I had a great ride. It was a hair cold at 28*F and windy, so next time I'll wear thicker gloves and maybe Windstopper tights instead. My commute in is 14 hilly miles, and this has been my first commute of the year. I love getting to work, taking a warm shower, and feeling alive and ready to go! I'll take the longer hillier route on the way home to get some more seat time in. 52*F and sunny this afternoon!

Colder this morning at 5:30AM (why do I do this again?). Good ride though, getting used to the new bike.

I have to add something here about yesterday. At the end of the day I sometimes end up on campus and catch a bus for the last couple of miles (the road home is extremely dangerous at 6:00pm) ... anyway. I was sitting at the bus stop watching traffic and bikes go by. I've never seen this many idiot bike riders in my life. Within a one block stretch of car-congested road, I watched bike after bike cutting cars off, riding the sidewalk (illegal here) with pedestrians, hopping off curbs in front of cars, slaloming between vehicles, etc. Traffic stopped and started because of bikes at least 8 times in 15 minutes. One guy came off a curb and parked his bike between moving cars, blocked traffic (basically jaywalking) until the other lane was clear, then hopped the other curb nearly hitting people walking on the sidewalk. If all of these bikes had followed traffic-flow rules, everyone would have gotten to where they were going much faster and with less aggravation. Just an observation.

Maybe having kids has made me more observant?
Maybe I'm getting old and crabby?
Maybe I enjoy this whole breathing in and out thing I've had going for so long?

^ That whole "sense of self preservation" thing kicks in hard, doesn't it?

I didn't ride yesterday, I was really tired and stomach achy, found out today it was probably food poisoning. The ride in today was nice, windy, but nice. I just beat the rain.

Got up and looked outside and no rain. Got all dressed and ready to roll and its start raining. Didn't want to change again so I put the bike on the rack and took the car to work where it was not raining. I will try and get a ride in at lunch time. Very strange storm going through the area today.

Horrid. My bike was stolen, so I had to walk.

drummingpariah,

Was that the bike you just got and had painted?

That's the one. Just replaced the rear wheel, pedals, and straightened the forks on it too. Not my best day ever.

That's awful. I'm so sorry.

42F and misty, otherwise peaceful. Dryer than last night.

Last night I checked the weather radar website to see if there might be an opening in the steady rain that I might catch if I left earlier or delayed, and was confused why the entire map was one color.

Then I realized that there definitely weren't any cloud openings coming.

<soapbox>My wife believes that drivers can tell the difference between bicycle-riders like these (wife and I call them "idiots on bikes") and "real cyclists" (a "real cyclist" being someone who's made the [not very large] effort to learn the rules of the road for using bicycles in traffic and then obeys them). I'm not as convinced that people do make the distinction, and I fear that the examples set by these idiots on bikes color the perceptions of all cyclists. For example, when a driver sees me taking the lane, does he think, "Oh, he's doing that because it's safer for this stretch", or does he think, "There's another cyclist just doing whatever he wants and slowing me down."?</soapbox>

Windy commute today but nothing else to report.

Thanks for filling in my blanks. This was pretty much my rant when I got home last night. Then my wife said, "no, I meant, how was your day AT WORK?" ... such is life.

Good commute today, did it a little faster than I usually do. It's 30km commute which I did in 56min (31.5 km/h avgs speed). Really warm out today too (compared the last few weeks) it was 9C when lately its been around 0 in the mornings.

Had a great bike commute to and from work. It was 48F this morning, unheard of around these parts this time of year. I only worked a half a day today for working half a day last Saturday. Good thing, it started raining heavy this afternoon. The wind has been a little bit much this week, but hey, that's what has been bringing warm temps.

kinda windy on the way home. Funny how the wind blew directly into my face the whole way home. Ok, there were some breaks but my thighs are actually tired when I got home. At several points I quit pedaling and my bike just blew to a stop. Still a better commute than tommorow, I have to drive the jeep. Have to go places during work.

