Drove the car half way and pulled the Mongoose off the davits and saddled up. The weather early on today was warm but rainy and the trail was completely deserted and made it into the office in 50 minutes instead of the usual hour. Trail was wet in a few places and nearly spun out on one section. The way back was glorious. The sun came out and the wind vered around and since everyone got scared off I had the trail to myself yet again. Saw three deer and lots of other critters.

Rode in for the first time since mid-August. It was a beautiful warm day and there were tons of cyclists out, much more than I'd seen all summer. In fact, I'd wondered where everyone was when I was riding in June/July/Aug after seeing lots of riders in May.

I was almost doored on the way home on the 2nd Avenue bike lane. A taxi pulled over and the passenger opened the door into the bike lane. The lane itself is next to the left curb, and the parked cars "protect" the lane from traffic. The taxi was in the parking lane, but there is no other buffer. I may be in the minority, but I think these new lanes are the worst thing to happen to cycling in NYC. The parked cars block the view of the left turning cars, the pedestrians use the lane as a walkway, doors swing open, there is no room to maneuver, every small obstacle means you have to slow down because you can't go around, you can't shift around a left turning car, they are always turning into you. I'd rather have no lane and have a sense of the traffic around me.

Add to this that on the way in this morning there were 10 different obstructions to the lane in a 34 block stretch. There are a lot of people that use the right non-bike-lane side of the street now to avoid all this.

Seriously, it's International Car-Free Day? This was the only day this week that I drove. I had to drop the Metro this morning to repair what some jerk had wrought (long story short, some punk threw a rock through my window). Of course there had been a miscommunication between the national office, with whom I'd spoken on the phone, and the local franchise, so the glass hadn't been ordered. At least I got an added seven or so miles of cycling this morning after leaving Jellybean (the car) to be attended to over the next several days while the new window is shipped (for real, this time).

Luckily, this late season spate of sunny weather won't quit. Sunny and in the mid-fifties today, and there was a wicked full moon rising above the Chugach Mountains right as the alpenglow from the sunset hit. Between dropping off the Jellybean, riding back and forth to class, going to the store, and to the brewery, I think that I racked up about 30 miles today. Plus, I saw this guy while coming home from class:



That would've made my day, regardless of weather and milage.

Worked my first night shift tonight (I'm in a placement during my last year of college). I was supposed to work until 7 am but there was little to do so my preceptor sent me home at 3:30. It was nice to ride along smooth major city arteries without feeling in danger of being run over, rather than my usual route over pothole-ridden (but safer) side streets. I noticed that even though there were two lanes and I was hugging the curb as usual, the few motorists that I encountered were crossing the double yellow line into oncoming lanes to give me a wider berth. I don't know if it was because they were surprised to encounter a cyclist in the middle of the night or because my PDW Radbot 1000/PB Super Flash combo made me appear as a hazard best avoided by a large margin. In any case it made for an enjoyable (and rather speedy) commute home.

You gotta take the camera every day, I never see stuff like that.

Another nice day, uneventful ride in to work. Home at 10pm very warm after a week of much cooler nights. Lightning in the night sky but no thunder. About two miles from my house it starts to rain then thunder and rain very heavy. Last time I rode in such weather I got hit by a car and have made it a rule not get off the road if it gets like that again. I continued only because the remainder of my ride was on a stretch were there is very little traffic, I only saw one car. My wife was standing on the porch when I arrived, her arms folded across her chest.

I have seen so many ways to carry a dog with a bike, and this guy is staying put. The dogs enjoy cycling as much as the rest of us.

A very nice warm morning, and I am savoring each and every one. This week has been a good week for bikes. 5 of them in the rack area,
the most ever. One, which has been consistent for 6 days in a row is a recummbent trike, and very neat looking. Hopefully, some of them continue
into winter.

Temps in the low 50sF, light tailwind, and sunny. Was up way too late last night, drinking adult beverages. Got off to a late, and slow, start. My grandmother could have reeled me in, but I didn't see any other bikes except for the clown who came out of the woods and crossed the MUP right in front of me without looking. I muttered something about looking both ways.

72F, warm and humid. Very nice ride. I love September!

