plastered. And I was concerned with him having no rear fender... :mad:

I listen to NPR, so I'm usually talking back to idiotic comments made by politicians.
If I leave my radio at home, I generally wonder if it's going to get warm soon.
Often my subconscious will finish solving a programming problem and pop it up to the surface during my commute, so I will think about that, and get it typed in when I get where I'm going.
Or, I might be thinking of what to do when I get there.
There's so little traffic that it doesn't really take any thought. Even when there are more cars, there aren't any signficant intersections that I cross so cars are just going around me.

[QUOTE=jcm...I really need to stop and blow my nose...
[/QUOTE]

Farmer Blow!!! Plug one side, turn the head a bit, and let'r rip - I've gotten to where I can hit a sign post on occasion... I guess that's another one of those things I think about. I might need help. I'd ask the wife about that, but I know she thinks I do...

Plug and blow locations are my main thought!

Also, I try to see some beauty around me--it is pretty easy with my route. I love it when I see something new and interesting.

...today I'll relax and enjoy the ride.
...OK after I get warmed up I'll slow down and enjoy.
...hmm - after I get through this district I'll ease up.
...at the next intersection I'll slow down.
...I won't pass this biker, I'll slow down and draft him for a bit.
...oops passed him...OK I won't pass the next biker, I'll slow down and draft.
...oops passed him...well I'll slow down along the river.
...well I'm at work already. That didn't work. OK on the way home I'll relax and enjoy the ride.

I think about former lovers, pedal cadence, the stars, God, cigarettes, and how much more pain my legs can take.
One of my favorite things to think about is the time when my body is too old and can't ride a bike anymore. For some reason, the cold and pain disappear and the rest of the ride is wonderful. :rolleyes:

I think how much faster, with less effort, I could go if I only had that next carbon gizmo. I also think how sweet that dual suspension MTB looked at the shop. Of course I need a new motorcycle, and that girl looked at me, and that driver was awful close, and I can't believe I didn't tell that guy off three years ago, who was that girl in high school that liked me (yeah, right), and oh wait, I'm at work. Um, what was the question?

England.

Same here. I'm looking for openings in traffic and checking the cars behind and around me.

For me it's usually that, or I'm thinking that my knees hurt, or I'm totally spaced out and just riding along.

England.


:roflmao: :roflmao:

I get it!

Kinda kinky!

On the way in - "I wonder how late I'll be today and if anyone will care/notice."

On the way home - "Damn hills."

England.

Yeah, I think about England, too. ...and Austria, Germany, Czech, France, Italy...I would love to go there and bike-up the place for about six months or so....

Yeah, I think about England, too. ...and Austria, Germany, Czech, France, Italy...I would love to go there and bike-up the place for about six months or so....

;) Not what cc_rider ment....

Lady Alice Hillingdon. Wife of 2nd Baron Hillingdon. 1912.
She said:- "I am happy now that George calls on my bedchamber less frequently than of old. As it is, I now endure but two calls a week, and when I hear his steps outside my door I lie down on my bed, close my eyes, open my legs and think of England."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie_back_and_think_of_England

1 (827 feet high)
Say hi to the crossing guard.

2 The park looks beautiful from my view on the bridge.

3 The cemetery looks peaceful

4 (1050 feet) Up the hill to Squirrel hill—Get behind me fools, you wont beat me to the next light and I am not going to let your try.

5 OK. Pass the bus as it picks up 30 passengers, using it as a “car block”, I beat all of the cars to the next light.

6 Up a bit of a hill, some cars pass me.

7 Cut through the golf course drive in Shenely park. Damn I hope that those idiots getting ready to tea off don’t hit me. If they swing without shouting “4” I yell it for them. I have had a few close calls as the golfers hit the balls over the park road to the hole on the opposite side of the road. Once a ball came too close and the golfer said so what do you want me to do about it—it says, (refereeing to a sign) “Golf Course continue at your own risk”. I stopped, picked up his ball and dropped it on Shenely Drive, allowing it to roll several hundred feet. Wrong answer.

8 Zip through CMU. Look out for perpendicular cars that might back into me.

9 Cut past the giant sculpture in front of the Frick Fine Arts building. I wish it were summer so I could detour around the fountain a few times.

10 Cut through Pitt campus checking out any babes that are out that early.

11 (770 feet) Begin the frantic 25 mph pace down 5th ave. Dodging busses. If I go 23 mph, I make all 8 lights and head down the hll to town. Think about things to do to the cars that the used car lot parks illegally on the sidewalk.

12 (690 feet) Arrive in uptown. Check out some of the sex workers just getting ready to crash for the day. Man it would have to be night for them to begin to look good.

13 Continue down 5th ave. Why the hell are there so many beer trucks on 5th at this time of day?

14 Look out for city motor pool employees driving out onto 5th ave.

15 Cut over to “Smithfield St” and jump in the bus lane.

16 Race the bus across the Smithfield street bridge. The bus wins, by illegally passing me in the oncoming lane.

17 Quick right to “Station Square” stop and get a short double cap at starbucks and make conversation with the underpaid barista babes.

18 Today I am in a hurry so I ride the next, level 2 miles drinking the cap along the Monongahela river. Check out the paddle-wheel boats.

19 Past the outdoor venue that changes names every year. Check out the coming attractions. It’s dead this time of year.

20 (600 feet) Under the parkway. I look up and am glad that I am not one of the fools motoring past

21 Past the incline, a rail vehicle that goes up about 400 feet to the top of Mount Washington.

22 Start up hill.

23 (630) I come to the “West End Ramp”. This is the thing that makes most people think that I am crazy to commute by bike. But I time it right and am up the ramp with no traffic on my a55. Stop at the light and check out one of Pittsburgh’s finest on a police side hack. He does not acknowledge my presense. I think that he is too fat to possible pass any physical.

24 Go though the West End. This time of most of the traffic is heading the other way. And these cars form two lanes and encroach about 3 feet into my lane. Damn that is a pain.

25 (640 feet) Start the big hill, now closed to cars due to a giant crevasse that developed a few years back. See some deer.

26 I have plenty of time to think about things as I ascend the 360 feet to the office park where I work. Like keep from blowing up keep my hr under 180. I do, but I am only going 6mph, well it is a 14% grade!

27 Cut though some undeveloped land and see a few turkeys. Soon it will be spring and they’ll hatch the babies.

28 Arrive at work about after 11 miles at 1050 feet. Total uphill about 880 feet. Make a v-line to the shower. Damn I never feel this good when I drive.

;) Not what cc_rider ment....

Lady Alice Hillingdon. Wife of 2nd Baron Hillingdon. 1912.
She said:- "I am happy now that George calls on my bedchamber less frequently than of old. As it is, I now endure but two calls a week, and when I hear his steps outside my door I lie down on my bed, close my eyes, open my legs and think of England."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie_back_and_think_of_England
You are obviously a well, if somewhat questionably, educated gentleman ;)


(You too, Roody)

First half-mile of my commute: "Air pollution! Air pollution! Oh, it's a terrible thing! When will these auto drivers realize that they're killing Earth? You know, that's what happened to the dinosaurs. They ate all the vegetation (like we're doing) so there were no trees left to absorb all the extra carbon dioxide and methane released from farting herbivores..."

2nd half-mile: "Oh, what do I care? I won't be around for it, and it's going to happen anyway, so I might as well just ride home, get in my car and drive that 1 mile to work."