How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.
#1476
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
Easy ride in the dark at 48 F ( 9 C). I stopped at the post office to drop off some mail, and that was about it. Lots of pint bottles of jim beam and probably a case of beer (empty) lined up on the curb on one of the darker areas I ride. I hope none of them end up in the street broken. I don't have the carrying space to pick them all up. It does add decorum to an otherwise half empy industrial park.
#1478
Belt drive!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,614
Likes: 0
From: Burlington, Vermont
Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX
Quartering 20-25MPH tailwind howling off Lake Champlain this morning. 37F / 3C. I should get lucky and have a quartering tailwind for ride home.
I passed one woman, then reeled in a guy on a road bike with big panniers. We stopped at a light and exchanged mutual relief that the wind was at our backs.
#1479
Good to see days starting in the 40's instead of the 20's. No arm warmers today, but lost my favorite Walz wool cap on the ride to work (fell out of the jersey pocket). Will take the same route home to look, but expectations are not high.
#1480
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Good commute in after a nice weekend with my dad in town, who brought his bike
with him. We took a bike ride largely along my commute route yesterday
afternoon. Also managed to find some p-clips this weekend, too, so I got the rear
rack set up on the loaner MTB I'm commuting on this week and last.
A beautiful commute in. The winds of yesterday have died down and the temps
were right around 50. Damn near perfect, except for the few spots of high standing
water along Four Mile Run. Musta been high tide, b/c there wasn't that much water
yesterday afternoon when I rode through there.
The last of the components I need for my Long Haul Trucker build are out for
delivery to my office by UPS as we speak. So I should have everything I need by
early this afternoon. I'm already planning on spending a lot of time at the co-op on
Saturday to get everything put together and excited about doing so.
BTW, I may have missed something, but why are this and the mileage thread no longer stickies
with him. We took a bike ride largely along my commute route yesterday
afternoon. Also managed to find some p-clips this weekend, too, so I got the rear
rack set up on the loaner MTB I'm commuting on this week and last.
A beautiful commute in. The winds of yesterday have died down and the temps
were right around 50. Damn near perfect, except for the few spots of high standing
water along Four Mile Run. Musta been high tide, b/c there wasn't that much water
yesterday afternoon when I rode through there.
The last of the components I need for my Long Haul Trucker build are out for
delivery to my office by UPS as we speak. So I should have everything I need by
early this afternoon. I'm already planning on spending a lot of time at the co-op on
Saturday to get everything put together and excited about doing so.
BTW, I may have missed something, but why are this and the mileage thread no longer stickies
Last edited by EKW in DC; 04-18-11 at 08:56 AM.
#1481
GATC

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,840
Likes: 186
From: south Puget Sound
30F, sunny. For a while now I have been toting both shorts and tights (and full-finger and fingerless gloves) depending on whether the ride will be dry, wet (or POUNDING HAIL). Today I have shorts and jeans to choose from for work too.
#1482
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
From: 773
Bikes: Benotto Frankencycle and Peugeot U08
Two flat tires in 1 week - one which made me 15 minutes late this morning.
I should probably check my tires before I go to bed, especially because this is the only time of year I really get any flats; the shotty transitional period between wet, snowy, and cold conditions, which left the streets littered with glass and rocks, to warm weather. Quite annoying.
I should probably check my tires before I go to bed, especially because this is the only time of year I really get any flats; the shotty transitional period between wet, snowy, and cold conditions, which left the streets littered with glass and rocks, to warm weather. Quite annoying.
Last edited by Aloe; 04-18-11 at 09:26 AM.
#1483
Back in the saddle again today, first commute since last Weds, when was assailed by headwinds on my way home. Not fun. Temps this morning were great, no wind to speak of either. Looks like it will be around 70, with a rare tailwind forecasted for the ride home. Might be my lucky day!
