Originally Posted by vtjim
So what's going on with the first two vehicles at the red light in that picture? And is there a cyclist at the front of the line?
I'm going to be a drowned rat when I get home. Rain rain rain...
He explained it in the FG/SS section and it was something to the effect of the two vehicles with open doors colliding right before he took the picture. I think the cyclist near the van is just one of the drivers involved in the accident. I could be wrong.
I just got home from work, and the commute this morning was far more favorable in terms of competing with cars and trucks for the good parts of the road, but at the same time the roads were in much better shape. I could actually cruise at 20mph on hard snowpack for long periods of time before I came to an intersection full of churned-up slop and had to slow down to cross through it without buying the farm.
The next worst part was my detour on the last third of the trip. I decided to take the slightly longer route when I saw that my usual two-lane-no-shoulder stretch was partially melted clear and looked pretty hazardous with the alternating islands of snowpack and slush. I opted to keep going on the shoulder of 149 and cut across on Robert (instead of taking 71). Unfortunately, the shoulder of 149 was melted off very well, and I got soaking wet from the spray. My nice clean bike is probably coated in salt again, too.
Once I got to Robert, I was greeted by fairly heavy traffic for the weather and an unplowed shoulder. I walked for a ways, carrying the bike, before coming to a clearing and riding for a ways. Once I was up to speed, I managed to crash through a small snowdrift into the unplowed area again and much to my amusement I didn't come to a grinding halt and was actually able to maintain 10 to 15 mph in the 4" deep snow with my skinny tires and 75 gear inches. It didn't last long, and another snowbank brought me to a stop. More carrying.
I only got a few subdued honks from one grouchy guy that felt my 20mph on the smooth snowpack in the middle of his lane wasn't fast enough for him and his big SUV. I didn't feel like pulling over for him, and he didn't feel like passing me in the other lane, so he simply followed. When we came to my parting intersection, he blasted by me at full throttle and gave me an annoyed glare. I just smiled and waved at him in his mirror. Dipstick.