Commuting - Nebraska Commute

What a terrific ride today! The 17th of December, and I am still riding, you can't beat that! 26 degrees F for the morning ride, and 56 for the ride home...reallly great!

On the way home, I was working into a headwind, but still managed to hold a speed of 18 mph. Finally, the old legs were tiring, so I dropped a gear, spun 'er up, and was holding at 16 mph. About 3 miles from home, a farmer I know pulled onto the road with his tractor. As he passed me, he motioned me to follow him! I grabbed a higher gear, and at 23 managed to snuggle in behind him! For the rest of the ride home, my speed was between 22 and 23, and with hardly any effort on my part! What a blast!

The local weather-guesser says that the weather should stay this way for the rest of the week! Hooray! Another week of commuting!

Hope you are all having as much fun on two wheels as I am!

Drafting behind a tractor - only in Nebraska!! Here in Wisconsin we use a herd of dairy cows (it pays to stay at the front of the drafting line).

Great post! Made me smile :)

Drafting dairy cows? Would be okay if your commute was from the pasture to the barn!! :D

You would learn to keep your mouth shut when you ride! That is something I have learned mountain bike riding in a pasture..'speically if the herd has used the trail right before us bikers! You hope that stuff flying off the front tire is mud!

Drafting tractors or bovines, as long as you are on two wheels, you are having fun!

Drafting behind a tractor - only in Nebraska!! Here in Wisconsin we use a herd of dairy cows (it pays to stay at the front of the drafting line).

You've got fast cows in Wisconsin :D


You would learn to keep your mouth shut when you ride! That is something I have learned mountain bike riding in a pasture..'speically if the herd has used the trail right before us bikers! You hope that stuff flying off the front tire is mud!

It sure bakes on to bike well - harder to shift than clay :)

Richard

Nebill, glad to hear you are having a great time. As you know, the weather in Iowa is very similar, so I too have been enjoying the mild winter. It is a bit windy once in a while, but nothing that I can complain about.

I can honestly say I have never drafted a tractor, but you know that I'll be looking for such an oppurtunity.

Tractors are cool to follow...they usually have a top speed of between 20 and 25 mph, which is just about right, the brakes on them are usually only rated as adequate, so they don't stop real fast, and they block a lot of wind! :D

Only 213 days 'till RAGBRAI !! I will be the one on the dark blue classic Schwinn Paramount with the yellow Cycle Sport team jersey! Hope to see you there!!

Hope you are all having as much fun on two wheels as I am!
Nebill, it sounds like few people have as much fun as you. :thumbup:

Drafting behind a tractor is a new one for me. But I don't see many tractors in Atlanta. :D

RonH, you need to get out of town more! You will be amazed at what you find! :-) I do manage to have a good time when I am on ol' Blue, always something new to discover, sometimes just that I can ride the way I do!

Hey Nebill! You must be one fit dude , I mean drafting a tractor!

There are lots round my neck of the woods, I have often tried to keep pace with them , but they soon leave me behind.

Reckon they must all be "souped" up trac`s round here!!! lol

Willi`c

Well, Willi, don't know how fit I am....maybe my picture doesn't show up over there! (But I do have some pretty nice legs now, if I must say so myself!) Just don't let the tractor get too far ahead of you before you try to catch it! Once you are close, you will probably have to hit the brakes to keep from running over the tractor! Then, just settle back and enjoy the ride!

Never drafted a tractor, but draft buses in town occasionally.

Once had a fall drafting a bus. I stopped when it stopped but forgot to undo my toestrap.

:D
I can kinda relate to that! On one of my few rides in real city traffic, I pulled up to a light, unclipped my right foot, then fell to the left!! I kept from falling by leaning on a convenient car...occupied by an attractive lady!! Being the shy individual that I am, I smiled at her and said hello! And, she smiled back...gosh, I love biking! :D

Well, it finally turned cold around here, and even got a little snow, so my trusty trainer-monted Roubaix is back in service! But, looks like it will be nice next week, so be back on the road soon! Have fun out there!!

Originally posted by nebill
About 3 miles from home, a farmer I know pulled onto the road with his tractor. As he passed me, he motioned me to follow him! I grabbed a higher gear, and at 23 managed to snuggle in behind him! For the rest of the ride home, my speed was between 22 and 23, and with hardly any effort on my part! What a blast!
Reading between the lines Nebill, I see a persistant commuting cyclist (50 something?) who has won the heart of a local farmer.

:D

(And from other posts, it appears you are winning the hearts of
some other types of drivers...female! :eek: )

:D

Persistant? Well, yes, I guess you could say that! 50-something, yup, guilty there too! (52) And, on those rare occasions when I stop at the local Co-Op for gas in the morning, this farmer is always there, and he always asks about my riding. I of course always extol the virtues of cycling!

And, as far as winning the hearts of the ladies, well, just trying to positivly promote biking.....it's a tough job, but someone has to do it!:D

nebill...just keep on promotin'!