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How was the commute today?

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How was the commute today?

Old 11-06-08, 04:42 PM
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No flat today, but no biking either. Meeting near home until a little after 1; got out just as a huge several day rainstorm rolled in and also just as my wife finished volunteering in our 7 yr old's classroom. Since she works near me I just caught a ride back out w/ her.

I guess I did ride to the 7 yr old's grade school this morning so I got that much commuting in.
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Old 11-06-08, 08:00 PM
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My commute today was the first one in two weeks due to travel and work schedule. Too eventful for me.

I almost got doored by someone getting out of the passenger side of an Au Bon Pan catering van on the way in.

On the way home, first ride home in the dark, wrecked about a half mile from the house. Rode through an intersection, then missed the road narrowing, dropped about two inches onto the gravel shoulder, which caught my front wheel as I tried to get back onto the road and caused me to lay the bike down at about 13 mph. Luckily the bike is ok (panniers and handlebars only hit the ground), I have some nice road rash on my left knee and elbow. Good thing there wasn't a car behind me, THAT would have hurt!
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Old 11-06-08, 08:28 PM
  #28478  
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I really, really didn't feel like riding home tonight--depressed about various things and sleep-deprived as only a father of twins or prisoner of war can be--and I was within a breath of chucking it and taking the subway. But I dragged the bib and tights on and dragged my ass out and pedaled.

Not only did I get home in a better mood, but I ran into pm124 on the greenway and had a short, pleasant chat, and then tonight I got a PM from oboeguy, asking if that was me on the greenway.

My commute is my new social life.
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Old 11-07-08, 02:20 AM
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Swam home from work tonight.

Doggy-Pedalled the whole way.

Anyone from the Seattle area knows exactly what I'm talking about.
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Old 11-07-08, 06:31 AM
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It was a little chilly, but not too bad.

Part of my ride is a pedestrian/bicyclist bridge over a major roadway in Jacksonville, NC. As I coasted across the apex, I could see a river of angry red lights to the left and nervous white lights to the right...As far as the eye could see...And I was at peace. Then I zipped to work and even had a nice conversation with a much faster fellow on a Giant OCR-something-or-other.
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Old 11-07-08, 06:36 AM
  #28481  
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Wow, sounds like a lot of tough commutes yesterday !! Thankfully for me, it was close to perfect riding home yesterday - sunny and 75, light tailwind, beautiful leaf colors, traffic well behaved. Pleasant ride this AM, though I came close to wrecking while going up a short steep hill - I was standing on the pedals forcing my 240 pound body up the hill when my bike either ghost shifted, or I broke a tooth off of the chain ring....came close to doing a body slam onto the pavement at 10 mph. Should be another idyllic ride home this eve
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Old 11-07-08, 07:05 AM
  #28482  
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Resipsa -- That sounds like the Commute through Hell. You're making me feel guilty because we are having absolutely perfect conditions for bike commuting in NC after several days of chilly rain. With the daily savings change, it's light again in the mornings and warmer. The temperature was in the low 50s F this morning and it's supposed to hit 80 F this afternoon. I might just leave work a little early this afternoon so I can add some extra miles to my commute. You couldn't ask for nicer weather this time of year.
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Old 11-07-08, 08:03 AM
  #28483  
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First ride since, well, gosh, I can't remember it's been so long. Got off to a rather late start (damn intestinal tract ). Felt pretty good, got a good rhythm going until I got to Texas Ave. Apparently, either the city or CSX is working on the railroad crossings and the crossing at Texas Ave. was blocked off and torn up. Had to walk the bike over broken asphalt. I never did get my rhythm back (don't you just hate when that happens?). Another part of my route was blocked off due to construction, but I just switched over to a parallel road (W. Railroad St.) for the rest of the ride.

Weather this morning was 69° with about 93% humidity. Forecast is for rain and possible thundershowers.
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Old 11-07-08, 08:10 AM
  #28484  
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Invigorating. Temp about 45, calm. The old saying, "If you're not cold for the first mile, you're overdressed," applied... only it was more like 2 miles. Once I got warmed up, though, I wished I could have kept going. The air felt so crisp. Lovely.
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Old 11-07-08, 08:18 AM
  #28485  
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Overslept (again) I hate when that happens. I did do the partial-commute though. The rain had stopped, but the roads were still wet. It was nice, if too short.
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Old 11-07-08, 08:43 AM
  #28486  
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warm and a bit wet this morning but i had a blast...i got to wear shorts too
looking forward to the ride home
 
