Another humid morning, but light rain instead of fog. And happily, traffic was light.

My commute is short (six miles round trip), from East Atlanta to downtown. Today was pretty comfortable. Sunny and moderately warm (about 75 F). Traffic was light enough this morning that I got a couple of good little half mile sprints in.

Despite rumors to the contrary cycling around downtown Atlanta is very pleasant, and I go through some good attractive neighborhoods (East Atlanta, Ormewood Pary, Grant Park), so the scenery is generally good.

Last night's ride home was my first ride on an 80's Raleigh road bike I bought for $25, not as comfortable as I would have liked. I was whupped after a 2 hour ball hockey game but still had a little left to peddle home, though.
Due to wet roads I rode the big fat MTB commuter this morning, the hightlight of the ride was passing within 2 feet of fresh skunk roadkill. Managed to keep the breakfast down, the rest of the trip was thankfully eneventful.

I left early today so whatever warming will occur this p.m. had yet to occur. Still, traffic's been relatively light although the traffic light gods were frowning upon me.

Really looking forward to the ride home b/c of HEAT. Yes, HEAT I say. HEAT. It should get up to low/mid 90s. Warmer still tomorrow and Friday but, unfortunately, I'll be a single dad those days, unable to ride in. Except for a brutal couple days of 100+ temps the other week, it's been COLD, I say. COLD. I want HEAT, dammit!!!

I rode home at lunch to get my car. It was raining lightly, similar to this morning. Low and behold it is now sunny. So I think I will drive home and go for a ride along the seashore.

Andy and I will never be happy on the same day whilst commuting. I thought the past week or so has been just GREAT! I do have to admit that the foggy, misty, cool weather (upper 50's?) on the coast last Sunday was too much even for me.

BTW, I have finally started to do the full commute thing. I cleaned up my 20-yr old Kirtland panniers and am now doing a self-contained commute. No more staging the gear at the office on Monday and carting it home again on Friday.

Looks like a hot ride to my ride home (5 mile ride to get lift home). Temperature in town is 113 to 115 F (but it's a dry heat, yeah right!) I figure it is the deserts version of 0 degrees which commuters in other climates deal with. I will see if it is doable! I have ridden home (20 miles) in 105 degree heat before. I figure being only 5 miles I really shouldn't have time to really heat up. I guess I will see! I will have to stock up on some ice water first. The ride to get lunch was really quite nice due to the breeze.

After some stop-start commuting (meetings out of town requiring car use), I was back on the bike last night. Average ride home, part way with a work colleague, although the Tasman Bridge lights were again inspiring.

But coming in this morning, I saw a pelican about 10 metres away as I rode past Kangaroo Bay. Pelicans are fantastic big birds and are quite rare in Hobart. At least it didn't take flight and try to take my head off like a duck did about 12 months ago in the same location. That was a major surprise -- it took off quacking its head off, and passed about six inches above my helmet.

A little further around the bay, a goose and gander have nested there for the past two years. We have hissing contests as we pass. I think they know me now and the gander is less inclined to hiss and make an aggressive charge We'll wait to see what happens when the next brood hatches!

And oh yes, this is all in a suburban area. But Hobart's like that.

R

Rocket ride home. Only 88 degrees but finally a true northerly wind, making for a nice push on the way home. Decided to turn it up a bit even though I'm in need of a down day. But what the heck!! I zoomed along at a 24 MPH pace for nearly 5 miles and managed a fast pace throughout. I'm beat.

Right now I'm watching the Tour de France on God's Machine (Tivo). I can't imagine keeping up with USPS when I can only eek (sp?) out 24 MPH sustained, on the flats, with a tailwind!!

Geez, this weather is just gorgeous right now!

Well, today's ride in Houston Texas was wet! 11.29 miles in the rain. what wasn't in the rain was in the aftermath of it. (Road spray) All in all, another beautiful day! At least I can ride a bike. Some are not so fortunate. C-Ya!

