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How was the commute today? Continued.

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Old 11-22-10, 05:20 PM
  #7126  
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52F and mostly cloudy with winds from the S @ 4mph. Prevented what could have possibly been a sideswipe accident this afternoon. I came to a stop light and was the first one at the line. At this intersection the right lane is very wide. You can turn left, go straight, or turn right in this particular lane. I was in the center of the lane because I was planning to go straight. An SUV squeezed to the right of me pulling up the the stop line. I kinda knew something didn't seem right when he didn't turn right when it was clear and there was no "no turn on red" sign. I figured he was going to go straight and sideswipe me in doing so. Maybe he thought I was gonna turn left even though I was centered in the lane. When the light turned green, I waiting for him to do his move, and sure enough, he went straight. I'm glad I waited and didn't assume he was turning right, or I'm sure I would have been hit. Besides that, it was a great commute home this afternoon.
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Old 11-22-10, 08:57 PM
  #7127  
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walked
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Originally Posted by yummygooey
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Old 11-22-10, 09:36 PM
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Very cold. Mid teens, icy, and a light dusting of snow.

Way home was much better though.
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Old 11-22-10, 09:53 PM
  #7129  
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wow. warm as heck and a tailwind on the 17 mile ride home. 17 miles home on a folder in 1:05 without even pushing it at all! Days like today are why I commute on a bike.
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Old 11-23-10, 12:43 AM
  #7130  
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Originally Posted by HardyWeinberg
I wish someone had posted that sign outside of my front door. Freezing rain last night, cars in the ditch all over town. Great conditions for ice biking, though, and I flew to school today on smooth, solid ice, with no traffic on the MUP. Get to school, and it turns out that class was canceled, due to the ice storm. So I fly back home and, still caught up in the joy of the ride, I forget that I'm not wearing studded shoes as I dismount the bike.

14 miles of cranking hard and laughing at the poor motorists sliding all over the road and playing bumper cars, and I eat ***** in my driveway. A justified karmic smackdown for being too smug, I guess.
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Old 11-23-10, 01:31 AM
  #7131  
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The temp was near freezing tonight, but I had clear skies and a quartering tailwind for most of the ride. A little more drama on tonight's ride than other rides. Less than a mile from the house an SUV was about to pull out of a convenience store in front of me, but noticed me in time to stop and avoid a near miss. A few miles later at one of the traffic circles I must navigate a car buzzed through in front of me. Missed me by about two feet, I don't think she ever saw me. And a few miles later while taking an overpass over the railroad when I crossed one of the seams between the bridge and roadway the vibration caused the mount for my large rear taillight to break off. A circled back to retrieve the light thinking it had just fallen off, but it was busted up and then I noticed the mount was gone too. I had got monies worth, it was about 3-4 years old.
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Old 11-23-10, 05:50 AM
  #7132  
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It was a warm ride in at almost 50 F (10 C). Shorts all the way this morning, and no doubt going home as well. Although, waiting for the sword of damocles to fall is
disconcerting.
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Old 11-23-10, 06:14 AM
  #7133  
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It's damp and warm here in NYC, but I'm not riding in anytime soon. I still can't bend my hand fully after my last accident. The swelling went down at least.
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Old 11-23-10, 06:51 AM
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I can't figure out how to dress in this warm weather. Habit has me putting long johns on and then I heat up on the way in. Anyway another great morning AND I had a bike commuting dream last night for the first time.
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Old 11-23-10, 06:53 AM
  #7135  
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Yesterday the forecasters said there "might be a little patchy fog" and it was like pea soup. I had to delay leaving for work by 90 minutes. Last night they predicted the fog would be heavy this morning, so I slept late by 30 minutes. Guess what? No fog at all, not a single pea's worth. So I had to rush around to get to work on time. I made it though.
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Old 11-23-10, 07:03 AM
  #7136  
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Still a good headwind this morning, but not 30MPH like yesterday. More like 20. 52F / 11C though. Unseasonably warm, not that I'm complaining. Yesterday I flew home with a great tailwind. Like!
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Old 11-23-10, 07:13 AM
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An unseasonably warm ride this morning, 50F. It felt like spring--damp air, birds chirping, and fairly light out. The whole commute was uneventful, no run-ins with angry or crazy drivers, which unfortunately seems to be the norm these days.

Changed my username to match my blog on a whim, btw. This used to be phillyskyline.
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Old 11-23-10, 08:18 AM
  #7138  
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awesome commute home yesterday. Slight tailwind, hit all the lights green and was feeling strong. Averaged a personal best speed (for commuting) of 19MPH.

