This morning's temperature was 16F (-9C) and breezy. Dressed appropriately I was toasty a couple of miles into my 11 mile commute. I will pass 6,000 miles on the return trip.

16F / -9C with a mild headwind that finally got to my fingers and toes.

A nice 20F for this morning - coldest this season for me. I was pretty comfortable for the first 10 miles, then my fingers and toes started getting a bit cold. It wasn't until the last couple of miles that they were actually really cold though. 15+ miles this morning. Still enjoy the lighter traffic.

I have just under 13 to hit my goal for the year and my normal route home is 13 miles. Apparently this goal was about right as I only have tomorrow to go over it.

-4F when I left this morning. I stopped at the convenience store by my home to fill my thermos with coffee and took some home for my wife. I was planning to leave for work after that but after 10 minutes my hands were already cold, and the tears were freezing my eyes closed. So I got a ride. We still need to get goggles and ski mittens or something similar before we're ready for temps quite this cold. Otherwise I feel like I'd have been OK.

I won't be able to get goggles until next week so I'll say this is it for 2017. I would guess I did around 2,500 total commuting miles this year, starting the first week in September.

Today was like the daytime version of "Silent Night" - all was calm, all was bright. Cold enough to freeze the pipe organ, too; started at 19 and warmed up to 23F, coldest ride of the winter so far.


With the right gear, it wasn't uncomfortable. I was almost sorry to get to work. It must be anti-SAD, since it's been dark and overcast for the last five days. Maybe I'll take off early this afternoon and see even more of that bright shiny thing in the sky!

Another 19/20F morning. I took a slightly shorter route since the traffic is so light this week. So just under 11 miles instead of my normal 13 - 15 morning ride. One nice part about that is I wasn't riding long enough for my toes to get really cold.

Three day weekend coming up. We're supposed to hit 50F tomorrow, but then back to colder for next week.

49F, raining. Last commute day of the year.

Last commuting day of the year, uneventful, as most of them were this year. No spills, no really close calls, I count that as a win. Last evening was the most uneasy I've been, with two rabbits, a squirrel and then a cardinal(!) crossing my path within inches.

Made a wrong turn when I left work yesterday, 9 miles in turned into 29 miles home. That was fun, seeing so much daylight. There's a stretch of road I DO NOT ride because it's narrow and has too much traffic. It also has 3 miles of road that's been built for a couple miles now, but not opened -- gee, I hope they don't find any road construction money to finish it anytime soon. 100 yards of road riding on one end, smooth road with no traffic, and 100 yards on the road at other end -- that was great cycling!


Warmed up to 23F this morning, but I had no problems with cold or traffic. Trying to decide on taking the bike or the car home tonight. The forecast for Tuesday morning is currently 12F, but it might slide up a little over the next four days.

Not a commute per se but my last ride of the year, probably. I took kiddo to daycare on the back seat. I had arranged to meet a friend and ride from there, but he wasn't evident. I was running about 20 min late, but he sent no word, so I don't know if he left without me or was never there. I took the new Johnny Cash art trail past the prison. A nicely equipped trail but not very straight or fast! It establishes another bike corridor across Folsom to the ARBT, which is nice to have. Then I circled back home via the dam bridge, and stopped for a banana and mineral water at the coffee shop attached to Folsom Bike (part of the TT course when the Tour of CA visits).

The summit, where there's an interesting bike intersection
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Magpies, Frannkendale, route
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In other news, yesterday I tried our gigantic twin 11mo brother in 3.5yo kiddo's helmet. It fits, because his head is enormous. This same helmet went on kiddo with lots of extra padding starting at age 1.5 and he's not quite outgrown it. Still need a helmet for normal sized baby twin sister.

Also, he hates it.
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