How was the commute today? Continued.
#7001
It's Sunday morning so it wasn't really a commute, but I woke up early and had an urge to ride my bike, so I left around 6am, it was around 50F and clear. I ended up riding to the top of nearby shopping mall that has the best views in the area (and "No bicycling" signs LOL) and snapped some shots.
Some beauty and serenity can be found in Gotham on Sunday morning




And for those craving urban shots:
Some beauty and serenity can be found in Gotham on Sunday morning





And for those craving urban shots:
#7002
Beautiful photos, Adam. Such colors. I love the birds on the fence. Thanks for sharing a view I'll never see since I only acknowledge one 7 o'clock per day.
#7003
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,536
Likes: 4
From: central ohio
Bikes: 96 gary fisher 'utopia' : 99 Softride 'Norwester'(for sale), 1972 Raleigh Twenty. Surly 1x1 converted to 1x8, 96 Turner Burner
Sunday, Noveember 14, 2010. Rode up to Hoover Resevoir (Ohio) about 8am. 45f. The water level up there was down about 17’.
It made for some great fat tire riding on dirt. A real unique experience for these parts. Being able to ride on areas
that are usually under water. It was like a moonscape. Rocky in parts with loose dirt. Lotta fun.


Riding thru a dried up seaweed bed.
It made for some great fat tire riding on dirt. A real unique experience for these parts. Being able to ride on areas
that are usually under water. It was like a moonscape. Rocky in parts with loose dirt. Lotta fun.


