Yes, I've re-upped, and am still in China, I still ride bikes, and it's 2020 here... So, let's get started...

How was YOUR commute?

My first ride of the decade is in the can... A quick jaunt down to the BBQ for some skewers of BBQ pork and a couple of bowls of wonton soup. While China does celebrate January 1 with a day off, there was no fireworks, traffic was light, and the temps are F(Insert Expletive Here)ing cold (-6C).

Well, yesterday's ride was a little warmer... It was merely 0C instead of -4C. Roads are dry, but the bike lane occasionally had icy patches from where people walked, changing the snow to ice. Lots of people walk in the bike lane, despite having a perfectly good sidewalk, which is mostly car free (I've seen a downturn in people parking on the sidewalk (probably due to the fences that have been erected.

I’m not sure what the new year will bring for bike riding.

In the short term our nanny has let us know she is looking for a full time job with a retirement plan. Once she’s off, I don’t know how soon or even if we will get another. Daycare runs would definitely put a crimp in the bike commuting fun. I’m also going to need my defibrillator replaced this month, which would likely mean a week or two off. Not as long as for the first time since there’s no new wires.

In the medium term it’s all about health. I’m NOT normally-abled when it comes to my heart, the surgery was an improvement but not a cure. If I need to do more than my usual four days / 7.5 mi RT, I might start looking at an e bike. If I still can’t make it work, I’ll be looking at a gym membership instead. That’s probably a good idea anyhow... my chest is weak since the surgery.

And that’s all assuming the rest of the family is fine...

Happy New Year!
Good to have a low traffic, comfortable ride in this morning. It was right at 40F. I left home a little after 6am, rode to the gym, lifted weights there for about 45 minutes, then off to work. My gym did not have any new faces that I saw. I don't think it attracts the new year resolution type.

Possible rain this afternoon, but at 50+ degrees it should okay for riding.

in 26 degree calm air today. I work on a military installation, and this morning I discovered that my normal gate was closed (despite having been open on the 31st, but that's another story). So, I diverted another 4 miles to the next likely gate only to find... Closed as well. Okay...

So north up a 1-mile incline was the most likely open gate. I passed an innumerably long line of cars waiting to enter that gate. Some drivers were so anxious to get to work that they began forcing their way into the bike lane, giving me inches to get by. Anyway, I made it in. I was warmer for the extra 7 miles of exertion. Yay!

Thanks for getting the 2020 thread started! First commute of the year - 41F, not a bad start!

Sorry to hear you're still having heart troubles and complications from the open heart surgery. I am thankful that I recovered from mine quickly and completely. When I hear about others such as you that didn't have the same fortune it makes me feel a little guilty.

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 869:

First, let's back up one day which wasn't a commute. My LBS has an annual New Years Day ride, and yesterday was the 31st one they've held. Frequently I'm traveling home from visiting my wife's family in Ohio on the 1st, so I don't always get to participate. This year we came home on the 30th which allowed me the 31st to do a bunch of catch-up work around the house and freed me up to attend the ride.

The temp for the ride was awesome. Sunny and 33 degrees. Because of the beautiful day there were at least 200 if not more people who showed up. Unfortunately, last weekend there had been an ice storm followed by many inches of snow. This turned the streets and MUP into a frozen rutted mess. Those of us who ride regularly in the winter knew how to handle it, but there were quite a few people inexperienced with these kinds of road conditions. One guy I was riding next to for a while had ridden a total of 3 miles since he got a bike. Needless to say, I saw several people hit the ground and countless close calls. Lots of people bailed out early and either took a short cut back to the shop or called for a ride.

I made it the whole 13 miles. Back at the bike shop we enjoyed chili and hot beverages. I think this was the 4th time I've been able to attend the New Years Ride. The three previous times I was one of the last riders to return to the LBS. This year I was one of the first dozen who made it back. The only thing I can really point my finger as to why would be my heart surgery. It wasn't a race so in the end it didn't matter how soon I got back, but a couple of times by the time I returned there wasn't any chili left. This time there was plenty.

Back to this morning, which was my first commute of the year. 28F, overcast and a 15 mph head wind. The rutted ice remained (and unless we have unseasonably warm temps will probably stick around for at least 2-4 weeks.) I decided to pull out my old winter bike with the carbide studded tires. It was slow (about 7 mph average) but it felt more sure-footed on the ice than my fat bike did yesterday. The ruts beat me up pretty good. It felt like I was riding down the center of a railroad track, with the bike just constantly bouncing on the uneven surface.

