2018! The “How was your commute?” thread!
#1851
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 444
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
32F this morning with a light headwind. I was prepared for the worst, but really the temp wasn't bad at all. I wore the same thing I did for Monday's 45/rain commute except for a heavier pair of gloves. Wasn't cold at all.
So I managed to wind up with two bicycles at work this morning. It's a really long story but I'll edit down the details and just give the highlights. Yesterday around lunch time I suddenly started showing a lot of signs of a heart attack. I was unable to stand or be very responsive so my coworkers took charge of the situation and brought me to the ER. I spent the afternoon there and had a whole battery of tests, which all came back negative. They believe it was a stress reaction to a lot of the stuff I'm dealing with at home. But ultimately, I'm OK.
The conundrum is, my wife brought me home from the ER last night. So technically I didn't finish my commute via bicycle as I was in a car, which I wonder if it wrecks my streak of 618 days or at least puts an asterisk by it? Not sure how to count it.
My bike was left hanging on the bike rack in a secure area of the building, so I wasn't worried about it overnight. This morning I rode a different bike to work, which means I now have two of them hanging on the rack. Probably some time this weekend as we're passing near the building I'll have someone drop me off and I'll ride the other bike back home.
So I managed to wind up with two bicycles at work this morning. It's a really long story but I'll edit down the details and just give the highlights. Yesterday around lunch time I suddenly started showing a lot of signs of a heart attack. I was unable to stand or be very responsive so my coworkers took charge of the situation and brought me to the ER. I spent the afternoon there and had a whole battery of tests, which all came back negative. They believe it was a stress reaction to a lot of the stuff I'm dealing with at home. But ultimately, I'm OK.
The conundrum is, my wife brought me home from the ER last night. So technically I didn't finish my commute via bicycle as I was in a car, which I wonder if it wrecks my streak of 618 days or at least puts an asterisk by it? Not sure how to count it.
My bike was left hanging on the bike rack in a secure area of the building, so I wasn't worried about it overnight. This morning I rode a different bike to work, which means I now have two of them hanging on the rack. Probably some time this weekend as we're passing near the building I'll have someone drop me off and I'll ride the other bike back home.
#1852
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 9,694
Likes: 2,616
From: northern Deep South
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
[MENTION=29263]tundra[/MENTION]Man, glad to hear you're (mostly?) OK. Be sure to thank your coworkers for taking care of you.
Lovely day for a bike ride here, bright -- almost to the point of sun glare -- and pleasant, right around 70F. Early morning bike riding is becoming more popular around here, I saw two other obvious bike commuters plus two others out for a morning ride. That's four above average!
Lovely day for a bike ride here, bright -- almost to the point of sun glare -- and pleasant, right around 70F. Early morning bike riding is becoming more popular around here, I saw two other obvious bike commuters plus two others out for a morning ride. That's four above average!
#1855
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Happy Valley PA
Bikes: Giant Revolt 1
I finally convinced one of my coworkers to ride with me so it was nice having company. 48/F and pretty chilly in shorts and a tshirt, but a good ride. Plus, we had a fox run next to us for about 10 feet, which is pretty cool.
#1856
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 9,694
Likes: 2,616
From: northern Deep South
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Another gahwjus morning for a bike ride, clear, calm, and cool. Really tempted to extend the commute by a couple hours...
I came across my own unicorn: an attractive lady on a bike "commuting" on a loop before she went back home for a day of telework. She was the only other cyclist I saw this morning. Wish there were more of us!
I came across my own unicorn: an attractive lady on a bike "commuting" on a loop before she went back home for a day of telework. She was the only other cyclist I saw this morning. Wish there were more of us!
#1857
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 444
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
#1859
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 579
Likes: 285
From: Southern California
Bikes: Historical: Schwinn Speedster; Schwinn Collegiate; 1981 Ross Gran Tour; 1981 Dawes Atlantis; 1991 Specialized Rockhopper. Current: 1987 Centurion Ironman Dave Scott Master; 1992 Specialized Stumpjumper FS; 2026 Salsa Confluence.
I've never come to this thread, mainly because my daily commute is generally unremarkable, just 20-25 minutes on Los Angeles streets. It's not bad once you get used to it.
But, today I broke a spoke! Did my usual hammer up a little incline, and as I leveled out I noticed an occasional clicking from my rear wheel. At first I thought I picked up something on the street, and it went away after 20 feet, but then came back in the next block. Sure enough, I'd snapped a spoke. Untangled it, and mellowed out for the rest of the way. I usually ride as fast and hard as I can.
