forgot rain pants... thought i'd be OK, as it wasn't raining (yet)

was wrong

Thanks -- I have to admit, I'm having trouble with the idea of needing winter tires here in the 'South', but if I intend to be able to ride through the winter, I suspect I'll want something.

Didn't commute today, as I left the bike parked at the office on Friday (locked in a secure parking garage, w/ limited access, real guards, and keycard security) but I'll be riding home tonight. Crossing my fingers that most of my MUP routes aren't too icy, as it didn't warm much this weekend. Took a little side jaunt at lunch, and the wind was pretty brisk, so not looking forward to that, either.

Just cold, with some wind, somewhere around 20 F ( -6 C). It is supposed to continue to get more windy as the week wears on. Of all weather events, I believe that I dislike wind the most. Not only does it slow you down, it adds to a significant wind chill.

I'm with you fletch, I feel like I've been battling headwinds eaverymorning snce my Seprt 1 start date on bike commuting. And more of it today. Headwinds make me feel week.

A balmy 25F / -4C this morning, with a nice tailwind. It might snow a little bit today. Now that I've got studded knobby tires, I'd rather have a thin layer of snow than bare pavement.

20f felt colder for some reason, calm winds, roads were almost completely clear, overall a nice morning

No wind today, but in the high 20's. Gloves, leg warmers, and more energy. Rode the Fuji today, no one ran me over. That's a good start.

Rode most of the way home last night, before I gave in and got on the metro. I rode about 12 miles, and it took 80ish? minutes, for an average speed of 9? miles per hour? Only had to walk on 2 hills, but I was on and off ice every seemingly every few feet, which was kind of exhausting.

What finally caused me to give in, though, was that once I hit the 'outer suburbs' (Falls Church), most of the MUP was packed snow/ice covered. Prior to that (Arlington), it had been somewhere between 'half clear' and 'more clear than not', though still plenty of ice to contend with. It made me wonder if Arlington actually does some clearing on the Custis Trail, because I would have guessed it was shadier than the stretch of W&OD through FC. Perhaps, though, it is the heat from I-66 that helps? Of course, at least one rider passed me on the snow/ice which makes me think I just need to develop more style - but when I tried to keep up, I felt way too unsteady.

Either way, I think I need to reconsider my cycling options surrounding snow times. I don't know that I'm ready to be a committed snow rider -- I find it very nerve wracking. And my street options aren't so good once I leave DC, though I suppose I could explore possibilities in that regard.

I was dressed just right this morning if I could have kept moving, but the red lights kept catching me. It gets cold waiting for a 3-minute red light to turn green! I'll top 3,500 miles commuting on my trip home this afternoon. Not my highest yearly total, but close. Probably would have set a new mileage record except for the record cold, snow and black ice we've had in NC the past few weeks. Now the forecasters are saying we might get our first White Christmas on record. I'm not holding my breath, but it might happen if the weather patterns hold.

26f when I left the house this morning at 7:10. No wind to speak of, but the air more damp than usual. Zero energy today, as I didn't sleep well last night. Overdressed, too. But hey, I figure that even a mediocre ride is better than driving.

I think I live pretty close to MileHighMark (just across 36, not far from Albertson's). I left home at 7:45, temp just below freezing. L/S wool shirt, poly t-neck, wool sweater each layer fairly lightweight. Fiddled with new ear warmers banging into my helmet even though it wasn't really cold enough to need them. I'm going about 9 miles each way.

I'll ride to a lunchtime appointment (about 10 miles total there) and home this evening.

First time I've done the winter solstice commute!

Chickened out. Took car, train, bus. While I could probably ride after yesterday's accident, I felt it would be better to take it easy. Maybe I will get on roller on evening if I am feeling restless... I probably will be... S. Cal is pouring down right now.

Damp and drizzly this morning but still warm and a great ride.

Homeward commute last night was slightly marred by a couple of yobs honking and gesticulating at me for using a left-turn lane. First time that's happened in months.

I brought my lock up to my office from the rack where I leave it. I'm not going to be using it for a while so why leave it out in the elements.

On my subway commute I saw just one rider crossing the Manhattan Bridge this evening and 2 this morning. Usually there are lots, even on cooler days. But with the temp below 32 the riders really drop off.

On another note, on the block where I lock my bike one of the messengers that hang out there had his bike stolen. Or at least he thinks he did. I didn't get the whole story, just what I heard him say on his phone.

First day of winter... Morning temps in the 70's - and return trip in the afternoon was in the 80's. Felt odd to be sweating again towards the end of December. It's supposed to cool off by Saturday.

Ride home this evening was.."warm". Well at least it felt very warm compared to this morning and I was still dressed for this morning's temps when i headed out. Way overdressed. I am off to Chicago for the holiday, safe riding to all of you!

It was a tad warmer this morning at 28 F ( -2 C). It was warm enough to pull my mask down. It was one of those unusual mornings, as I saw
another cyclist going in the opposite direction, at 0500 dark. He was lit up well. I may have passed him before on times when I get a tad
later start. Then on my final stretch, there is a highway on-ramp, and this morning I was paying attention to the guy behind me in a big truck,
because some times the cars will cut in front of me to get to the on-ramp. However, he went straight, and I felt relieved, then a car
going in the opposite direction was going to make a left onto the on-ramp right into me, but pulled up short. I had started to to pull up and
started to go around the back of the car, but that kind of stuff shakes me up. The truck was big enough to obscure me, so the driver wouldn't
be looking for a cyclist on a dark cold morning, although my many lights no doubt helped. So another thing to pay attention to.

22f Little breezy nice morning

Today is my last work day of 2010, and I'm finishing with 3530 miles bike commuting. Not as high as I had hoped for, but the snow, black ice and cold temperatures in December really put a damper on my riding. I finished the year in style, filling up my bike bags with gifts for my coworkers. Fortunately, the temperatures were milder this morning than they have been all month, about 40 F with very little wind.

25 deg F. Calm, mostly clear. Pretty nice! My toes got just a little bit cold.

I'll cross the 2,000 Km mark for the year on the way to a lunch time music lesson.

Bike Santa!!! Good miles BTW.

I didn't commute yesterday as I took a day off to take the GRE. Back at it this morning, though, for one last day of commuting before the long weekend. Pleasantly warm, relatively speaking, w/ temperature around 35F/+2C. Bit of a headwind this morning, but that's par for the course most days of the winter since my morning commute is in a NNW direction. At least the wind wasn't howling and gusting as it has been some days. Just a steady 10-15 mph in my face.

Forecast this weekend calls for possible snow Sunday and it could be big, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it won't happen, since a big snow could mean a few days of not being able to commute. If it does prove to be the last day, I will have logged just shy of 3100 miles over 195 commuting days this year. Pretty pleased with that.

Happy Festivus and Happy New Year to everyone here!

An easy dry commute in this morning at about 6C/44F.

no rain, but headwinds.
can't win em all

sucky. lots of snowfall, and I could barely see b/c the flakes stuck to my glasses. almost had to stop and call the wife

It was cold and windy this morning around 30 F ( -1 C). I paced myself in a slower fashion, as fighting the wind is useless. On my last stretch, in a dark area of an industrial park, I saw 3 human figures running at me, as I gave way, it was 3 women running in the dark. There are no sidewalks, so they were in the street. They had hi-vis jackets on, but the buildings at that point have been vacant for years, so they never turn on lights and it is pitch black in that section, so there was no light to reflect. Also given that the county has cut back on street lights. It is a bit troubling to have people running at you in the cold and dark 5 am hour.