Monday on the way home, a car driver coming up on me from behind honked at me. When he passed me, he pointed to the right, as if to say I should stay out of "his" space. I didn't respond in any way. I think the best I can do to convince people that it's my space, too, is to use it whenever I see fit. In time, people will get the idea.

Asses are made for sitting, and bicycles are made for asses?! Typical morning commute, just how I like it. Summer temps are back

50F, sunny

Yesterday afternoon was the second evening in a row I've ended up racing home to beat an approaching thunderstorm. Monday I made it before the deluge, yesterday when I got close to my neighborhood I could tell it had already rained. I gotta say, I'm not used to pushing it this hard this often. Maybe I'll take a day off (I know, heresy!).

Cool, clear, and calm.

I got to play "rabbit" today, although he caught up and drafted me for about 5 miles. Only about 20, which is about all I've got on the commuter fixed gear but that's fast enough out there anyhow He followed my "slowing" signals and didn't try any crazy squeeze passing so it was all good.

A very pleasant uneventful commute this am with the temp at 51f degrees when I left the house.

I saw a bird fly into a car yesterday on my way home and he flew off without what seemed to be any issue.

3rd consecutive day of commuting. It was a bit chilly in the morning today.
Also, this is the first time, since I started commuting in May, that I have averaged 18+ mph on all 5 rides. In fact, I think yesterday's ride back home as well as today's ride to work are my fastest ever at 18.5 mph. Well, yesterday I had nice tailwinds to push me home, so there's that. Tomorrow's a rest day, so I am going to go for 6 for 6 on the way back home today.

Good ride in with a layover at the gym this morning. I'll never understand the impatience of a driver who passes me unsafely only to pull into a supermarket parking lot a quarter mile up the road. If I had followed them I could have beaten them to the store's door.

It's the same thing that causes people to press an elevator button that's already lit up.

Every once in a while we have an encounter that's unexpected, sometimes thought provoking. It's one of the less appreciated perks of bike commuting. Today it was another cyclist who rolled up beside me and was curious how far I needed to go, though he phrased it "when do you get to work?" I'd seen him out there a few times lately. He's on some kind of road bike (apologies to those with nice bikes, but I never notice what it is), in the usual cycling stuff, keeps up a good pace though today I'm going 14 or 15. Do you commute every day, something about rainy days, the usual casual stuff.

Then he asks if I still ride "the wedge" - a appellative I've heard locally for my home-brew fairing bike - and allows that he hasn't seen it for a couple of years! Well I still have it and ride it, but not in the heat of summer ... but, "years"? You're just dawdling down the path and a more or less random cyclist recognizes you from years back. It strikes me that it's still a small world for us dedicated bike commuters.

Beware if he asks, "Is that nice blue shirt still in your top drawer?"

It's a gorgeous day today, cool and dry and breezy, and I had to drive my wife's car to work so I could bring it to the mechanic.

I didn't get that vibe though. I'd wager that you'd be surprised at how many people recognize you just from your regular commute.

Oh, I believe that. I recognize plenty of others from my commute, so there's no doubt they're recognizing me right back. I too have run into people that I've seen for years out riding but up until that point in time had not actually had the chance to talk to them. Then when you do finally speak it's almost like you know each other.

The "nice shirt" comment was just another one of my many unsuccessful attempts to be funny.

(a) That's a benefit of taking the same route, at the same time, every day; the other people who do likewise notice you after a while.


(b) I'm a bit surprised at how many people whom I don't know recognize me at work. It's a large complex, and I just basically walk in, walk down to the gym, and then I look like the average worker after that. So I'm surprised when someone recognizes me as "the guy who bikes to work" when I don't see them regularly on my walks around the office in bike clothes. Maybe they see me cruising through the parking lot up to the bike shed right in front of the door?

Finally a nice morning for a commute; clear, and if it was warmer than it has been lately, the dryer air, sunshine!, and gentle headwind made up for it.

I laughed.

I see very few cyclists out, and they all look the same to me: helmet, shades, billboard style jersey. I even have a hard time picking out the few guys I know. Maybe if I saw the same people regularly it'd be different. I do see the same few dog walkers and runners out early.

Temps a few degrees warmer than the last few mornings, so that was nice. Another nice August morning.

It was funny. But also a bit of stalkerish implications did cross my mind briefly

Heck. I think I'll move "the wedge" back into rotation in the regular lineup.

Hot and humid last night one the way home, and this morning was 75f with 96% humidity. I'm am a human sweat ball at this point (now nicely cleaned up in my work clothes). The weather is calling for rain this afternoon so it will likely be a wet ride home.

CRASHED!
So, I was well on my way to hit 18.7mph average 14 miles into my ride, when an SUV/minivan overtook me a bit too close for comfort. I veered to the right instinctively, but went off the road. Next thing I know, I am down on the road bumping and sliding.
Did an assessment to see if anything was broken. Thankfully nothing but road rashes on both knees, left elbow and some on the left shoulder. And the right hand was hurting without any visible damage. And my right calf cramped up as well. Had to sit for a few minutes before i could bend my right leg to get up.
After some more initial body check, including ability to open and close my right hand, got up, picked up my bike, fixed the chain, and finished rest of the ride back home. Still managed 18.4 mph

Quite a few good samaritans stopped to check on me. One cyclist even decided to follow me just to make sure i was ok. God bless him.

Anyway, went to Immediate Care mainly to have my right hand looked at, since that was the one that took the first hit when I fell. They did an x ray and all came out well. Got rest of me patched up while I was there.

Have to stay off the bike for a few days now

@Amitoj - glad you're okay. Scary. I get passed too closely once in a while. So far I haven't had to veer off the road, but it does freak me out.

A good 93F+ for the ride home yesterday. Feels like was over 100 they said. And plenty warm and humid this morning too.

Finally admitting to myself that the sun is coming up later in the morning. Sigh... but at least it keeps coming up!

Amitoj - Sounds like a close call! Glad you didn't break anything! I'm sure the SUV didn't stop to check on you, or even slow down!

Less traffic than usual on my ride this morning. They had a water main break last night at one of the intersections on my route, so the street was completely blocked to motor vehicles. I went around the first barricade blocking my lane, then under the yellow tape that went across the entire street about 50 feet further. There was a car coming up behind me that saw me go around the barricade, so she went around it too. I stopped to look in the hole at the pipe that broke, and laughed while watching the car do a 5-point u-turn to go back. I enjoyed a traffic free 1.5 miles after that!