Yesterday's commute home was rough, I left the office early because storms were rolling in, about 4 miles in I had a flat, so pulled under an overpass just incase. Got the flat fix in good time, the wind had picked but but still not raining, but very windy so I pushed on to the MUP knowing for the next 4 miles there would be no shelter if it began to rain. I made it past the MUP to the neighborhood part of the ride now 10 miles in 8 to go, and I could see the rain in the direction I was going, and it had already rained where I was at. I ended up having to find cover under a shopping center awning for about 10 minutes until the rain let off so that I wouldn't soak my computer backpack and my pc inside. The last 4 miles home were very wet from the water on the road but no major incidents. Boy I'm glad I just cleaned my bike the day before and had lubed the chain, guess I get to do it again.

Neat thread!

Yesterday's commute had something special. I gorgeous full arch double rainbow! The urban trail I ride home was heading straight into the center of the arch. It put a BIG smile on my face The Yang to that Ying was I eventually caught up to the rain a little before home. Oh well, it was worth it.

It's raining again today, so I might be riding home in the rain

Had to go to Beacon Hill on Tues, so I rode 12 miles in and took the bus for the rest of the trip in. I rode home the whole distance. The first few miles through Seattle were pretty enjoyable(lot of cute skirts out on their lunch break). I took the Burke-Gilman trail out to Woodinville and then the Main HWY home from there. The only thing real special was that I made the one-way trip(31 miles) in 2 hours and 5minutes.

Normally, I dink around and make a few stops along the way and exceed the 3 hour mark.

Oh, the weather was good... about 70 and partly cloudy. It was my first commute on this $60 CL find.

So my commute home was marred by another first for me: first time having a clipless pedal related fall. It was pretty stupid on my part. I turned off the road onto my driveway, but took the corner a bit too wide. My front tire slipped off the edge of the concrete into a 2" deep depression between my driveway and my neighbours', and down I went. I think if I hadn't been clipped in, I may have been able to get a leg out to stop my fall, but because I was attached, I had no hope. So, in my defense, it wasn't a noob mistake of forgetting I was clipped in, but it was carelessness that ultimately caused the fall. No injuries to me or the bike.

Roger M - that's a fine looking $60 bike.

Suck it, commuters! I'm on vacation this week and next!



(be safe out there, folks!)

Welcome aboard.

63F with a bit of a headwind for me this morning. Humid, too. I think I've figured out why I'm seeing an unusual number of cyclists riding the other way almost every day. They're on tours. Today I went by a group of 8 or 10 riders. The bike touring people must be utilizing the MUP more this year. Either that or there are just lots of cyclists camping at the big campground in Burlington.

Yesterday I almost crashed on my ride home. A young woman was picking berries next to the MUP. She was bent over, backside facing me. She was wearing a bikini. "Eyes front!"

Hot and humid, I even sweat getting ready to ride, but a nice ride in anyway. Gonna take it real easy on the way home and plan to drink about 3l H20 during the day today. I ride right thru downtown Indy on the way out I go through a college campus. Yes, I can see how a fella could have a hard time concentrating on traffic.

After 3 straight days commuting in temperatures in high 90s and heat indexes from 105-110, I decided to take a break today and drive. I was reading some information about heat stress from the National Weather Service, and apparently the affects of excessive heat on your body are cumulative, so you can have problems being out in the heat day after day. Anyway, since the high is supposed to be about 100 F today with heat index at 110, I drove for a change. No point killing myself.

I enjoyed my ride home last night until I was about a mile from home. I managed to pull an Andy Schleck when I was at a stop sign, popping my chain off the big chain ring during a downshift and somehow bending the hell out of the big chain ring in the process. The bike rides OK on the middle chain ring still, though there is a slight chain rub against a spot on the big ring when I'm in the smaller cogs in the back.

It could be a blessing in disguise. I've been mulling over a drive train replacement anyway, but was thinking I'd keep the current crankset even though I wanted to change it, too (upgrading shifters and derailleurs seemed more pressing), but now I have an excuse to look into cranksets, too. In fact, at this point it will probably be the first upgrade I make...

Anyway, took it slower and easier on the way in this AM as a result - couldn't hammer on the big chain ring and didn't want to pedal too hard with the slight chain rub I've got. It was hot, and the temps are supposed to be pushing 100 by day's end, but since I dialed it back a notch, it was actually a pretty comfortable ride given the temp in the mid 80s.

57F, gray. First 2-kid day in a month or so (usually just ride w/ 9 yr old to his camp then on to work, today trailered 5 yr old to camp and then on to her school and then solo'd on to work).

Pizza? Did someone say pizza? We're having pizza tonight, we have it every Friday night. I've really been tightening my diet, less red meat, pork, etc-more big salads, less calories over all. I'm very excited by the time pizza Friday rolls around, it's also a nice reward for continued "all ride weeks"-even in this heat-and much easier than making dinner.

