Did another munchkin retrieval run. Again, not counting for mileage because it wasn't work. I need some way to carry cargo with kiddo, the seat takes up the rack and the backpack sits in his face. I wrapped the backpack around the handlebars. I took some different streets and had a few dead ends or turnarounds to show for it. I'm trying to find the least hilly way through a grid.

[MENTION=190611]joeyduck[/MENTION] I missed your news last week. Good job!

Wet.

Overnight rains made for wet streets and foggy conditions, but pleasant temperature wise at 55F.

Spring break week for the local schools which means much less traffic for my commute. I liked that.

It rained all of Sunday here and roads were still very wet this morning, but it was a relief. Finally, something to knock the pollen levels down. I only rode two days last week due to high pollen counts. Hopefully I'll get back on track this week. Looks like I'll get the double-whammy today, however, with regard to winds. I had a stiff headwind all the way to work this morning, but a passing cold front during the day is supposed to make the winds shift to the opposite direction by this afternoon.

Saturday's "may see a dusting of snow" turned into 5 more inches. That brings our snowfall total to about 72 inches this year and moves it up to be the 4th snowiest season we've had on record. Makes me feel a little bit accomplished that I've had my best year of winter commuting ever, only driving 5 times since our 1st snowfall back in early November.

Thankfully it got into the 40s yesterday so a good portion of it melted off. This morning had a lot of shady areas that still had rutted ice, but seeing as it's supposed to be 60 degrees today I took a chance and left the winter bike at home. Had to unclip and walk over a few sections that were just too treacherous to ride, but made it to work just fine.

Just below the freezing point this morning, but the winds were light and the overall ride to work pretty nice. It's supposed to be mid-60's this afternoon and bright sunshine!

Same for me but 50F and Foggy with pretty wet roads. I was too warm but too lazy to stop and remove something... running late this morning too

31F and sunny. Shorts and fingerless gloves still working.

My front shifter cable snapped. Not sure if to 34t it home or go to a shop a few miles away at lunchtime in hopes of getting a new cable and enjoying the pm commute a little more.

I actually felt the cable tweak on Friday, meant to check it over the weekend but forgot.

SWMBO and kiddo visiting grandma, so I took a vacation day to do home improvement

The commute in this morning was a warm 42f degrees with winds coming from the nw at 10-20mph. So there was help getting to work today. I hope the winds die down by this afternoon or it will not be a fun ride home.

Still recovering from a cold/allergies combo. I guess the pollen is affecting me now as I get older...never had that problem before.

I felt under dressed coming in this morning even though it was close to 50F/10C, slight headwind but bearable.

Chilly/breezy but nice riding in today. Arrived to find that the showers are CLOSED for repair for the next 10 days. Whaaaatttt? Had to resort to "sponge bathing" in one of the sinks. We have tall gooseneck faucets, though, so hair washing wasn't bad at all. This, too, shall pass...

I was surprised to see the temp reading of 43F this morning. I incorrectly assumed it would be over 50 all week. My fingers got a bit cold coming in, but I enjoyed my 15 mile ride anyway.

How long is your commute? Do you really get dirty or sweaty on the way in this time of year? I take a shower at home before leaving and feel fine at work. Only on hot summer days do I break a sweat on the way to work, and then a toweling off is really all I need. I'm just sayin' you may be able to make it for through the repairs.

Another cool morning, -7C/20F, with a mild headwind for much of it but clear and I got to see the sun come up as I traveled eastward. Took a slightly longer 9km/5.5mi route in instead of the 5km route because I will be getting a ride home: same for the next 2 days. On Friday April 1, the beginning of #30DaysOfBiking , I will be able to take the 9km route in and out.

Chilly morning compared to the weather recently, with lows in the mid-40s. Had a tailwind much of the way to work and made good time, in contrast to having headwinds both ways yesterday. Pollen didn't seem too bad but I don't think the worst is over yet.