Been a horrible week for commuting here. It has been raining all week. And not just a light rain but hard severe storms at times. Looks like next week will be better (I hope).

Finally a break in the weather. A cool front and overnight thunderstorms have dropped the temps about 10 degrees, making this morning's commute very nice.

Except for the mushy tire. I have entered a period where the gods of inflation hate me.

Good ride in today. I went for efficiency rather than scenery this morning, and took the arterials in today. So my view was lots of small scale industrial buildings and the condos they're being converted into. The weather was pleasant, though, and traffic wasn't bad.

Whew, was a pretty hot ride last night but maneagable. Looks like todays will be worse as the temperature is supposed to hit 116 +. Thank goodness for a waterbottle full of ice! I am ready for the summer thunderstorms to move in!

Hot ride home last night. Not up to AZ standards, but pretty warm nonetheless. Had a guy flip a U-turn right in front of me, causing me to lock up both wheels. He stopped in front of a house just around the corner from the near-collision. I rode up and as he got out I asked him if he saw me, did he perhaps not see my bright red jersey?

He said, "I saw you, but you were way back there." His tone was annoyed, as if it was my fault that he was unable to gauge distance and speed accurately.

I said, "I noticed you didn't even put on a turn signal. Please be more careful next time." I was furious but did my best to keep my cool.

Jerk.

The weather was nice this morning --- by MY standards! I noticed that the rear tire was thumping slightly. At a light I looked back and found that the sidewall was beginning to separate. I think that I may have put to much pressure in the tire. It's rated, I believe, for 75 lbs. I am have put it up to 90. I wouldn't have thought that would make the casing give way.

I cut up a FedEx letter envelope to use as a boot for the tire. I hope it gets me the 16 miles to the bike shop on the way home tonight.

Rode to a BUG meeting in outer suburbia, and had a puncture after riding over some debris (off a logging truck) on the Bridgewater Bridge causeway. Damned nuisance. Had the meeting (and loaded up on pizza -- the BUG caters!), then rode home. Cold but no wind, hilly route, beaut views across the Derwent (industrial plant lights reflected in the water can take on an artistic effect). I felt really quite good at the end.

Cold north-westerly wind coming in this morning. About 2 deg C. No bird friends along the way, though.

Just a good week of commutes. This week-end I hope to get my old Ross running again with big, rear baskets so I can use it for grocery runs. I just can't bring myself to let my good bikes hang out in harms way while I get some food.

A nice commute today, despite the little bit of rain we had (I got wet from the road moreso than from the rain, so that tells you how hard it was raining). Nice and cool the last couple of mornings - very nice!

Today I just ran a quick errand. 3.50 miles round trip to the corner store. Hung out with the Wife and Kids the rest of the day. It was a little overcast, and a few drizzles, but nice still.

The rain is avoiding me again. I thought we had an agreement! It rained last night, stopped for my pre-dawn ride and subsequent commute this morning. I get to work and it starts again. In all likelihood it will stop before I leave work this afternoon and start again tonight. I really hate that! Still, a little rain is better than no rain at all.

Uneventfull straight, shortest distant's commute to work this morning (10ks), cold though , strange feeling cold hands & feet ,cool legs but the body trunk over heating by the time I get to work.
On the way home , 30k route , leaving several of the thermal layers in my locker !! Heavy traffic on the bridge ,two cars in a tail end crash on the bridge with glass all over the road , fortunatly no one hurt. feel good when I get home ,should have taken a longer route !

School Holidays + Friday Night + Surfers Paradise = eventful commute. I still made it home before anybody else, however.

A hot morning, but I was doing okay. Got to my least favourite hill and would have made it all the way up had the last 200 yds not been subject to roadworks and temporary traffic lights - there was no way I would have got through them at 6mph before they'd changed again so I walked. Managed 38mph into a headwind down the otherside though

Made the 12 miles in 51 minutes which was a good time for me, especially considering the heat and Canterbury's traffic.

Richard