So, two things: One is that I arrived at work much less sweaty and hot than I usually am. I didn't even feel like I needed to paper-towel off.
Second thing is that I encountered an e-biker on the way, and was annoyed that my bike wasn't in condition to try and draft him. At least he acknowledged me at the lights.
Along with losing my wallet and blowing my wife's birthday, kind of topped off the week.
I'm not the OP, but there's a hint in the picture. Three words, and you can locate it pretty quickly. I really should have been a detective or something.
But, today I broke a spoke! Did my usual hammer up a little incline, and as I leveled out I noticed an occasional clicking from my rear wheel. At first I thought I picked up something on the street, and it went away after 20 feet, but then came back in the next block. Sure enough, I'd snapped a spoke. Untangled it, and mellowed out for the rest of the way. I usually ride as fast and hard as I can.
So, two things: One is that I arrived at work much less sweaty and hot than I usually am. I didn't even feel like I needed to paper-towel off.
Second thing is that I encountered an e-biker on the way, and was annoyed that my bike wasn't in condition to try and draft him. At least he acknowledged me at the lights.
Along with losing my wallet and blowing my wife's birthday, kind of topped off the week.
I'm not the OP, but there's a hint in the picture. Three words, and you can locate it pretty quickly. I really should have been a detective or something.
#1860
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 3
Bikes: Fuji Gran Fondo, Breezer Liberty r 1.3+, Fuji Absolute 2.1
As much as I want to see if anyone guesses, I'll spoil the fun - It's Columbus Ohio's skyline as you come in along the river. Cbus has spent a lot of money improving the downtown's river front and I take full advantage of it on my rides in!
#1861
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 1,547
From: Merrimac , MA
The ride was a pleasant ride this am. Though not uneventful. I learned the hard way what happens when I do not charge my front light every other day. It was a dark ride after about 15 minutes. Which is not fun at five thirty am there are areas of the road that were very dark. I am going home this evening to charge the light. It is a fairly new light and I am not to happy with it because the mounting piece is more of a rubber band type. I have a hard time getting that piece disconnected and reconnected. As I am writing this I just thought maybe I should just bring a charger to the light instead of the light to the charger.
#1863
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 22
From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse, Trek 5000 TCT, Giant OCR
Back to the Monday. Uneventful commute. I stopped on a deserted MUP for a quick bathroom break. Really had to go and was much more comfortable after.
They're talking rain and cooler temps this week. I think I'm ready as September and last week felt quite summer-like. Someone on the Facebook said fall in the south is just like summer but with pumpkins.
They're talking rain and cooler temps this week. I think I'm ready as September and last week felt quite summer-like. Someone on the Facebook said fall in the south is just like summer but with pumpkins.
#1864
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,162
Likes: 647
From: Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others
Damp but not really raining. And since it is Columbus Day, not much traffic, and all the construction crews were off.
#1865
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 444
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
Saturday night at 10:30 PM we were heading home from a family get-together when I had my wife drop me off at the client's office where one of my bikes was still on the rack after Wednesday's ER trip caused me not to ride home that day. Thankfully my badge worked that late at night on a weekend and I was able to finish the commute I had started three days prior.
Friday evening on the way home I started feeling a pulse coming from the rear of the bike. The closer to home I got, the more pronounced the pulse became. When I got into my garage I threw my bike up on my repair stand and noticed that my rear tire was starting to develop a bulge in the sidewall. Glad I found it before it stranded me somewhere out on the road. I got about 3800 miles out of that tire so I can't complain too loud.
Last night I replaced the tire. The new one went on really, really hard. In fact it went on so hard that I worry that if have a flat out on the road I won't be able to fix it. In my garage I had a workbench that kept me from having to bend over for the 1/2 hour I struggled to get it mounted. I also had access to soap. Out on the road neither of these things would be readily available.
This morning was 48°F and more rain. We're only a few inches behind having the wettest year on record, with almost three months to go. Supposed to rain through Wednesday so we may hit the record before the week's end.
Friday evening on the way home I started feeling a pulse coming from the rear of the bike. The closer to home I got, the more pronounced the pulse became. When I got into my garage I threw my bike up on my repair stand and noticed that my rear tire was starting to develop a bulge in the sidewall. Glad I found it before it stranded me somewhere out on the road. I got about 3800 miles out of that tire so I can't complain too loud.