I refused to surrender to nature's whims and garbed up for the trip home when I expect clear skies and warm sunshine. It was darn cold. Pollen is everywhere, for all the weekend rain it's a yellow paste covering the ground. Cars all have a yellow tint, footprints and tire tracks in yellow. I've been here almost 15 years and it still seems weird.

On the bright side the road bike is tuned up, new tires and rolling easy and I'll take the long way home. My "long way" loops out to some wider streets, but is actually shorter than the winding Greenway route - just harder with hills and lets me open it up like I can't do with the dog-walkers and such. It's going to be fun.

45, sunny, and a total dead calm (an ever so precious rarity in the windy city).

in other words, it was an absolutely gorgeous morning for a bike ride into work!

one of those mornings that just makes me so freaking thankful that i'm not a car commuter.

which i guess applies to most mornings, but some mornings are so utterly perfect, that i wish i could bottle them.

Describes this morning exactly - 31F and supposed to be 60 this afternoon. Best of all no wind!

After a rainy weekend, we finally had some sunshine yesterday! My dad was in town, so I took off work (hurray for 4 day weekends). He wanted to go for a bike ride...which would be the first time on a bike for him since my boy scout days. Ended up on a sub 20 mile round trip (I think it was somewhere around 18 miles) to go to a cafe for an early lunch (figuring if he was just not feeling it he could call mom for a ride home) and back. He did really well! He didn't really want to run any gearing except for the highest, and his pedal hit the curb once causing him to fall off. Maybe when he (finally) moves down, he will want to get into it!

Decided to keep up with the riding of bikes today. I had a pleasant commute. I was finally able to get my kickstand off of my commuter (it was cut too short and never supported the bike when it had any weight in the panniers). The bolt hole had completely stripped, and I kind of just grumbled about it for the past year. Ended up drilling it out, and I had a VO double kickstand to put on in its place. I ended up not liking it for the setup - I would have had to really shim out my crankarms to not interfere with the drive side leg, and the chain was rubbing on it when in the small chainring. I'll find the right bike for it eventually. I don't really need a kickstand except for at the house, so I went to the shop to see what I could find in the way of a stand. I'm going to go ahead and call this one awesome. Topeak Lineup - the contact point is just under the fender, and while loading up this morning the bike was very stable. It also folds down and it portable!




So that's been the last couple of days for me re cycling.

Another uneventful morning commute, about 45 degrees with very light winds.

Today's morning commute was cold and misty (at least for me, my SO is still riding with shorts and a t-shirt), so I got to try one of the thermal cycling jersey I had ordered last year, kinda liked it, it help me keep warm without feeling like I was boiling from the inside and it was only one layer of clothing (instead of the 2-3 I was using last year). When we get to winter I'll probably have to add a merino wool baselayer underneath.

On the way to work we came upon a bus crash. Seems like no one was hurt but there was quite a crowd (firefighters, cops, etc).

Commute back home will be eventful, I anticipate. There's a big soccer match tonight and everyone will be anxiously trying to get home in time for it, which means crankier drivers, oh joy.

Yesterday I didn't ride, and it was extremely windy, my normal enemy. The gusts were reported to hit 50 mph (80 kph)! Today the weather said more high winds and it said they came from the north, so I said no again. I go north in the morning. I took Citi Bike to the post office (which I do once a week) and from there to my subway. The tall buildings channel the wind, so the wind always seems to go in the direction of one street or another. When I hit an intersection, the wind seems to shift 90º. It seemed to be coming from the west and the south, not the north at all. I wish I could figure out this wind direction thing. Maybe I need to do some research.

Getting into and out of the post office with a 50 pound (23 kg) bike is difficult, because the self-closing door is narrow, and then there are steps. Going out this morning, a guy on foot walked through the door and didn't hold it for me. I shouted "Thanks anyway," and he didn't seem to hear me. It's just as well he didn't.

30F, sunny