Quite possibly the hardest, most frustrating commute of my 6 years. Not only was it bitterly cold but, there was a constant, unrelenting headwind that kept tearing at my ears and pushing againts me, my chain squeeked mercelessly the whole way in and my legs completely abandoned me (stiff, tired, etc). I struggled, cursing all the way, againts these conditions. The bike felt slow and heavy, the hills were killing me, and there was absolutely no coasting or catching my breath at any point along the way. I also felt totally carb and calorie depleted. I felt like getting off the bike and tossing it into the woods, I barely made it in. I hope things are even slightly improved this afternoon.

Wiped out pretty badly on the commute to work this morning. I had been been on holiday for that last couple of weeks and we've had some serious rain in that time which has damaged some of the roads i travel to work. Anyway i hit a massive pothole that was a result of the flood damage and flew over the bars. Luckily it was just after a 90 degree turn into a new road so i wasn't going too fast. Thankfully the bike is ok and i'm just nursing a few cuts and scratches.

Yikes! Glad to hear that you and the bike are okay.

No commute for me today as I had to attend an orientation for the kids' kindergarten next fall. Just as well, since there's a front rolling in.

I'll say.

Wow that is early in the season. I don't think the current crop has mostly even told the school system they exist yet. More like March/April. Our 4 yr old is going to wish she could do K this fall but her bday is after the cutoff.

Got Soaked Riding To Work
 

Short commute today. Only 3.4 miles round trip. The last few minutes on the way to work this morning, the sky opened up, and I was soaked to the skin by the time I made it inside. Ride home was dry, sun barely peeking through the clouds, with a strong headwind ...

We have open enrollment in Sac City Unified. You're guaranteed a spot in your neighborhood school but if you want a charter/magnet/etc. school, you have to enter the lottery by a certain date. Which is next week, I think.

farmerlee - Ouch! Sounds like you were unlucky and lucky but that doesn't seem to help. Happy mending.

I forgot to mention the highlight of the day was when i got to work and they told me i've been switched to a different shift roster so i wasn't required to work that day!

I had to work late today; couldn't ride home until it was fully dark out. :(

It was still warm enough to ride home in shorts though- 66 degrees. :)

A fairly strong headwind of 16 mph. :(

But it was so nice riding in shorts I hardly noticed. :)

We're applying to local magnet schools for our 4 year old. The deadline is next week. I can't imagine already being at orientation...!

For some reason I just love this post. It says it all.

It's rides like that one that actually make you a better bike rider. In about 4 months you should read this post again after you've ridden in on a 78〫day with clear skies, a mild wind at your back and broke your record for getting to work. It's because of days like the one you describe in your post that those spring and summer days will be all the sweeter.:thumb:

and farmerlee- also glad you are okay! yikes.

my bike ride was far less eventful. Left the house and it was 8〫F this morning and the wind was howling. I have no idea what the windchill was. The wind was at my back a good portion of the ride but there were some cross winds that really nailed me.

Crunched, squeaked and crawled my way home tonight in 8〫weather but thankfully the wind had abated so it was quite pleasant.

A warning- never try to remove your rain pants in an empty elevator in the hopes they will be off before the doors open on the 6th floor. Even with a pair of jeans on it's still awkward to be caught with pants around your ankles and have to waddle out through a crowd of amazed onlookers.:o

Unfortunately, I had removed my face mask so I was easily indentifiable.

56 degrees today: That's warm.

My ride today reminded me why I love winter commuting: The cold and ice gets the peds and their dogs off the MUP. Today the MUP was packed with peds and dogs. A couple extra commuters and a few recreational cyclists and some roadies. I might not have to wear 3 inches of extra clothes but I have to slow down all the time to wait for traffic jams.

Oh well, it's supposed to rain next week and that'll clear the way for me.

Clearly it would have been more suggestive if it had been on... :D

19F/-7C and calm this morning. Several degrees warmer and no wind compared to yesterday, but I swear my fingers felt colder (same glove liner/lobster combo). Go figure...

The header/pothole experience had me looking even more closely at my route than normal this morning. The light I've been using for a year and a half now is OK, but it doesn't exactly "light up the night." As it turns out, I have a dynamo hub front wheel and latest generation LED light on the way. It should be interesting. Kind of expensive, but the time of day I ride my morning commute is always dark even at the summer solstice (though the sky is beginning to lighten in the east there for a few weeks), and after much weighing of cost/benefit, I decided to go for it. Or was it that I finally rationalized it? :D

Awesome. 21*, no wind, perfectly clear, and not a car on the road.

