WINDY!

Wind gusts were above 40 mph! They were tough! Got me in this morning fast but coming home this afternoon was intense at times. Something weird blew into my mouth- it was alive and I couldn't seem to spit it out. Had to make that horrible decision- to bite and chew or not to chew!

I crunched down on it and ate the damn thing!

All that while struggling into a wind that felt like it was going to make me airborne and fly me into the mouth of some bigger monster. grrrrrrrrr... got to be tough sometimes to be a bike commuter.

Some good stories, fellas. I don't know about that bug, Buzzman. What if it were a bee, you could have died if it stung you on the way down.

That 25-30 mph wind that kicked my butt on the way in this morning was GLORIOUS on the way home. I was going 30 mph in a pocket of still air. It was as fast as I could physically go on that bike without a cliff to go off of. Top gear, spinning like crazy.

Usually, there's no wind in the morning, and a stiff headwind on the way home. I'll remember this biking day for a good long time.

You have it even harder in Kansas. 30, gusting to 50... Wow. It's hard to even stand up in a 30 mph wind. One would be better off walking the bike to work, then getting a free ride home from the wind.

And the Texas weather didn't disappoint. It took me 1:45 to get home, and boy is it howling out there. The good part is that it was quite warm. So even thought the ride took longer than usual, it was pretty darned pleasant.

Very odd ride in. For the most part, it was totally conventional, at one point, about 3/4 of the way to work, about 11am I rolled through a section of a bike path that rides along a creek side. It's my favorite part of the ride. I was pedaling along, listening to birds and looking at the water.

I rounded a curve and there was a big puddle of some very bright yellow liquid. It looked like egg yolk, but covered about a 2 foot square area. I had no choice but to roll through it. Luckily I was riding the Globe (blue bike in signature, below) and it was fendered. This stuff got over my tires, inside the fenders, on the frame, my bike bag and pants. After I rolled thought it I could smell some stink, but along a bike path who knows. The stink dissipated quickly. I rolled through the wet grass and a lot of it cleaned from the tires. I rode on, wondering what that was. I guessed maybe a goose egg, but I saw no shells. Maybe a dog had sucked eggs and vomited, I don't know.

By the time I got to work the stuff on my pants dried and I scraped it off for the most part. It dried into a tan color.

I rode home another way, as it was after dark and I just wanted to get home quickly and didn't take the scenic route. I took the bike inside and hung it on a hook to clean it. I poured some water over to see if that dissolved it, it did not. I was able to scrape it away with my nails and a rag. The stuff peeled away like latex. It was dried tan and just a little stretchy. Very odd. It was all over my cabling guide on the bottom of the bike and the down-tube.

I wonder what the heck that stuff was/is. I'll ride by it tomorrow AM about 7:15am and take another look.

Believe me, Jeremy I thought of that- I got stung in the mouth 2 years ago on a road ride and it was pretty scary as my tongue swelled up. That was why I bit the thing! I wanted to sting it before it stung me. I chewed it up pretty good before I swallowed it. Revenge is sweet.

I don't think it was a bee though.

A nice day today at 67 with rain coming soon. I now have Fri. Sat. Sun. off as I do ten hour days. Also got in some overtime. So I am resting today for a walk in Weston, Mo tomorrow. Our bike club will go to support those who died in service of their country. One of our club members, Army retired himself, lost a son to a heli crash in Afghanistan a while back. His son was a good man. (I was lucky to get my Marine son back in one piece.) This is a 10K walk with donations to the cause of building memorials. Our club includes bike travelers, triathlonners, commuters, and folks out for a fun time and exercise. So it will be back to the commute on Monday with some rest on the weekend.

It was a nice breezy ride, in the low 60's and sunny. The new bike performed well.

Good ride this morning. The wind shifted overnight, had a tailwind for much of the ride.

I had the commuter overhauled this past weekend and oh man, what a difference! She's quiet as a mouse (OK, bad metaphor...she STOPPED squeaking!), shifts reliably, and looks better than she has since the day I bought her. It's like falling in love all over again!

40F, brisk, gray

I had a great ride in, though we are getting 30+ degree changes in temperatures in NoVa. Was in the 40's this morning and likely around 80 this afternoon. A light biking jacket/windbreaker is all I need in the morning and I just pack it in my trunk in the afternoons. But wow, Spring is so great for commuting.

I was annoyed that a woman let her (what looked like) 5 year old daughter walk her dog on the Custis trail. The kid and the dog were every on the trail and I essentially had to stop to safely get passed them. Oh well.