Last night I replaced the tire. The new one went on really, really hard. In fact it went on so hard that I worry that if have a flat out on the road I won't be able to fix it. In my garage I had a workbench that kept me from having to bend over for the 1/2 hour I struggled to get it mounted. I also had access to soap. Out on the road neither of these things would be readily available.
This morning was 48°F and more rain. We're only a few inches behind having the wettest year on record, with almost three months to go. Supposed to rain through Wednesday so we may hit the record before the week's end.
#1866
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 3
Bikes: Fuji Gran Fondo, Breezer Liberty r 1.3+, Fuji Absolute 2.1
Commute got off to a rough start this morning as I realized, just as I was pulling in to the park I start my commute from, that I left my phone at the house... So instead of being 10 early, I was 10min late. Luckily I had time to fume about the mistake as I rode and realized the insignificane of my issue! By the time i got to the office I was back to being happy to be riding my bike to work... I even got my picture taken for the building newsletter to use in their effort to promote riding to work! Although I'm not sure an image of me with sweat pouring down my face and helmet hair will really convert anyone!
#1867
Disco Infiltrator




Joined: May 2013
Posts: 15,350
Likes: 3,551
From: Folsom CA
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Awkward start to the day. Awoke to the sound of a serious leak in the pool filter. Lots of overnight accidents from pets and toddlers discovered. Truck battery crapped out so had to hustle out on the bike first thing rather than exchanging for it at lunch. The ride was a good break from that, but got to work and found badge was left behind in truck. Of course today was supposed to be the day they started using a new login scheme that requires the badge, but fortunately for me at least they pushed it back again.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
"Well, well!" said Holmes, impatiently. "A good cyclist does not need a high road. The moor is intersected with paths and the moon is at the full."
Genesis 49:16-17
"Well, well!" said Holmes, impatiently. "A good cyclist does not need a high road. The moor is intersected with paths and the moon is at the full."
#1868
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 1,547
From: Merrimac , MA
Lucky me today is my second day in a row that I can commute by bike. This has not happened in since the beginning of September for me. I miss when I do not ride. The ride today was uneventful as I purchased a new light for the back of the bike and charged the light for the front of the bike.
#1869
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 22
From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse, Trek 5000 TCT, Giant OCR
Awkward start to the day. Awoke to the sound of a serious leak in the pool filter. Lots of overnight accidents from pets and toddlers discovered. Truck battery crapped out so had to hustle out on the bike first thing rather than exchanging for it at lunch. The ride was a good break from that, but got to work and found badge was left behind in truck. Of course today was supposed to be the day they started using a new login scheme that requires the badge, but fortunately for me at least they pushed it back again.
Nothing exciting for my morning. Only close call was a waste management guy acted like he was going to cross the street without looking to see me coming. He didn't cross.
#1871
Disco Infiltrator




Joined: May 2013
Posts: 15,350
Likes: 3,551
From: Folsom CA
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
#1872
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis
Bikes: Fairdale Weekender Drop, Motobecane 29LTD, Cannondale H400, Basso Coral
#1873
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,338
Likes: 6,639
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Yesterday and today, the weather has been misty. The rain hasn't been falling; it's been standing in suspension in mid-air. The temperature is mild, and this precipitation isn't the least bit unpleasant. I think it might have a mild cooling effect, which I welcome.
Today in traffic, there was a guy riding an Omnium cargo bike, carrying a heavy load. This design bike is fast and agile. It looks so easy to ride. I'm seeing these increasingly. Very cool.
Today in traffic, there was a guy riding an Omnium cargo bike, carrying a heavy load. This design bike is fast and agile. It looks so easy to ride. I'm seeing these increasingly. Very cool.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#1874
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 9,694
Likes: 2,616
From: northern Deep South
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
The weather was fine, low 70s, partly cloudy. The bike was rolling well, despite the first-day-of-the-week load (after Columbus Day yesterday). The rider was feeling old, slow, and stiff -- thank goodness for a job, otherwise I'd still be working on the honey-do list today!
#1875
I took a chance on the "closed for repairs" Greenway this morning, figuring that following the pattern most local construction sites, repair crews have had enough time to park some equipment, put two signs up, and abandon it for whatever it is they do after that part. I think that I'll have it to myself for at least the rest of this week (since the next 2 days are rainy and the workers won't be out there) until the other commuters and morning riders figure it out.