#1484
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
The weather got a bit nasty at the end of last week. I woke up Saturday morning to 15cm of snow on the ground. Though I was just asking for it, taking the snow tires off both bikes, the car and putting my winter cycling stuff away. The highs are supposed to hover near freezing until the end of the week. Fortunately all the snow we got has melted off the roads already.
Riding my mountain bike must use different muscles than my touring bike, because my legs were complaining the entire ride in today. I saw city workers increasing the height of a sandbag wall today. The water is supposed to get higher than originally forecast. I had a car pass me on my left while I was making a right hand turn, some people have no patience.
Riding my mountain bike must use different muscles than my touring bike, because my legs were complaining the entire ride in today. I saw city workers increasing the height of a sandbag wall today. The water is supposed to get higher than originally forecast. I had a car pass me on my left while I was making a right hand turn, some people have no patience.
#1485
Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Starting my second week of my new,longer commute for the new job. It's up from 9.5 miles one way to 13.5 miles one way. I'm down to about 45-50 mins each way (as there are a dozen or so lights along the way). I'm having a blast on the longer commute due to the extra mileage, but also because my route takes me through some nice areas and passes by some useful places, including 3 bike shops. I'll also break 1000 miles on my Jamis Nova since 1/30/11 this week. On another note, I started painting my Raleigh MTB frame this weekend which will become my dedicated commuter/ hauler once it is "finished."
#1486
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 6
From: Falls City, OR
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Fargo 2, Rocky Mountain Fusion, circa '93
31 and clear, with a setting full moon when I left the house. I could live with this kind of weather for a long time. And there was a weird glow coming from the eastern horizon by the time I got to Dallas!
#1487
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)
Temps around 50 this morning, light winds, and a perfectly fine ride. The river was really high, though, and the churning water was quite a sight! Saw another cyclist heading down Chain Bridge Road in front of me. He made a light that I missed, but then I passed him when he elected to use the crosswalk to cross over instead of 'turning left'. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled.
Tried my hand at some single track MTBing yesterday, on a lark... what a different animal that is!
Tried my hand at some single track MTBing yesterday, on a lark... what a different animal that is!
#1488
Applying for Membership..
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Ashburn, Virginia
Bikes: Lynskey Cooper Ti, Surly CrossCheck, Motobecane Fantom Pro Ti, StumpJumper Xtra-cycle
Somebody hit a duck! 

I guess my commute was better than that guys!
Loudoun County, VA on the W&OD trail just east of Ashburn there was a dead duck on the side of the trail. It looked like it had been hit, and not killed by a dog or something.
I bet that would leave a mark.


I guess my commute was better than that guys!
Loudoun County, VA on the W&OD trail just east of Ashburn there was a dead duck on the side of the trail. It looked like it had been hit, and not killed by a dog or something.
I bet that would leave a mark.
#1489
born again cyclist
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 88
From: Chicago
Bikes: I have five of brikes
i just couldn't do it this morning. i woke up to a snow/sleet/slush/freezing rain smorgasbord of percipitation BS. and it was cold (well, not cold in the grand sense, but way too effing cold for mid arpil), with winds whipping off the lake right out of the NE (big time headwind for me). and when i remembered that i had already taken the studded winter tires off of my foul weather commuter weeks ago, i said "screw it" and walked over to the train station.
#1490
We need to sticky this thread!
Took Friday off...another perfect ride in this am. More bikes out there every day. Perfect except for my very sore quads...Roanoke marathon, "America's Toughest Road Marathon" is no lie.
Took Friday off...another perfect ride in this am. More bikes out there every day. Perfect except for my very sore quads...Roanoke marathon, "America's Toughest Road Marathon" is no lie.