Lovely ride. Calm winds, zipped along past the guys on the corner of Rockville Pike and I370 who are contracted by Liberty Tax Service to stand, in Statue of Liberty costumes, at said corner and wave to motorists. Nice guys. We always say hello to each other, or "stay warm!" They've been out there for a month solid, at least, day and night! For once I'm not the goofiest-dressed guy in rush hour traffic.

My coldest commute of the winter so far, about 22 F. It was supposed to drop down to the mid-teens overnight and I had psyched myself up for my coldest commute ever, but some high clouds spoiled it. I'm not complaining. It was very comfortable compared to yesterday, when it was about the same temperature but very windy. I drove because I had to go somewhere in my truck after work, and I wasn't missing the ride with the cold wind blowing all day.

I looked down to check if my tires were flat about five times before I conceded it was me...

A fellow bike commuter talked to me for the first time ever (I think)! She asked me if I parked in the Hancock building, and I said yes, when in fact I do not. I don't know why I said yes... Where I park is in a garage near the Hancock, but not in it, or below it. I'm kind of embarrassed by that, but whatev, I guess.

I have been off the bike way too much this year. The weather has not cooperated. Today, that has changed.

The snow and ice has mostly been cleared or melted. The tree limbs from the ice storm are mostly picked up. It was a balmy 29F on the way in to work, and will probably be mid-40s on the way home.

I rode my 'bent for the first time in a while, and arrived to work feeling incredibly good.

Very nice ride to work* Temps about 60, windy but it was a tail wind most of the way (it's gonna suck riding home).

*I did have an interesting exchange with a fellow sharer of the roadways. I was a bit behind a car. There was a car in a driveway waiting for the car in the street to go by. After the car went by, driveway guy looks at me, then decides that bikes are inanimate objects and proceeds to pull out. He left plenty of room for me to cruise on by in front of him, which I did. But when I did, he was all of a sudden surprised to see me (after making eye contact with me earlier) and honked his horn at me when I was right in front of him.

About a half a block later, he caught up to me at the stop sign, rolled is window down, and started to lay into me for riding in front of him when he wasn't moving. I started yelling back, informing him that he had infringed upon my right of way and that had there been a mishap, he would have been liable for causing said mishap. Okay, it didn't sound like that really; we were both spittin' and sputterin' at each other like two actors in a comedy skit. I found the whole thing pretty amusing actually. Neither one of us wanted to be the first to stop yelling, but we both ran out of breath at the same time. He rolled up his window, pulled away, and I rode on.

I still think it was pretty funny.

Nearly listless, felt almost completely drained this morning. In an attempt to boost my energy I ate a bowl of cereal just before I left. Bad idea, I think digestion made things even worse. So, for once, I just accepted things and muddled along at 12/13 mph. That was until I was passed. I decided to see if I could hang-use the guy as a rabbit. I let him pull me along at (probably) 18/19 mph until we split company after crossing the 14th St. bridge. It was a struggle but felt good. Otherwise: temps around 28F, little wind and, appropriately dressed. I was actually a little nervous in anticipation of yesterday's ride home, everyone was warning me of the cold. It was cold but actually felt great. By the time I got home I was nice and toasty as well as sweaty. Being a year 'round cycle commuter, I guess my perception of "cold" is different from others'.

Ha! i've done that... did you check to make sure the brakes weren't rubbing too?

The commute today was brisk at -10C. It was fun cruching through the ice on the mup. During my on road portion some lady did the old 'last second veer around and brake slam right before a red light' move. I lost the moral high ground when i zipped past on the right.

LOL. That is so something I would have done. No commute for me today due to the rain and my lack of rain gear. Supposed to last through Monday night although I'm hoping for a break in the clouds on Saturday for me to go for a quick spin. Don't want my legs to think I'm on a on vacation.

40sF and medium mist (definitely needed to wash the glasses when I got in). My wife's 1st commute since December or even November. 7 yr old had a friend stay over last night and he biked to school too, so 4 bikes and a 4 yr old in a trailer leaving the house this morning.

50F and light rain. Actually it was very pleasant. Rode the fixed gear bike and listened to the soft zzzzzzz of the tires over the wet asphalt. Traffic was light due to the furlough of most state offices today.