On another note, I'm kinda nervous about the heat, they're calling for 99, 100F today. I wasn't great with my hydration this morning, in fact, I've been trying to catch up since lunch but, this heat takes a lot out of me and I'm worried that I'm behind. Last week I was super-cautious, having drunk at least a gallon of water/Gatorade by the time I left work and, I was underhydrated by the time I got home. Also, this is the type of weather where I ride w/out my helmet, it simply traps too much heat and I get over heated, I'll probably take it off once I hit the MV Trail. I'm thinking about getting out early tomorrow morning to shake the dirt off the 29er but may think better of that idea given tomorrow's heat index of 105 to 110F.

I like Summer but, this is a bit much. When will the insanity end???

Well, I am riding home or toward home. My son is on standby with my pick up truck.

Too true! He was even on the front page of the Vancouver Sun today... I never thought I'd see the day when the TdF makes the front page of a mainstream Canadian newspaper!

Nice short ride in to work today, coughing up phlegm the whole way, but feeling better overall. There is a lot more traffic at 8am compared to my usual time.

My ride to work is getting so routine that the only time I post in this thread is to report something out of the ordinary. Today it was three things:

1. I saw the tallest man on the smallest bike today. He had to be close to 7 ft. What a skinny dude. When I saw him I immediately thought "basketball player". Oddly enough his bike didn't match him. His knees seem uncomfortably high. I'm wondering if seeing him on this too small bike made me really notice him even more.

2. On the bike lane I spotted a two wheel recumbent complete with orange flag. This makes the 2nd recumbent I've seen since I've moved here.

The other is owned by a guy who converted his to a gas-powered recumbent trike. I see him all the time bunny hopping from the sidewalk to the street.

3. Rode home in the rain today. I didn't check the weather and I'm glad I didn't. I would have been too nervous thinking I would have to ride home in the rain. I probably would have chickened out and asked a friend for a lift to work today. Since I had no choice but to ride my trike home after work, I dealt with it, which amounted to taking cover under a building's overhand when the rain got too heavy. Cool!!!!

Had a great commute home today in a warm intermittent rain. So glad I rode. The high in Chicago was 94 today with a heat index of 104.

wonderful morning the tar on the road i ride has finally cured so no more rocks and dirt sticking to tires and fenders(thats an annoying noise) cool and breezy about 63f, thinking its gonna be a hot afternoon though

Pretty humid, and had to bushwack to get around a couple of downed trees on the W&OD from last nights storm. And it's Monday, so what can I say?

Great ride in, and the weather with the full moon is just perfect. On Saturday evening, I had to drive to hook up with my daughter for dinner. As I was coming around the back of the car, I noticed this beautifully constructed web between the two bars of my bike rack. As I went to put the key in the door, there were cobwebs on the handle. Now, I know that I use my car more than this portends, but it is nice to know that other creatures are getting use out of my car, even when I am not.

Oh wow, what a change! The weather was gorgeous (low 70s, clear), and I got to ride on my brand new city bike, the Trek Belleville. The bike is everything I was hoping it would be, and is surprisingly quick on the straightaways. I had a great time and made it to the office in just a shade under 40 minutes. The best part was riding with panniers. My back is sweat-free. This was only the 3rd time I'd ever ridden a bike to work without a messenger bag, so a welcome change.

Hope everyone else on the east coast is enjoying the cooler air. It's still gonna be 90 for my ride home this afternoon, but hey, I'll take that over 99 anyday.

Clear skies, mid 60sF and not quite too humid, finally. Saw a MUP regular, riding her road bike the other way. Haven't seen her in a while. She's a cutie. I was stopped looking at fish. That is, pictures of fish found in the Winooski River. Some roadie went by, no bags or anything, at a pretty good clip. I never saw him again. I did catch the same guy I keep catching on a regular basis, then we caught a third person, and then I peeled off onto streets and caught yet another person. Lots of riders out today.

pounding migraine; left foot still sore with gout or a stress fracture; on vacation so I drove 1.2 miles to dunkins for coffee and breakfast, then back to the couch with some excedrine. how the hell did I ever ride through the winter in the dark through snow and ice below freezing? seriously how the hell did I (we) do that?

Still humid this morning but was blessedly cool for a change.

Cool and comfortable for the first time in a while. The storms last night knocked out my power for an hour or two, but in retrospect, it was well worth it! The change in the weather, though only fleeting, is very welcome.

It was also the maiden voyage for my new fork and front rack! I had bought second-hand an unused Surly CC fork through a friend, and it has resplendantly taken the place of the POS unlockable suspension fork that had come stock on my bike. I knew that thing was heavy, but just how hearvy I didn't realize until it was out. The rack is a used Nashbar lowrider style I got for <$10. Both went well, and I am SOOOOOO happy to finally have a rigid fork! Noticed it particularly on my climbs (read overpasses) - I could just feel that all my pedaling was actually going to propel the bike and not just bob the fork up and down. Now to the next project - crank replacement and possibly drivetrain upgrade. Always a work in progress.

Anyway, great ride, and I'm looking forward to this afternoon's ride home like I haven't for quite a while.

75 and sunny in NYC,looking forward to a good day and ride.