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2017! The how was your commute thread!

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2017! The how was your commute thread!

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Old 10-31-17 | 05:36 AM
  #2651  
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This morning's commute was pleasant with the temp at 43 f degrees when I left the house. We had a rain and windy two days that started Sunday. Some areas have not yet gotten the power back. I had to ride through one of those areas this morning. It was pitch black on the main road which felt a little eerie. Even the road that leads to my where I work was dark, no street lights.
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Old 10-31-17 | 06:03 AM
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31f degrees! I've started wearing bicycling long tights and let me tell you they get cold when you have to stop! May have to wear a outer layer.
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Old 10-31-17 | 06:56 AM
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Another cool morning, 0C/32F (actually, I guess that makes it the coldest this season so far), and damp too so it felt colder than yesterday but I was dressed sufficiently well to keep me warm. At the beginning, my neck was cold but that went away, then my toes but that went away, then my left thumb (under gloves) but that went away. Also, at first, my eyes were tearing up but that had nothing to do with the puppy rescue video my wife showed me before we left for work, no, not at all!

The temperature is falling this evening from 3C/39F to 1C/34F between 6 and 9 pm so the kids should be well dressed tonight (and I should be too as I'll be sitting out in a lawn chair handing out candies to them). I thought, with the warm fall earlier this month, that Halloween might be warmer but no, it is about normal. At least we don't have snow like other places such as Timmins.
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Old 10-31-17 | 06:59 AM
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From: Sudbury, ON, CA

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Originally Posted by SylvainG
Edit: I just checked the last 24 hours weather stats and at the time I was riding, winds were sustained at 49 km/h with gusts at 72 km/h. No wonder I was pushed around...
Wow, we didn't have any of that weather here in Sudbury, I wonder where yours came from.
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Old 10-31-17 | 07:13 AM
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From: Sioux Falls, SD

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18F this morning, but thankfully the 25+ mph winds we've been having for the last couple weeks finally died down to a more reasonable 5 mph, so it really wasn't too bad.

I just had my regular work clothes on under my windbreaker. Because it was <20F I did break out the balaclava, but I brought along a head band that I'll switch to for a ride across town at 11 AM when it's supposed to be 28F. I just used my regular long fingered cycling gloves which were a little light for the temps, but because I was on my road bike I didn't want the dexterity loss I get with mittens.

My toes were a little chilly as I just had thin dress socks on in my clipless shoes. My shoes have lots of ventilation holes which is great in the hot summer months, but not so great for winter commuting. I'm too cheap to shell out for a 2nd pair of clipless shoes, and once I switch to the winter bike I ride platforms, so I just deal with cold feet for a couple weeks every fall and spring.

I got my first ice cream headache of the season coming down a big hill that was less than a mile from my house where I didn't yet have time to warm up. Unfortunately that's normal for that hill in the winter.
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Old 10-31-17 | 07:18 AM
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From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)

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I was off work yesterday for my daughter's 14th birthday. I missed commuting on the coldest morning since last winter. I would have needed the tights at yesterday's 33F low. But this morning was back up to 44F and it looks to be even warmer the rest of the week. And highs getting over 70.

It's dark for about half of my ride in now. The time change is this weekend which will change that, but it will then soon be dark at the end of the day before I get home.
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Old 10-31-17 | 07:20 AM
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Originally Posted by jrickards
Wow, we didn't have any of that weather here in Sudbury, I wonder where yours came from.
Not sure, but it was forecasted since Saturday morning so others got it before us...

Rainstorm wreaks havoc on streets in Ottawa, Gatineau - Ottawa - CBC News
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Old 10-31-17 | 07:29 AM
  #2658  
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Originally Posted by sylvaing
not sure, but it was forecasted since saturday morning so others got it before us...

rainstorm wreaks havoc on streets in ottawa, gatineau - ottawa - cbc news
wow!!!
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Old 10-31-17 | 09:17 AM
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I had a black cat crossing the road in front of me from left to right this morning. Well that must be good start for Halloween...
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Old 10-31-17 | 09:25 AM
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28F brr! Learned from yesterday's mistake, broke out the full-fingered gloves, and added a long sleeve shirt under the coat.
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Old 10-31-17 | 09:30 AM
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Yesterday I had to go outside and walk around the office complex around noon just because it was so nice; 70F after frost. It felt like it was headed back to frost as the sun went down on the way home, but the mercury only dropped to 40 or so. That made for a nice ride this morning. Early because of an early meeting, the GPS was in night mode when I started and I was almost halfway to work by the time the sun came over the ridge. (Wow, there's a lot of glare when that happened!)
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Old 10-31-17 | 02:53 PM
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You OK [MENTION=152773]noglider[/MENTION]?