I am having a hard time believing it is almost Thanksgiving. Boston temp at 6:30 this morning was 60F. Rode in shorts and s SS jersey--crazy. It's supposed to get even warmer this afternoon. Wish I had time to get a long ride in after work.
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Old 11-23-10, 08:28 AM
  #7139  
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31f Not a fun morning, i didn't believe the forecaster that there would be snow, and there's about 1.5 to 2" of heavy wet snow. I was making pretty good time until about half way where some asshat plowed through a slush puddle right next to me sending a tidal wave of slush and snow over me, which knocked me over before i knew what hit me, from that point on it was a slow ride. Supposed to be getting some cold air in this morning and they say the temps will drop, supposedly it will low 20's to high teens by the time i go home this after noon.
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Old 11-23-10, 09:14 AM
  #7140  
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Pretty much perfect

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Old 11-23-10, 09:25 AM
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Warm. Made pretty good time, and had nothing to complain about.
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Old 11-23-10, 09:37 AM
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Another day of snow-biking foiled by school cancellation (home w/ the kids)
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Old 11-23-10, 11:05 AM
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Snow ride yesterday was the perfect decision.
Even w/out studs, I made it home with no problems. Had to walk only two hills. Traffic was a nightmare. One co-worker left work at 3:20, about the same time as I did, and didn't get home until 7:30 pm (via bus), near where I live. Another one left at 5:30 pm and didn't get home until 1:30 am (!! carpool). My coworkers thought I was completely nuts as I insistently turned down their offers for a ride home. Betting anything I got home before all of them as I was only slowed by about 30 minutes including taking photos and chatting with the neighbor for a bit.




No work today. It'll be mostly a foot commute around the 'hood.
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Old 11-23-10, 11:49 AM
  #7144  
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^^^west seattle/harbor island bridge

do you have to ride up to admiral.. i imagine those are the hills you walked
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Originally Posted by yummygooey
crabon/campy/rapha/roadie-bro.

next step is recumbent.




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Old 11-23-10, 11:51 AM
  #7145  
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heres an oops this morning (madison hill going into downtown)
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Originally Posted by yummygooey
crabon/campy/rapha/roadie-bro.

next step is recumbent.




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Old 11-23-10, 12:11 PM
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Originally Posted by HardyWeinberg
Another day of snow-biking foiled by school cancellation (home w/ the kids)
Not to say there aren't other opportunities

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Old 11-23-10, 12:33 PM
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I learned yesterday afternoon that even relatively slow descents need much more clothing than the rest of my ride. -5C/22F. Next time I'll try to take the gravel trail down, there's a bit more shelter from the wind and it's easier to control my speed. I used some self control and kept it under 50 kph but I was still chilled and my right leg was shivering. I'm also going to dig out some of my snowboarding gloves and face mask for a trial. Other than that, I was dressed perfectly and warm for the rest of the ride home. The home made studded tires worked great on the ice in front of my apartment building and any icy patches on the trip home. Only slid in a bit of the soft slushy snow I found while climbing, but I'm feeling a lot more confident about winter commuting now.
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Old 11-23-10, 03:38 PM
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Im about to leave work for home and all i have to say is DO NOT WANT. Its 20f windy with 15-25mph winds, and snowing on and off. It was 55f last week booooooooo, at least its sunny on and off
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Old 11-23-10, 05:09 PM
  #7149  
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Originally Posted by daijoubu2k8
I used some self control and kept it under 50 kph...
Dang, that must be one serious hill.

School cancelled again today, but unlike yesterday I thought to check before I left. So it's snowing in Seattle, and raining from Anchorage to Barrow; weird weather this fall for sure. All morning I've listened to emergency services sirens responding to cars in distress, and with the roads looking like this:



...it's no wonder. Stopping or steering a +4000 pound vehicle that's traveling at +25 mph can be pretty challenging, when the surface that it's traveling on is rink-smooth ice covered in water. If only more people were willing to harden up and cycle, then ice events like this wouldn't be as traumatic. And I wouldn't be a full lecture behind in all of my classes. I mean, I made it to school just fine yesterday.
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Old 11-23-10, 05:38 PM
  #7150  
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Originally Posted by Catgrrl70
Snow ride yesterday was the perfect decision.
Even w/out studs, I made it home with no problems. Had to walk only two hills. Traffic was a nightmare. One co-worker left work at 3:20, about the same time as I did, and didn't get home until 7:30 pm (via bus), near where I live. Another one left at 5:30 pm and didn't get home until 1:30 am (!! carpool). My coworkers thought I was completely nuts as I insistently turned down their offers for a ride home. Betting anything I got home before all of them as I was only slowed by about 30 minutes including taking photos and chatting with the neighbor for a bit.




No work today. It'll be mostly a foot commute around the 'hood.
I was in Portland last Christmas and got to enjoy their annual snowstorm... rode from one side to the other and witnessed some first hand carnage, the trains shut down, buses shut down, and we went out for dinner after The Girl finished work... on our bikes.

I am just getting ready for my commute as I am going in to the co-op for the Tuesday night bike build... figure I better put on two pairs of socks tonight and put some merino under the wool.

The roads are fine but damn it's cold.
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