#1491
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, New York
Bikes: 04 Stumpjumper FSR Expert Disc, 10 Marin San Rafael
Third ride to work today, other than my harrowing adventure this morning (read about it in the dogs thread). Last week was the first 2 rides, 2 days in a row, my legs where shot the ride home the second day, I rested 2 days over the weekend and when I got on the bike this morning I was still feeling it a little. My plan was to ride at a slow steady place, it didn't work out that way. I figured the ride home was going to be torture, I was happy to find my legs felt pretty strong. Going into the wind I was able to power through w/o having to shift down more than one gear. I could have gone at least a couple more mile when I pulled into the driveway.
Bottom line is I'm seeing improvement already.
Bottom line is I'm seeing improvement already.
#1492
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 612
Likes: 0
From: NOWHERE
Bikes: noyb
LOL! I am also considering brining along another jacket too. My Shower's Pass is great for cold wet mornings, but a bit warm for some of these nicer afternoons when they decide to appear. Did I see the term "snow showers" on one of the forecasts for this week?
#1493
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,978
Likes: 4
From: Atlanta
Bikes: Cannondale T700s and a few others
Little chilly this morning in the mid 40's but the ride home for lunch and end of the day was excellent.
Tomorrow the low is suppose to be mid 50s and mid 80's for the high. Should be a perfect day for riding.
Tomorrow the low is suppose to be mid 50s and mid 80's for the high. Should be a perfect day for riding.
#1494
sɹɐʇsɟoןןnɟsʇıbɟɯo
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,986
Likes: 0
From: seattle, too many links
Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike
what an afternoon!
i left early and rode way outta the way for no good reason except that it was nice out
i left early and rode way outta the way for no good reason except that it was nice out
#1495
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Tahoe
Bikes: Motobecane Single Speed, Trek Mountain Track Xtracycle
rode the beach cruiser to work today, its just so much fun, it was about 36F so the snow was not really snow but slush, then the way home was lovely sunny pouring rain. Not sure what to ride tomorrow, but want to stay off the Xtracycle
until I know its safe to take the studded snows off or until it snows again. Which could be anyday now.
We start our bike to work weeks in May and hope to have them off by then.
until I know its safe to take the studded snows off or until it snows again. Which could be anyday now.
We start our bike to work weeks in May and hope to have them off by then.
#1496
Mostly sunny and around 9C, but a wicked headwind most of the way there. I actually had planned on driving today but it turned out the fire department had our car park locked down due to a gas leak, no cars in or out. So my bike has proven itself a more reliable form of transportation than my car today.
#1497
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
I had a nice warm ride in at 60 F ( 15 C). Rain and thunderstorms in the forecast, but I never know for sure. Bike is all covered up and racked. Saw 3 new runners this morning in the road, and I don't know if they will continue running all season. I have one walker who I see every morning, rain, snow or in any other kind of crappy weather. Yesterday, I saw more bikes going home, than I have ever seen, but I wasn't able to tell if they were commuters or just out for some recreation.
#1498
The early season runners are out in force. Speaking of which...I might interupt my inbound commute to do some HIT intervals on the stairs of the National Gallery. Timing wise it would allow me to combine my commute with a 15-min high intensity workout. We'll see.
Crowded ride home last night but perfect weather, a perfect day coming in, got reprimanded by a security guard at a construction site for getting too close to a truck. well above 50 this a.m. Showers later.
Crowded ride home last night but perfect weather, a perfect day coming in, got reprimanded by a security guard at a construction site for getting too close to a truck. well above 50 this a.m. Showers later.
#1499
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 780
From: Shanghai, China
Bikes: Waltly Custom Ti // Seaboard CX01 // Dahon Boardwalk
A little cool with a bit of a headwind this morning, and still windy this afternoon. First ride on clipless after finally getting them moved over to my new bike this weekend.
#1500
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,805
Likes: 868
From: Greenwood Indiana
Bikes: Surly Crosscheck
A gully washer with lighting this morning so I drove, but my son wasnt expecting me to. He had appearently taken my jeep out for a while, ran it out of gas and parked it in the garage, probably planning to fill it up while I was at work today. He is in big trouble if I run out on the way home.
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Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are
Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are