Old 11-07-08, 08:56 AM
  #28487  
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Awesome ride in. Cool and still. Got abit too hot 3/4 of the way in so i stripped off my arm warmers and that made it pretty comfortable.
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Old 11-07-08, 09:16 AM
  #28488  
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Tailwind! and I crossed the 200 mile mark for the month! woo hoo!
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Old 11-07-08, 09:24 AM
  #28489  
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Shorts and mittens! A balmy 0C this morning, bone dry and the skies are clear. Traffic was both light and slow, so I got to take it easy on the last few blocks into work. When I get home, my hope is that my new Easton EC90 handlebar and [dare to dream] my order from CRC will be waiting for me. The Powertap wheel [from Ryder Hesjedal!] should be here next week! Woot!!!shift1!!
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Old 11-07-08, 09:34 AM
  #28490  
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It was good to be back on the bike today. I think my tire pressure is a little low, but I'll be fine for the ride home.
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Old 11-07-08, 10:24 AM
  #28491  
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First day ever! Perfect this morning 60 F dry. It rained a bit after I got here and the temp feels like it has dropped 20 deg! Should be dry when I leave.
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Old 11-07-08, 10:50 AM
  #28492  
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awkward and peaceful...

An old ex girlfriend from 12 years ago got on the train right next to me. She didn't recognize me fortunately. It was so packed that she was about 2 feet away from me for about 20 minutes. Scary stuff, she is one of those that I would rather she forget about me.

Did see a 4 point buck walking down the tracks, that was kind of cool. Don't see that every day.

Otherwise all the drivers were courteous with some even striking up conversations at stop lights.
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Old 11-07-08, 10:56 AM
  #28493  
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Again with the headwind, I think it's getting worse. And yet, I'm still slowly getting faster. I was really able to hammer the last half mile of the commute, I was keeping up with traffic. Felt pretty good about that. :3

Lost a nut to my toeclips, though. Gotta remember to check them more often. Should be fine for the ride home, I'll raid the garage for another one.
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Old 11-07-08, 12:30 PM
  #28494  
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WET and WARM. It's not supposed to be a pineapple express but it sure feels like one. We got a late enough start that my wife decided to drive even though there was a lull in the rain at that point. So she took the 3 yr old to daycare, and if I am to retrieve her tonight I'll need to go home 1st to pick up the trailer, which makes for a tight schedule w/ her daycare and the 7 yr old's after-school program both shutting down at 6pm.
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Old 11-07-08, 12:37 PM
  #28495  
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I had a hurtful ride in. Only because my legs are just wiped out from the week. On the next to last hill coming in, I decided I was just gonna take it easy and got in my small gears and just pedalled through it.
I was mildly amused after getting to work, showering and dressing. I see one of the supervisors had ridden his vintage Trek in (can you believe someone GAVE it to him?!?). I was glad to see he rode in. Hopefully he'll ride in more. His ride is sweet. 78-79 Trek 710. Needs a little updating, but someone took good care of it. I told him if he ever wanted to let loose of it to let me know. 8)
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Old 11-07-08, 12:37 PM
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No kidding, its supposed to get in the mid 60's today. Im going to get wetter from sweat than I will from the rain.
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Old 11-07-08, 01:17 PM
  #28497  
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Originally Posted by Tobias Greenich
Lost a nut to my toeclips, though. Gotta remember to check them more often. Should be fine for the ride home, I'll raid the garage for another one.
Tips from experience:

1. "Limp" into your LBS and wail about your lost screw. They may give you another one for free out of their scrap parts box and if they're not terribly busy they may even put it on for free.

2. Use loctite or superglue or even two-part epoxy on the screws and nuts to keep them from loosening.
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Old 11-07-08, 01:25 PM
  #28498  
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i had some rusty metal plates from some other clips that i decided to use on my new pedals to keep the screws from loosening up and i think the little bit of rust against shiny new pedals is a nice touch...i think the textured surface of the plate keeps things tight or seized up one or the other...
 
Old 11-07-08, 05:40 PM
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Great commute today from Oakland to San Pablo. About 23 miles each way on flat mostly bike trail. Just gorgeous weather and I took my time, stopping for breakfast on the way out and a burger on the way back home. Met an interesting character named Harl who was working on a four corners U.S. bike tour.

Pictures here..
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/forums/?ID=107200821
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Old 11-07-08, 07:34 PM
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In a pinch "white out" makes great lock tight. It almost works too good, you may not get some fine threads back apart, ever...
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