The forecasted overnight Tstorms stayed North and I awoke to dry pavement and a strong tailwind. Full moon was occasionally visible through the clouds and temps were upper 60s. Very nice commute...the trip home will be an adventure with a 20 mph headwind forecast...30mph gusts!

Yeah, me, too. Not to work... I still rode to work, but a morning doctor's appt. forced me to drive. Argh!!! I knew it was Car-Free Day, but the appt. was made two months ago and couldn't be changed. Otherwise, I would have picked a different day. The appointment made me miss the lunchtime goings-on for CFD in downtown DC, too. Dagnabit!

That's awesome! I find it hilarious that a dog is chilling out in that trailer.

Didn't ride home yesterday since I met up with my wife after work and metro'd home with her (with bike, though).

Didn't get to my rear derailleur replacement project 'til late, and ended up doing that and other assorted maintenance odds and ends till 2:30 AM! :yikes: The new derailluer runs like a champ, though. Sad to say, perhaps, but this Alivio derailleur is the best, most responsive shifting I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. $30 well spent on that derailleur. The ride in was wonderful with the new derailleur. Just wish that summer would call and ask for its heatr back. It's amlost October. It shouldn't be mid-70s and humid in the AM anymore!!!

Around 2C/36F, calm and clear. I forgot my neoprene toe covers this morning and didn't realize it until my toes started going numb, about 10 minutes into the ride. Brr. Lots of other cyclists out again this morning. Even though the mornings are cool, the afternoons are quite pleasant, and I think people are getting their rides in while they can.

Fast. Even with all the chirrens back in school I turned in my second quickest time to work.
It must be that cool dense air.
Bonus: I dropped some guy furiously pedaling his fixie like he was standing still. Time for a better gear ratio buddy.

50F and raining. Rainy enough that the stuff that might dry out by quitting time (insoles, hat, gloves) have no chance of drying by the time I take off in 90 min to go give blood.

Well we have a cold spell today, only 95F!

"Phoenix area on Thursday will have below average temperatures, but those highs will creep back to triple digits by the weekend.

We're a yoyo this week. 70 then 90 then 70 then 90. Unfortunately I had to ride only on the hot days. 15-25mph SSW winds today and guess which way I go home; SSW.

Tomorrow it's forcast for windy weather.

I've been posting my commute journal on my blog. Is it okay to leave a link here?

Hitched up the trail-a-bike so I can pick up my daughter from gymnastics. Riding with my little girl: it doesn't get any better than that.

Yesterday it was 80, today 85, tom'w 90. This weather is nuts.

I didn't get to ride today. I had to drive to Collegeville PA, just outside of Philly. 5 hours in the car. Yuck.

It was 37 up here in Flagstaff this morning! I almost turned around to add a layer to my usual shorts + t-shirt riding outfit. Instead, I tried to ride really fast to generate more body heat. It took a good half mile before I stopped noticing how cold I was.

International Car Free Day yesterday = many bike commuters. Today, day after CFD, hardly anyone out there. Seriously, I saw more bike commuters on CFD since Bike to Work Day. It's great that so many people get out on those "special" days. Too bad they don't commute more often.

Routine ride in and back at 2am, no cars. Temp was warm but not too warm, just a little humid. To bed, off to work again at 11am.

It was surprisingly humid when I left work this morning. Had an uneventful ride home, unless you count the obvious concern shown by my preceptor when I told her I was riding my bike home. It's funny how non-cyclists react to the fact that I will ride in all conditions, at all hours. Anyway, I wore my scrubs home and my shirt was soaked through with sweat by the time I arrived. It's a good thing I have more cycling-specific clothing for the ride in.

It was a nice ride in, foggy, but pleasant.

I heard yesterday that the Maryland Green Party candidate died Monday night after being struck by a cadillac escalade, while training on her bicycle Sunday morning. The driver says that she thought that she hit an animal and didn't know until she got home and found the bike jammed under the SUV.

Rain , wind and dark. Perfect morning for a trial run of my DIY lights.

Work well, but battery discharged after about 45 min. A little surprising as I'm running 15 watts of lights on an 8000 mah external laptop battery. Other then that they were bright, survived the rain, wind and Lake County roads. No small feat.

It's about 9° C (48°F) this morning, overcast & blustery; bit of a headwind but it was my first commute on my new bike so, in a word.......brilliant!