Manhattan truck plows into cyclists; up to 6 dead, police sources say - CNN
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Old 10-31-17 | 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Tundra_Man
Yes, I'm OK. Thanks. I'm still at work in the Bronx. The incident is a little south of where I live. It sounds like lower Manhattan is a mess now.
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Old 10-31-17 | 05:00 PM
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Glad to hear your ok Tom. Would like to hear from 1terceptor, papatom and I'm sure there are others.
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Old 10-31-17 | 05:10 PM
  #2665  
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Originally Posted by noglider
Yes, I'm OK. Thanks. I'm still at work in the Bronx. The incident is a little south of where I live. It sounds like lower Manhattan is a mess now.
Good to hear that, man. I immediately thought of you, since I know you ride on the west side.
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Old 10-31-17 | 05:27 PM
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Got two flats today, and I only carry one spare and no patch kit :/
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Old 10-31-17 | 08:24 PM
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Thank you, [MENTION=465722]robertorolfo[/MENTION].
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Old 10-31-17 | 10:49 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
Yes, I'm OK. Thanks. I'm still at work in the Bronx. The incident is a little south of where I live. It sounds like lower Manhattan is a mess now.
I'm glad you're okay.

I hope everyone involved is managing. There are a lot of thoughts and prayers with them.
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Old 11-01-17 | 05:09 AM
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Sorry to hear the news from NYC. I'm glad our commuters here in the forum are ok.

46F/8C, light breeze coming in.
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Old 11-01-17 | 06:04 AM
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Feels like November out there! gloves, skullcap, windbreaker, and it took me a mile to start to warm up.

Saw a big buck standing on the sidewalk as I went by. That's fine, deer, you stay on the sidewalk.
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Old 11-01-17 | 06:31 AM
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Slightly warmer than yesterday. The sunrise was pretty twice, but I wasn't able to get a photo. As I started out it was a deep orange and spreading into some clouds. Then it faded and about 5 minutes later it popped hugely into bright pinks and purples. Good morning!
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Old 11-01-17 | 06:36 AM
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i am back on the commuting saddle

I started a new job Oct 2 with same business but it meant moving to a new building in the same city. (better working conditions and more money made it worth it.) I missed a week of beautiful fall weather riding that first week of Oct. I went to AdventureFest by bicycle times. My legs had lost some of their strength and speed even with going to the gym a couple times but it was a good time with multiple bikes. I got to demo 8 bikes and I rode my mountain bike and my cyclocross bike on a couple rides as well.

I got my commuting plan together for the most part and said I am going to do it so I did Oct 18th. I was so excited to have done it. it made me miss the facilities I lobbied to get installed and make it nicer but just have to do some work here in the new building.

Last week I rode 4 out of 5 days to work and rode to the last Upward football games of the season. I refereed 3 games and coached one then rode home. I was able to get 122 miles last week. I did not ride Monday because legs were feeling tired. I have ridden 2 (so far) out of my 4 day work week this week.


yesterday I saw 34F on the GPS and today was cooler than I expected but still a good ride.
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:21 AM
  #2673  
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Originally Posted by Tundra_Man
I got my first ice cream headache of the season coming down a big hill that was less than a mile from my house where I didn't yet have time to warm up. Unfortunately that's normal for that hill in the winter.
I get those at times too. In fact, I seem to get them more often than others: is it like frostbite where, if you've had it once, you're susceptible to getting it again?
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:26 AM
  #2674  
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Originally Posted by salcedo
Got two flats today, and I only carry one spare and no patch kit :/
Not surprised, you current status is Newbie.

Yeah, that's not fun. I was riding with a friend about a month ago on a century ride and he got 2 in the space of 20 minutes. Before I gave him my spare tube, I insisted on checking his tire and lo and behold, there was a shard of glass that had pierced through the tire and was rubbing the tubes. After it was removed, he completed the remaining 80km/50mi and the next 3 centuries over the next 3 days without another flat.
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:28 AM
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Dark and overcast this morning. 33F with a strong tailwind. Made great time on the way to work.

Saw a dead racoon laying on the MUP under a train trestle. It was a pretty darn big one, probably the size of three volleyballs in a row. Perhaps it was pregnant and that's why she was so fat? It looked like the head had suffered an impact so I'm speculating it was up on the train trestle and got hit.
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