Headwinds and JAMs. Not a pleasant ride in.

Good commutes last night and this morning. This morning the wind was pretty calm for a change, but I could feel the extra warmth in the air buildling up. Today supposed to be around 80 and tomorrow back up to 90 for a couple days at least.

In other fun, cycling-related news, I volunteered last night helping w/ setup for a co-op here that's opening its doors Saturday. Ended up with an offer to do some (paid+tips) pedicab driving next Thursday night for a few hours. Should be fun. It's a flat area I'll be working, so that's good, since I understand that the pedicab can be a really good workout.

Hello everybody! I did not get to ride this morning although I wish I had. My sweet hubby would not let me because the storm had not passed far enough. It is a beautifull day. I think I am going to take the kids down to the bike path and make them a picknick dinner. We can ride to a park that would not be too far for them. Even if I am unable to ride to work, I will somehow make a way to take a ride some time in a day. Stinking lightning. Annyways everybody have a wonderfull day!

Like JeremyZ says, strong winds here 30mph+. but after all it took me only 50 minutes, instead of my usual 40-45 minutes. Didn't stress out about, got into a lower gear and ducked down

I'm in my 10th month of commuting, but it has never been that bad. Spring is quickly dropping from "most favorite month" to 2nd or 3rd place.

rolled in on the streets this morning, home on the bike path with my wife. stopped and watched the rowers on the Charles. Gorgeous day, splendid ride.

As I got off the train to ride home, it had started raining. Everyone put things over their heads and ran like little sissies. I looked at the sky and figured it wouldn't last. I waited under the eve of the station house and got everything organized in my bag. 5 minutes later, it stopped raining. I rode home, averaging 15 mph and hit 27 mph at one point. (not easy on a heavy 3-speed!) Thanks again to the tail wind.

As soon as I got home, it started raining again, and went to the bike shop in the car to get a new saddle and another cage for the Searcher, 7 minutes before they closed. One would think that if there was a big rush of people right before closing time, they would realize it means they're not open late enough... Cleaned up the searcher just a little with some Falco on the boombox and a couple of beers to fuel me. I also bought a proper helmet; won't be using the cheapo Bell any more.

It was good to get the Searcher running again after 3 years. I now have three operational bikes at one time, and it feels pretty strange. I've never had more than one at a time before this.

didn't have to commute yesterday (Saturday) so I did a 50 mile road ride. Today rode in and worked until 2 pm then rode home and went out for a 30 mile road ride. That makes 2 weeks in a row of 200+ miles/week! Oh, how I love this time of year. Allergy has seriously kicked in so I'm a sneezing, coughing, red-eyed wretch but with a big smile on my face.

What's up with this weather?


Low 70sF and humid. There was wind but it seemed to be at my side most of the time. I passed two older folks out for a morning ride together. There was one suicidal squirrel. Other than the relatively high (for this time of year) heat and humidity... A nice ride.

Missing my ride this morning, our city is flooded and I will be working from home.

Heavy rain most of the way in this morning with some wind. I rode through a puddle under the train tracks that smelled suspiciously like pee--not happy about that! On the bright side, it's not supposed to be raining by 5pm, and I sure won't miss the fair weather cyclists on my ride home.

Despite the rain and high humidity, it was a great commute. Felt great on the ride as well. 69F with light rain and no winds.

Slight tailwind, drizzle, temps around 70. Miss the cooler temps of the early spring. Oh well. Nice ride in still. Not sure how long the rain is supposed to last today, but if it could keep at it until after my commute to reduce the traffic on the MUP, I'd appreciate it!

A real wet one today, glad I had the foresight/time to re-install my fenders. Since it was already so warm and muggy, I decided not to even attempt to wear a rain coat, I figure a little rain is better than a lot of sweat. The ride was uneventful and my stuff is tucked beside me, in my cube, drying out, this includes the bike. Hopefully this lets up before the afternoon ride home. Gotta get new rubber for my bike as well as the wife's, her tires are completely dry rotted as the bike has been sitting under a cover in the back yard for about a year.

gray, 45F. Biked both kids (next to one, pulled other in trailer). Found cool new route for trailer, cut out one crazy intersection.

Rode the mtb today. Forecast calls for scattered showers and I didn't want to ruin the brand-new feel of my newly-repaired road bike.

First really humid day of the year. Came in dripping wet. The weather is supposed to improve as the week goes on.