I had my first predawn ride to work this morning. Beautiful day for a ride.

[MENTION=386200]clengman[/MENTION] - nice overlook for a pic. Is it all downhill from there?

Fighting a bit of a cold yesterday and today. I slept in a bit this morning, but still got up to ride. I would have been okay without tights, but wore them because of my cold symptoms. There was a nice full moon-set happening as I left.

Rode in to work today, because morning temps (feel like) were going to be in high 30s. I turned it into a pleasant ride by switching off the display on my phone and just focusing on the road.

[MENTION=366933]mgw4jc[/MENTION] It's a little past my halfway point. Just a couple bridges and a baby hill after I get to town. We're down in the thirties already in Pittsburgh. It got cold fast this year. It's tights every day for me now. Hoping the snow will hold off for a while.

That's me and that's exactly why I started it - because I would overdress at the beginning of Fall. The downside is days like today when the reported temp was colder than actual and I overdressed. Damned if I do, damned if I don't!

Thanks, [MENTION=322871]arsprod[/MENTION].

Today I had a crosswind which felt like a headwind most of the time and a tailwind a little bit of the time. My dress was just about perfect. I have a new pair of pants of stretchy material and it seems pretty breathable, too. I really like them. They're expensive, and I'm thinking of getting another pair. I got them at a rock climbing store in New Paltz, NY, the biggest rock climbing place in the country. It's the town next to High Falls where we spend our weekends.

Well, consecIutive bicycle work commute number 633 kind of sucked.

I actually left the house a few minutes early. I was excited that I was going to get to the office on time for a change. It quite literally has been a few months since I haven't been late due to some family issues we're struggling through. I was excited.

A little more than a mile and a half I hit something on the MUP hiding in the middle of all the leaves that are covering the path. I thought, "that didn't sound good." It wasn't. A couple hundred yards later I had a flat rear tire. First flat in about 18 months.

So I pulled off to the side and got out my repair kit. It was still a little dark, but I did the best I could to visually inspect the outside of the tire for any damage or objects stuck in it. Then after removing the old tube I felt around the entire inside of the tire twice to make sure there wasn't something still stuck in the tire. Didn't find anything so I assumed whatever it was came out. I swapped out the tube with my spare. I hooked up my CO2 inflator and pumped up the tire. Success!

Except about 10 seconds later the tire went flat again. Rats. Even though I checked twice I must have missed the object still stuck in the tire. I didn't have any more tubes or CO2 canisters with me. So now I was in a dilemma. Do I walk the 2.25 miles to work and be a little late, or do I walk the 1.75 miles back home and be a lot of late? I decided to walk home. If I went to work I'd just have to walk 4 miles back home, and I may have to take my son to an appointment this afternoon and didn't feel like having to deal with no transportation home. So I did the "walk of shame" home in bike shoes pushing my bike up the monster hill on top of which I live.

After I got home I grabbed my fixed gear bike, pumped up the tires and rode to work. The wind won't be favorable for the fixie on the way home, but it will beat walking. I wound up getting to work more than an hour late.

Ugh.

Crisp, clear, and a quiet (if a little late...) ride in. We had a big supper late last night, so I didn't get as much sleep as I needed. To make up for that, I rode slowly -- at least I thought I did. The funny thing was, every time I glanced down to check, the speedometer was reading 4-5 mph faster than I thought I was going.

It's interesting how, with frost yesterday (or so my wife reported on her windshield) and cooler weather all week, the tree leaves still have barely started to turn. The most noticeable change so far is from medium green to lighter green. I'm sure the cotton farmers have enjoyed the late autumn, though.

50F, overcast, clammy

More pea soup this morning. Went with tights, no second layer on top. I only half-overheated.

Something new: Was nearing a T-intersection, and one car just couldn’t wait to let me pass. As the driver was turning, his engine failed him! Luckily I have a good spidey sense.

I'm fighting this cold, but still biked home yesterday and to work this morning. It's interesting how my nose mostly clears up while riding. Exercise induced symptom relief or something?

Cold enough out at 35F for me to wear the tights again today. Afternoon temps are warm enough to not though.

Day two of riding into the east wind.. that really sucks in the morning! Battery died on the way end, I'm done with the bright eyes product the batteries only last year and half. Time to go through the light thread and find a new one.

44°F. Rain. Wind.

That about sums it up.

[MENTION=339610]Darth Lefty[/MENTION], that's a nice image. It made me smile. My older daughter would sing in the bike trailer. She and her boyfriend visited this week from Denver. She's about to turn 30!

I got hot getting dressed for my commute, but I trusted I was dressing right, and I found that I was.

Today I passed a man with white hair on inline skates. He was skating for fun, going forwards and backwards, swinging his legs and arms around, looking like a ballroom dancer. This wasn't on the main path. It was on a very wide path with low traffic volume, so it was totally safe. I pass people doing unusual things on every ride.

A bit warmer than Tuesday's ride, and not at all windy, so it was a pleasant ride. It's been pretty dry for a couple of weeks now, but with the cooler temperatures, some of the low-lying areas aren't drying up very fast and are still muddy on the dirt tracks. I like taking a mountain bike trail home because it's a bit shorter with far less traffic, but had to walk up a short uphill section because I spun out and stalled in the mud.

It's an excellent idea. I just can't be that organized.

I was about a mile out when I heard a sudden rattle, looked down and saw that I'd lost a fender bolt on my front fender stay. Strangely I could find nothing to secure it with, no bolt nor zip tie nor even a wire or string. I wound up sacrificing my key ring, which worked surprisingly well.

I finally treated myself to a tube of blue Loctite. I don't know why fender and rack bolts like to come off, but they sure do.

Bailed out on the ride today. I'm feeling a bit better from my cold, but the 46 degrees and steady rain were more than I wanted to deal with and/or suffer through. And it's supposed to rain all day so the ride home would likely have been wet too.

The weekend is forecast to be nice though. We plan to take some kids camping Saturday night, so I hope that forecast holds.

56F, drizzle

Back to fall heat. Low 60s this morning, should hit the mid-80s by the time I leave and ride up to Dodger Stadium to drink in the atmosphere.

yep I bailed on the commute today as well. they are calling for over an inch of rain and 10-15 miles per hour winds. Looking out my window at work today and I would say that they are right. It is gross out there. i have had two coworkers ask me if I rode today. I said yes in my van haha

Currently 44F and raining !

Finished the week with no commutes per se but three tandem rides with the trailer. It's a lot of work! Kiddo isn't helping much yet. A little! Photos