Moist today. 50F/10C, some light drizzle. I saw a gigantic beaver sitting on a log. I grabbed fistfuls of brake and tried to whip out the iPhone for a picture but the beast slipped into the water before I could get my backpack off. I saw a smaller beaver after that, but it was too far into the trees for a good picture. Then I saw a muskrat! It's wildlife day, I guess.

The ratbike's rear fender isn't doing its job. My backpack has wet dirt on it. I'll try to adjust it. I can't wait for my Soho.

This is "Way to Go" week. We're supposed to use alternate transportation all week. I think that means I'm supposed to drive a car.

Ride in today was beautiful, weather was 60F and clear as a bell. Slight north wind, quite refreshing.

Got squeezed by 2 !diots that I should have blasted with the Airzound... but it was such a pretty day, didn't feel like ruining it.

Even though the calendar says May 16th, the temp this morning was 40°. I had already packed away the base layer and long fingered gloves a week ago. Of course last Tuesday and Wednesday it was 90° on the ride home.

Midwest weather, gotta love it.

I need to find one of those as well. I didn't ride today because of the rain. My winter rain jacket is useless above 40 degrees as it isn't vented and my emergency rain cape is ok in emergencies but doesn't cover very well with my backpack in the way.

This morning was my fourth commute. It was a little under 50º with some wind. Yesterday we had a lot of rain so the roads were very wet and I rode through many puddles. I had just fitted fenders to my Volpe yesterday evening and this morning's ride was a great test. Overall it was one of my favorite rides in. There's a 50% chance I'll get rained on this evening but getting wet won't be much of an issue for the ride home.

Kinda wet this AM, should be pretty much the same through the week. Moderate temps and humid. A couple drops of rain here and there but nothing substantial. Had a rather heavy load in the front basket this AM that made the bike squirrely when starting, but rock solid when rolling. Took my time and pretty much spun the whole way in. Expecting a similar ride, weather wise, this evening.

It was 50F and cloudy this morning. I rode the LHT with the Dahon folded and strapped to the rear rack. It worked well enough.

Happy Bike to Work Week everyone! Another Midwesterner here, similar crazy weather. It was about 40* this morning after being 90* 2 afternoons last week. I got started about 15 minutes late this morning and had a bit more traffic to deal with, including school buses by a local high school. One of the lights the crosses a very busy street this morning would not be triggered by my bike, so after waiting 2 light cycles I finally had to cross at a crosswalk and then hop off the sidewalk back in to the street. All in all it was a nice ride, with beautiful weather. I still need to get a mirror.

Sore ride in for me...ran a marathon yesterday. Warm, slight headwind, more bikes out. And I suspect as the bike to work week progresses we will see even more out.

Fought a battle with my rusty Kryponite this morning, pissed me off to no end. A few drops of 10W-40 loosened it up though. But standing there, with sore legs, already behind schedule, on a Monday....

Ride in today was surprisingly humid. I rode the hybrid as the forecast for this afternoon is thunderstorms and I wanted to be prepared as this bike has fenders. Definitely a slower ride than my road bike, but the hybrid takes the bumps a little better. Hopefully the commute home won't be too wet.

W - I - N - D - Y !

i was battling a ferocious headwind of epic proportions screaming right at me off the lake from the NNE. my average 50 minute commute was transformed into a long, dragged-out 70 minute battle of wills, me vs. mother nature.

i eventually won, but she wasn't messing around this morning.

going home should be fun!

Same here... not that windy, but in my face. Usually the morning wind is at my back and I have to fight it going home. The ride home should be rather pleasant.

Supposed to be a light drizzle which it was. That is, until I got to my office when all of a sudden, the clouds opened up and let loose a waterfall. My rain jacket withstood the onslaught, but since my pit zips were open and I hadn't tucked in my shirt, my shirt got wet at the pits and the tail. And let's not forget about my shoes which aren't waterproof. They're stuffed full of napkins because no one buys the newspaper anymore. My socks are wet and they're taking forever to dry. Only 4 more days of this weather. I should've worn the shoe covers.

45F and sunny. Disconcerting after 2" of rain this weekend

10, sunny, windy. Probably not as windy as Chicago, but it took a couple minutes extra to get to work. 2/3 of my trip home should have a nice tailwind, though.

Beautiful ride in/out (only 6 mi) here in suburban NJ with a nice gentle tailwind (yt) on the way home (average 17.6 mph, just over 19 minutes). Whatever else you can say about NJ 1. the drivers are _mostly_ pretty good (except the occasional jerk) and 2. the weather is pretty cooperative (though rainy this week).

Trying to relish the commutes this week. Between illness and social calendar I only got in two last week. This week will be three days of commuting, then the beginning of a week and a half vacation w/ no opportunities to really do any cycling. Sadly it alsomeans I'll miss BTWD Friday. I bike commute over 200 days/yr and I won't be around for BTWD. Funny...

Anyway, today's ride in was nice. 60ish with a bit of a headwind. Felt sluggish at first, but eventually got my legs back... about 2 miles from the office. Oh well.

Passed the 1000 miles commuted for the year mark on the way in. Behind where I thought I'd be at this point, but should still hit 3000 miles though for the year again this year. No big vacations planned after next week, and I expect a lot of extra miles once I start evening classes after work for my masters degree next fall.

Happy Bike to Work Week everyone!

cold but sweaty

Today was my first bike commute in something like 16 years. 22 miles, rode it in 1:33. about 60% of it is on MUP (that few others seem to know about) through woods and prairies and the rest is on residential streets with almost zero traffic.

Aside from being a little chilly (Another Midwesterner chiming in) it was blissful.

I know that feeling. I rode a 200k yesterday and felt like I was hardly moving at all against this morning's brisk north wind. It was 50 degrees. I don't remember ever seeing this many cool days in a row this late in May here.

that sounds awesome.

'tis, and I forgot to mention that part of my route crosses the Mississippi river, on top of a dam! :-)

For the section of my commute home that goes through the river valley, it was raining...mosquitoes! It was a constant barrage of those little suckers. I turned my head sideways and one flew into my ear. Couple more in my mouth, but I think I managed to spit them out. Nasty little things.

Oh Oh Oh Nasty! In your ear? OMG. Hopefully they were males and you didn't get bitten.

Maybe it is my youthful exuberance or just the desire to recapture my youth, but TODAY was as good as any day before it. Bunnies, babies, babes and bicycles. Cannot beat that.