Oh, thanks, but don’t. My problems are not the same as yours. This is like feeling guilty your kids are like you...

I almost didn't ride this morning; that whiny voice in my head disguised itself well, but I saw it was 45F and just did it.

Very dark and wet outside, but clear. Stars in the sky, light beginning to outline the hills to the east, smoky with the fog. The marsh was quiet, except for the small cheeping waterfowl that fled across the pond as I rode the trail next to them. A bobbing light approaches; an early morning runner on his way back home. Crossing the bridge, a fellow commuter heads north as I head south; we greet each other. On the highway, the wash of the cars' headlights showed me what's ahead. Riding under the eucalyptus was pretty good; only some seed cases to make my bike jump. I got off the road and onto the trail as the sky was brightening. Rode through some shallow puddles, reveling in the glory of fenders, dodged a banana slug, inadvertently chased some birds, who will insist on fleeing ahead of me, and pulled into work.

Of course, it looks like rain the rest of the week.

First commute of the decade and first commute using my new 2000 lumen cree LED helmet-mounted flashlight. I'm very satisfied. Insanely and unbearably bright, completely blinding. Exactly what I was looking for.

I just had my first bike commute of 2020!

39° w/ a 7 mph NNW wind, dry w/ heavy overcast.

We call that an absolutely GORGEOUS January morning in Chicago!



I am still head over heels about the new bike/ped bridge over the canal that has now completely eliminated the most annoying/dangerous part of my route forever!

Now that's a christmas gift that will definitely keep on giving.

First commute was yesterday, 01/02. About 45F and 15 mph headwind. Severe clear and light traffic. Ride home was 68F and 15 mph TAILWIND.
Today, same temp, light traffic and no wind. 2020 marks my 45th year commuting.

STRONG WORK!

way to be committed to the craft.

i'm only starting year 13.

Citibike commute thru The Park

Thanks for asking. I commuted Monday and Tuesday riding extra to finish the year strong. I felt pretty motivated last week and rode a Polar Bear ride on January 1st too. I got 41 miles for the day. Then I commuted 1/2/20, it started raining mid afternoon and light rain on the way home but was comfortable and dry. Then Friday it RAINED all day so I drove. I was only going to be able to ride this week only on Monday. I woke up and reset the alarm figuring this will be a gym week. Hope to get some miles run and weight lifted.

I am trying to not put as much pressure on myself to ride every day this year. I hope to get 5000 miles this year. I was 275 miles short in 2019. I hope to do some cross training this year. I also I hope to lose some weight this year. It has been creeping up and not making me happy.

Those could be viewed as contradictory goals, ya know. The more days you ride, the more miles you ride.

Back to the Monday and 5 day work week it seems. Right at 32F this morning as I left at 5:50am to go to the gym for a bit on the way to work. I could really smell the exhaust from the buses warming up at an elementary school.

I know I just mean that if the weather is good I will ride and if the weather is not so good I wont beat myself up about it. I think I could have made it if I rode maybe two more weeks plus a little extra during the summer than I did .

Wow, 64F at 7 AM. Along with 24 mph headwinds.
Short sleeve jersey in January.
Wind is forcast to blow all day. The south going ride home should go pretty quick.

First ride of the year. Only a bit chilly, tulle fog.

Tres por tres so far this year.

I ride by a regional airport next to the MUP. I frequently see small planes taking off or landing. Friday PM a pretty big jet landed and I hadn't heard it coming until it was right over my head. Those light posts are for the planes so they don't come in too low.

The cops also practice their high-speed driving at this airport - that's fun to watch.

Snip from my Fly6

My first commute of 2020 but not my first ride. It was a very nice ride in this morning with the temp at 34 f degrees and dark skies, no wind.

Managed to leave a bit early and ride 15 miles on the way in this morning. Rain is coming soon, but should be cleared out by noon.

My tail light has fallen off mid ride twice in one week now. I thought I had it cinched down okay but some bumps on the MUP sent it bouncing again this morning. Luckily I've heard it both time and stopped to retrieve it. And those things are constructed pretty well to handle such a fall onto asphalt and not break.

You California guys should be banned from winter commuting updates! 26F here, but really amazing sunrise