Riding thru a dried up seaweed bed.
#7004
Sunday, Noveember 14, 2010. Rode up to Hoover Resevoir (Ohio) about 8am. 45f. The water level up there was down about 17’.
It made for some great fat tire riding on dirt. A real unique experience for these parts. Being able to ride on areas
that are usually under water. It was like a moonscape. Rocky in parts with loose dirt. Lotta fun.
It made for some great fat tire riding on dirt. A real unique experience for these parts. Being able to ride on areas
that are usually under water. It was like a moonscape. Rocky in parts with loose dirt. Lotta fun.
Yeah, the one with birds is my favorite!
#7006
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,978
Likes: 4
From: Atlanta
Bikes: Cannondale T700s and a few others
Got a nice 14 mile loop in checking out some road projects and a Linier park (MUP) that is going in in my area. Specifically the one that was going to run me hop on the mup in my neighborhood and jump up to a new road to take me right up me to my current office on a new 4 lane with bike lane. Too bad a month ago we found out we are moving and I will no longer be using these daily when they are done.
But I can still hop on it and loop out and back to get some extra miles in on the ride home to make up for the 2.3 miles I am loosing (each way).
But I can still hop on it and loop out and back to get some extra miles in on the ride home to make up for the 2.3 miles I am loosing (each way).
#7007
Born Again Pagan
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 2
From: Southwestern Ontario
Bikes: Schwinn hybrid, Raleigh MTB
#7008
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 766
Likes: 0
From: Columbia, Maryland
Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter
It turned out to be an unexpectedly warm ride this morning at 46 F ( 7 C). I had to adjust my clothing before I left. I knew we were expecting rain this
week, so I guess this is all part of it.
week, so I guess this is all part of it.
#7009
urban commuter
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 186
Likes: 1
From: West Philly
Left 30 minutes early this morning and noticed a major difference in traffic (or lack thereof). The roads had about 1/3 the volume of cars, which made the ride that much nicer. Every other cyclist I saw was riding without lights or reflective gear despite the thick fog. Got a little damp from the fog, which I wasn't expecting.
#7010
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
Tough commute this morning due to tired legs. I had a long weekend and made the best of it, riding a bunch of miles, including 60 on Sunday. It was cold this morning and I was having trouble generating enough energy to warm up since my legs were so pitiful. That and catching just about every red light on my route made for a slow ride. It's supposed to warm up near 70 F this afternoon and hopefully my legs will feel better by then.
#7011
Stealing Spokes since 82'
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 0
From: Boy-z, Ideeeho
Bikes: The always reliable kuwie
Nice morning 44f nice temp to start off the week
#7012
Tired legs for me too! Richmond marathon Sat....any others out there run it? First time for me and it was great. What a perfect morning commute today with overcast skies, moist air, not cold at all. I gotta savor this as I go into my first Winter of bike commuting.
Oh and saw dozens of Tweed riders out in DC on Sunday, including one of those jumbo wheel bikes.
Oh and saw dozens of Tweed riders out in DC on Sunday, including one of those jumbo wheel bikes.
#7013
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
First commute back after missing out last week. Had a broken spoke and no time to make it to the LBS. Finally fixed all that. Ha da nice 17 mile fun ride Saturday afternoon and finally a commute this AM. Like dcb23 said, it was a beautiful morning for a commute. Temp in the mid 40s, cloudy, a little fog. I really enjoyed the ride. For once I don't have to stew all day about how I'm going to have to take metro home...
#7014
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
From: Monson, MA
Bikes: Catrike Trail Recumbent trike
^Definitely some awesome pics posted up.
Excellent commute in at 45F and mostly cloudy with winds from the NNW @ 3mph. This morning was the fastest commute I've ever had for the trip in, which was 16.5mph average. I beat my PB from Friday by about 1mph. I had to check a few different sources to make sure that I actually had a slight headwind and not a crazy tailwind helping me out. The funny thing is that I also didn't get as much sleep as I usually do. It was nice because I got some extra studing time in for my test in my first class.
Excellent commute in at 45F and mostly cloudy with winds from the NNW @ 3mph. This morning was the fastest commute I've ever had for the trip in, which was 16.5mph average. I beat my PB from Friday by about 1mph. I had to check a few different sources to make sure that I actually had a slight headwind and not a crazy tailwind helping me out. The funny thing is that I also didn't get as much sleep as I usually do. It was nice because I got some extra studing time in for my test in my first class.
#7015
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From: Burnaby BC, Canada
Bikes: Velosport Appalache 15
Damp ride in this morning in the dark. Not the best time to fuss with new gear, but after a bit I started to get used to the toe clips and straps. Not as nice as a set of clipless, but better than my back up pedals used to be. I lost a dust cap for my regular pedals and haven't been able to find a replacement yet. I'm insisting that this bike be one I can take for rides with my son, so it must be compatible with street shoes.
#7016
Old, but not really wise
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 814
Likes: 0
From: Fairfax, VA commuting to Washington DC
Bikes: 2010 Kona Dew Drop (the daily driver),'07 Specialized Roubaix (the sports car), '99 ish Kona NuNu MTB (the SUV), Schwinn High Plains (circa 1992?) (the beater)
Not good doesn't really begin to describe it. Oh, in fairness, it could have been MUCH worse. But honestly - I don't know if it was me or just a bad day. As others have mentioned, the weather wasn't bad -- overcast/ cloudy, but no rain. Not too warm, but still fine in shorts. A recipe for what should have been a fine day.
Unfortunately, incident #1 was pretty much all me. I have to 'merge' (really a right/left transition) each day from the towpath to the Capital Crescent trail. I was running late this AM, so I was, I admit, in a bit of a hurry. I was watching the CCT from the towpath, to see if I was going to have to wait for traffic when I merged. It was looking pretty clear, but I wasn't accounting for a couple of faster moving road bikes who appeared after my last check. Worse, I wasn't thinking about the surface quality (gravel) of this transition. The final straw was my own indecision -- get out quick or stop... I think I tried to do both, with predictable results. Down I went, and worse, because of my momentum, I was sprawled across the CCT, so my main concern was getting out of the way. I'm sure I looked quite the fool. The good part of this was that I fell quite nicely, no injury to me (thanks, gloves) and my ride appeared to be completely unscathed. Some dust on my pannier.
Incident #2 was also preventable through smarter riding, though not 'my fault' -- the truck driver's inattention is not my responsibility, though I acknowledge that I must take charge of my own survival. I was on Water Street under the Whitehurst freeway, riding to the left hand side of the right lane, when a delivery truck decided to pull into the right lane without signaling or checking to see if it was clear, evidently. I was wearing high-vis yellow jacket, running front and rear blinkies, and generally doing my best to 'stand out'. What I could have done better, I suppose, was a) recognizing that he might come right (despite his lack of a signal) and/or b) taking the main lane instead of the right lane. I'm not sure if he heard my yelling, finally saw me, or just happened to stop, but I managed to get through it unscathed.
I will admit that after this second incident, I was thinking about taking metro home tonight. But the rest of the ride was uneventful, and I made pretty good time overall (about 13.5 MPH avg. speed)
Unfortunately, incident #1 was pretty much all me. I have to 'merge' (really a right/left transition) each day from the towpath to the Capital Crescent trail. I was running late this AM, so I was, I admit, in a bit of a hurry. I was watching the CCT from the towpath, to see if I was going to have to wait for traffic when I merged. It was looking pretty clear, but I wasn't accounting for a couple of faster moving road bikes who appeared after my last check. Worse, I wasn't thinking about the surface quality (gravel) of this transition. The final straw was my own indecision -- get out quick or stop... I think I tried to do both, with predictable results. Down I went, and worse, because of my momentum, I was sprawled across the CCT, so my main concern was getting out of the way. I'm sure I looked quite the fool. The good part of this was that I fell quite nicely, no injury to me (thanks, gloves) and my ride appeared to be completely unscathed. Some dust on my pannier.
Incident #2 was also preventable through smarter riding, though not 'my fault' -- the truck driver's inattention is not my responsibility, though I acknowledge that I must take charge of my own survival. I was on Water Street under the Whitehurst freeway, riding to the left hand side of the right lane, when a delivery truck decided to pull into the right lane without signaling or checking to see if it was clear, evidently. I was wearing high-vis yellow jacket, running front and rear blinkies, and generally doing my best to 'stand out'. What I could have done better, I suppose, was a) recognizing that he might come right (despite his lack of a signal) and/or b) taking the main lane instead of the right lane. I'm not sure if he heard my yelling, finally saw me, or just happened to stop, but I managed to get through it unscathed.
I will admit that after this second incident, I was thinking about taking metro home tonight. But the rest of the ride was uneventful, and I made pretty good time overall (about 13.5 MPH avg. speed)
#7017
I installed my studded tires yesterday, which was perhaps a good thing since the roads and trails were pretty slick this morning. Rain on and off all weekend in low temperatures and freezing last night in the 'burbs left things a bit icy. Nothing too terrible - it didn't seem like cars were having much trouble, but it looked to me like drivers were taking it a little easier today. About -0.5C/31F when I left home, but I think it was above freezing downtown.
As I left my residential area and merged onto the main road, I suddenly felt a tear emerge from my right eye. It was at least another 30 seconds before I realized I had forgotten my cycling glasses. Rode without them, but definitely prefer having them on.
As I left my residential area and merged onto the main road, I suddenly felt a tear emerge from my right eye. It was at least another 30 seconds before I realized I had forgotten my cycling glasses. Rode without them, but definitely prefer having them on.
#7018
GATC