The ride to work was dark as usual. the weather is just right, not too cold or hot. It was dark and rainy in the afternoon but by the time I rode home, it was sunny again. This week I'm riding my Next street cruiser.
Ernest

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...icture2783.jpg

Warm going home. Probably 45F. Stuffed my coat in the pannier, single-glove and sock-ed it rather than doubling up.

It was cold this morning, but it was a sunny 45' on the way home and the best part: it's not dark when I get home!

I'm patiently waiting for real spring temps!

Chilly. 39F but beautiful blue skies and hardly a whisper of wind. Looks like the breeze has picked up for the afternoon ride home.

My commute was perfect! Nice weather. Got to work on time and safe. Way more enjoyable than by auto.

A bit strange this morning. Out of sync, I was runnning about 10-15 minutes later than usual, and when I pulled out onto the main drag, the cars were a bit more numerous, and seemed a bit more malevolent than usual--probably just me, but what the heck--so I peeled off onto my alternate route which is more direct but slower.

This variant takes me through an intersection which actually crosses US 1 in College Park rather than under it as my usual way does. The route is slower because I almost always catch that light. This morning there was a car already there which had tripped the sensor so by punping it a little I was able to ride right through. It is a slight jog to the left (though it may look straight on a map), and then down a steep, short hill and over an old one-lane bridge (when I'm feeling sporty I can easily catch a little air there :D ). It then runs through a flat park area (ball fields and the old equestrian ring which hasn't seen any hooves in it in years). Normally this is a quiet stretch where if I see anything, it's a cop hangin' out, or (more often) deer, racoons or foxes looking surprised at me.

This morning, however, as I was rolling along I heard a loud commmand on my left. Looking over, I saw a squad of black guys, wearing black (and this is in pre-dawn dark, remember), and responding in unison, "Something-or-other, something-or-other , Sir!"

I have no idea what they were about--could've been anything from a militant terrorist cell to a U of MD ROTC group getting harangued after some early AM PT on the nearby MUP. Sure surprised me, though. In hundreds of trips that way I'd never seen that before.

It was an uneventful ride this morning, other than 20 F (-6 C). I was in full winter dress, even though it did not feel like a wintry 20 degrees. It is still dark, and should be lightening up in a couple weeks.

Needed to drive today as I have to take daughter to Dentist...so what happens...I get hit...TWICE!!

Both at red lights, first guy was doing something in the seat next to him, I saw it coming and had no where to bail, he pops up at last minute and screeches to just tap me.

2 minutes later I'm at a red light and a freaking taxi hits me from behind (didn't see this one coming), he hit me pretty good, no damage, some old guy with a 3 people as fares. I see they are flipping out. Old guy gets out, I just tell him, no damage just pay attention out there!

I know, I know, should have gotten info, police report, etc,etc. At that point I wasn't pressing my luck anymore and just wanted to get to the safety of my office.

Taking the bike the rest of the week!!!

I meant to catch an early train today, to get in an hour ahead of my normal time to get ahead on some work. I just had a new tire put on, brakes tightened, and a new chain installed at the shop.

The bike feels a little rough as ride away from the house, and several blocks later the chain breaks and falls onto the street. I pull over and start looking for it, and see it on the street. As I'm walking towards it, a car pulls up to a red light and stops right on top of it.

It's 6am, it's dark, and there's nobody else around. I walk over and try to wave the car back. The driver is having none of this; she looks confused and ignores me. I walk around to her window, meaning to explain. She won't roll down the window, and looks steadfastly ahead of her, looking scared. With a start, I realize she thinks I'm trying to carjack her or rob her or something. I back off, amused but sad.

When the light turns, she pulls off I retrieve the chain and walk home the few blocks. I hope she looked in her rear-view mirror and saw I was simply retrieving something off the street.

I'm wondering how many would-be carjackers or muggers wear multiple blinkies, helmet lights, and bright yellow safety jackets.

There's a good chance of rain this afternoon but I rode anyway. Nice ride into work despite the stiff NE wind. Hopefully the rain will hold off until tonight or just be light sprinkles. I don't want to get caught in any more downpours after catching a cold following two very cold, wet rides a couple of weeks ago.