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How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.

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How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.

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Old 03-01-11 | 10:37 AM
  #826  
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From: Alexandria, VA

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@truman: Sorry you missed your ride.

Many a morning, I've spent at least as much time hunting down my ID badge as I have making my lunch, getting dressed and packing a lunch. Just yesterday, I spent 10 minutes looking for my phone, which I had already been carrying around just a few minutes before. After I looked through everything in my bedroom, our office and the living room, it turned out I'd already thrown it into my rack trunk, which was waiting to be taken downstairs to the bike. D'oh!
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Old 03-01-11 | 11:09 AM
  #827  
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From: Burnaby BC, Canada

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I've learned that my work ID gets placed on top of the clothes I will wear the next morning. Usually right beside my watch and my gloves on the dining room table.
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Old 03-01-11 | 12:00 PM
  #828  
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From: Crowley, Tx

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Last Thursday was when we had the wind gusts to 40 mph. That's tough on any bike, but especially one with a fairing. It was a cross wind most of my ride home, trying to blow me off the shoulder and into traffic.

I didn't ride Friday, and just zombied around the house over the weekend, trying to see if a little time off my feet would help with my shin splints.

I rode to work yesterday and today. This morning, it was 32 degrees for the ride to work, and they're forecasting 72 degrees for this afternoon, a 40 degree temperature swing. How do you dress for that?
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Old 03-01-11 | 12:30 PM
  #829  
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From: seattle, too many links

Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike

yesterday on the way home, im about to cross a few lanes of traffic to get into the left turn lane, and do a head check to find some other commuter drafting me hard. scared the **** out of me to see some dood an arms length away.

granted im a good wheel to sit on since im so big, and the headwinds where pretty fierce... still...

if he would have asked, i would have said yes, and probably went as fast as i possibly could..
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crabon/campy/rapha/roadie-bro.

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Old 03-01-11 | 02:23 PM
  #830  
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From: Boy-z, Ideeeho

Bikes: The always reliable kuwie

Ive decided to leave work a bit early and very glad to leave, currently 55f and sunny and I think I may put on a few miles today maybe its time for the long way home Its windy but should be mostly a tail wind
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Old 03-01-11 | 03:09 PM
  #831  
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Originally Posted by Fizzaly
Ive decided to leave work a bit early and very glad to leave,
I'm jealous.
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Old 03-01-11 | 03:23 PM
  #832  
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From: The Path to Fredvana

Bikes: Long Haul Trucker 2010 , Felt Z90 2008, Rans Rocket 2001, Specialized Hardrock 1989

The weather was pleasant, +25F this morning, and sunny. A welcome change. Despite my avatar, my January-February mileage is probably <100 because of the cold, snow, rain, and general crappiness of the weather .
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Old 03-01-11 | 03:35 PM
  #833  
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From: Monson, MA

Bikes: Catrike Trail Recumbent trike

Excellent commute home this afternoon at 37F and sunny with winds from the W @ 7mph. When I was coming through the town before mine, I noticed a car in my mirror that was holding behind for about 10-15 secs. I could also see that there were other vehicles behind it, so I pulled off to the side to wave them around. Little did I know there was a huge line behind that one car. There had to have been at least 25 vehicles that went by one right after the other. No idea where that traffic came from because not a minute earlier, there was no one around. As soon as it was somewhat clear, I pulled back out and continued on my way. It seemed 85% of that traffic all turned left at the stop light ahead, so I passed most of them as they were waiting to turn cuz I went straight through.
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Old 03-01-11 | 04:28 PM
  #834  
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From: Boy-z, Ideeeho

Bikes: The always reliable kuwie

Got a nice 15miles in on the "way home" I can't believe the weather today the forecast as Zmant said this morning was rain it sure did turn out nice
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Old 03-01-11 | 06:47 PM
  #835  
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From: seattle, too many links

Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike

^^^ lovely

been ridding around running errands all afternoon, and got a bit wet.
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Originally Posted by yummygooey
crabon/campy/rapha/roadie-bro.

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Old 03-01-11 | 09:17 PM
  #836  
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From: Patchogue, NY

Bikes: Trek Madon 4.5, Fausto Coppi Masciaghi

First "half" commute this morning. Drove just over half way and parked at a bike shop, then managed to find my way to the office. The route is quite easy, but having never done it before was a little intimidated. Had to "cross" two major highways...

Anyway, 49 minutes to do ~10 miles, then on the way home 35 minutes...

I'm now going to see if I can do the whole way. It may be a little too much to do on a regular occasion. I can't get up early enough to get to work on time!

I did enjoy it though. I just need to get some bags instead of a backpack!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/303027

Last edited by andboy; 03-01-11 at 09:31 PM.
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Old 03-01-11 | 09:59 PM
  #837  
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Originally Posted by andboy
First "half" commute this morning. Drove just over half way and parked at a bike shop, then managed to find my way to the office. The route is quite easy, but having never done it before was a little intimidated. Had to "cross" two major highways...

Anyway, 49 minutes to do ~10 miles, then on the way home 35 minutes...