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,840
Likes: 184
From: south Puget Sound
50F, misty. Kind of gritting my teeth waiting for winter but it just isn't time yet I guess.
#7019
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 1
From: Warwick, UK
Bikes: 2000-something 3 speed commuter, 1990-something Raleigh Scorpion
A chilly morning today. I converted my bike from a 3x6 derailleur setup to a 3 speed IGH last night, and it feels like a totally different bike to ride. Thankfully my homebuilt wheel held up just fine (a first attempt at wheelbuilding for me) and the three gears feel about right in terms of range. I've lost a bit off the high end, but those gears rarely got used anyway, and I can always coast if I spin out. All in all a nice, cold commute today.
#7020
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
-3C for the ride in and 0C for the ride home. With snow on the ground I'd really like the temperature to be around -10C to keep things dry. I've been having to wipe down the drive train and re-lube every day since the middle of last week.
I took the MUP home, mostly to see the condition of it. It has been plowed, but not all the way to pavement so it is very bumpy with clumps of ice and snow everywhere. Definitely not something to try riding in the dark.
I took the MUP home, mostly to see the condition of it. It has been plowed, but not all the way to pavement so it is very bumpy with clumps of ice and snow everywhere. Definitely not something to try riding in the dark.
#7021
sɹɐʇsɟoןןnɟsʇıbɟɯo
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,986
Likes: 0
From: seattle, too many links
Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike
trolly tracks got me this morning.
helmet cracked, but not my skull, at least thats something.
helmet cracked, but not my skull, at least thats something.
#7022
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
From: Monson, MA
Bikes: Catrike Trail Recumbent trike
Another excellent commute home this afternoon at 51F and mostly cloudy with winds from the NNW @ 4mph. Definitely feeling like I'm on fire today. Made a PB on the way in, and also one on the way home cutting 5 mins from what it usually takes me on this commute. I even stopped at my friend's work on the way back so I could show her co-workers my trike. She's been asking for a while if I could drop by when I had the chance, and I finally was able to make it. It's right on my route, so I didn't have to go out of my way.
#7023
I installed my studded tires yesterday, which was perhaps a good thing since the roads and trails were pretty slick this morning. Rain on and off all weekend in low temperatures and freezing last night in the 'burbs left things a bit icy. Nothing too terrible - it didn't seem like cars were having much trouble, but it looked to me like drivers were taking it a little easier today. About -0.5C/31F when I left home, but I think it was above freezing downtown.
As I left my residential area and merged onto the main road, I suddenly felt a tear emerge from my right eye. It was at least another 30 seconds before I realized I had forgotten my cycling glasses. Rode without them, but definitely prefer having them on.
As I left my residential area and merged onto the main road, I suddenly felt a tear emerge from my right eye. It was at least another 30 seconds before I realized I had forgotten my cycling glasses. Rode without them, but definitely prefer having them on.
#7024
sɹɐʇsɟoןןnɟsʇıbɟɯo
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,986
Likes: 0
From: seattle, too many links
Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike
lovely dramatic fall wind here in seattle. we have something like this every year. its fun.
tailwinds this time, i win!
tailwinds this time, i win!

#7025
On the big ring
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 0
From: Lenexa, Ks
Bikes: Trek 1100, Litespeed Catalyst

A beautiful fall night for the commute, around 40 degrees and clear skies. This is the last couple of miles of my ride. The cluster of lights on the horizon is the end of civilization and my work is about 1/2 mile beyond that. It is totally dark for the last little bit.