I'm now going to see if I can do the whole way. It may be a little too much to do on a regular occasion. I can't get up early enough to get to work on time!

I did enjoy it though. I just need to get some bags instead of a backpack!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/303027
Panniers will make a huge dif. I ride from uptown to 635 and Luna everyday. Keep it up!
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Old 03-01-11 | 10:28 PM
  #838  
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From: Patchogue, NY

Bikes: Trek Madon 4.5, Fausto Coppi Masciaghi

Beautiful morning, and the Campion trail is incredible. They are putting in exercise equipment along it! I saw a rowing machine and some other weird things.

I'll go looking for Panniers later this week. Maybe i'll try and cycle to REI...

Originally Posted by wisaunders
Panniers will make a huge dif. I ride from uptown to 635 and Luna everyday. Keep it up!
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Old 03-02-11 | 01:26 AM
  #839  
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From: Dublin, Ireland.

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Originally Posted by andboy
I can't get up early enough to get to work on time!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/303027
I know the feeling....alarm goes at 05:20 if I'm cycling & 06:20 if I'm driving. Can't think of a more precious hour in the day! If I hear the rain at 05:20 I just turn over.....it's supposed to rain all the time in Ireland. It doesn't !

Cold this morning....but not enough for the water bottle to freeze. A lot more trucks on the road than normal.
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Old 03-02-11 | 07:47 AM
  #840  
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From: Boy-z, Ideeeho

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47f So warm I didn't know how to dress for it It was pretty windy this morning again and it was mostly head wind.
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Old 03-02-11 | 07:55 AM
  #841  
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hot and humid in Miami, i passed through downtown
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Old 03-02-11 | 07:57 AM
  #842  
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From: Dallas

Bikes: 2013 Carve with Rigid Salsa Fargo & 2005 Allez

Nice weather today. 49F w/ a slight tailwind. Gotta stop by Lowe's on the way home and grab some more packing paper. Moviing blows.
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Old 03-02-11 | 08:57 AM
  #843  
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From: North Texas

Bikes: Cannondale T1000, Inbred SS 29er, Supercaliber 29er, Crescent Mark XX, Burley Rumba Tandem

Gonne be a beautiful day. I can count the number of days I ride in where the windspeed is "0 mph" on one hand. Still. I underdressed for the mid 40's ride. Mildly uncomfortable.

I might have to take the scenic route home. It's 2.5x the distance, but OMG, it's pretty outside.
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Old 03-02-11 | 09:33 AM
  #844  
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My commute is 15 miles , almost all on a bike trail. This time of year I dont see many people, but when I do:

riding my xtracycle on Monday: I got a few waves, one smile, one person ignored me.

riding my Lotus touring bike on Tuesday: few waves, a few smiles, one person ignored me (is it the same guy??)

riding my long wheel base recumbent today: no waves just blank stares, one smile, everyone else ignored me.

interesting. In my experiences riding recumbents over the past 10 years, other cycles for the most part, seem to hate them
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Old 03-02-11 | 09:45 AM
  #845  
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From: south Puget Sound
40F, raining. I think this is the 2nd time in a couple weeks I need to relube my crankarm bolts.
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Old 03-02-11 | 09:54 AM
  #846  
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From: Canada

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

It was nice wake up and find the temperature only -26C instead of the forecast -33C. I tried out my new BMX style platforms with screw-in pins. They are better than my other platforms but I still had my feet slip around during rough shifts, bumps, etc.
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Old 03-02-11 | 10:01 AM
  #847  
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From: Raleigh, NC

Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia

Most excellent commute this morning. I had to work 16 hours yesterday, so I went into work late this morning and rode all the way in daylight for the first morning in quite a while. Temps were relatively warm (low 40s F) and it's supposed to hit the mid-50s this afternoon. Rode one of my lighter, faster road bikes and clocked my fastest average speed in a while as well despite riding into a headwind much of the way.
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Old 03-02-11 | 10:04 AM
  #848  
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From: Alexandria, VA
Another clear crisp morning. I'm still using the ski goggles as my eyes tear up easily.

For my work ID, I wear it around my neck each morning and tuck it into the pocket on the front of my reflective vest.

Spring, I'm starting to get very excited about it.
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Old 03-02-11 | 10:10 AM
  #849  
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From: Metro Boston, MA
windy. f-in windy. still better than riding my car to work though.
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Old 03-02-11 | 10:36 AM
  #850  
It's true, man.
 
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From: North Texas

Bikes: Cannondale T1000, Inbred SS 29er, Supercaliber 29er, Crescent Mark XX, Burley Rumba Tandem

Originally Posted by -holiday76
other cycles for the most part, seem to hate them
For whatever reason, the only recumbent I tend to encounter regularly is reluctant to move from the middle of the MUP when we overtake one another. with his panniers and other gear, he's pretty wide and cause me a little concern as to whether there will be room to pass. He doesn't get a smile.

I tend to look a little askance at people who cannot or will not ride or drive courteously.

Another 'bent rides his bike with skill and occasionally sports a Marine corps jersey. He gets a smile and an "Oohrah" from me.
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