The commute was better than ever today because the city ran a streetsweeper along Martin Way overnight & cleaned up the rest of the rock, sand & grit left from our January snows. Its supposed to cloud up & rain overnight & we may not see weather like this again for quite some time. Don

Great riding again today, though I got stuck for a while behind some rural traffic. That is the disadvantage of the alternative route acros the country lanes.

It is a little worrying that some funny noises are making themselves heard from somewhere on the bike. It seems to be coming from the bottom bracket, but there is another sound too that needs to be traced.

Have a good weekend,

Ed

a rare 5 day commuting week for me - feeling very proud of myself!

Wow, sunshine two days in a row!!! This must be a record! Anyway, I had a nice ride in this morning, 7F/-13C, it's suppose to get up above freezing today (I'll believe that when I see it, it's been over 20 days since it happened last). I'm really enjoying the longer daylight hours, I saw a beautiful sunrise this morning with the blues, pinks, etc. I'm getting a little surly, I think I'm ready for spring.

The nice weather continues, thought the weather people claim rain for today. But I'm sure that rain will be here for the 3 day weekend. Anyway, as promised I chose to forego the rain coat and enjoyed the ride in just the sweater (and tights and shorts of course) A lot more people on the trail, including the first roller blader I've seen on a weekday since the fall.

Today commutr
 

Commute was good and fast but some madman in a buick tried to hit me and ran me off the road. I wish the people with cars would learn how to share the road better.

Not a bad ride in today, after a sluggish start. Much better than yesterday's "pleasure" ride which involved two punctures and being bitten on the bum by a dog.

Cheers,

Ed

Bumbiting dogs and madmen driving Buicks!!! What is this world coming to????

First commute to work all the way (11 miles each way) in six weeks. Streets on the west side of Chicago were decent albeit a bit salty, temp was around 20, and the number of guys hanging on the corners was minimal. This is by far the earliest in the year that I've gotten back into bike commuting and I'm psyched for it. Come April and May I may be able to kick some butt on weekend rides with my riding group.

Ah, it's winter, wait until spring ... :p

I had a nice ride in this morning, it was 9F/-12C but the skys are clear and the sun is peeking out earlier and earlier every day. The roads are clear and we might see 30F/-1C this afternoon!!! A heat wave! We haven't been above freezing in over 30 days!

Really warm (59F) and breezy this morning. I think a front is passing over the valley. Anyway, it was a good hard ride into work with the headwind (that's my lemonade from lemons attitude!).

A blanket of fog covered the landscape his morning. The grey miasma seemed to drain colour leaving behind only a mere trace of vitality as the world struggled to waken in a bizarre monochrome half-light.

Good ride, about 7°C with no wind, though feeling colder due to the damp air.

Cheers,

Ed

Cloudy and dreary this morning, really felt like the first day back to work after a 3 day weekend. The escort through the bridge construction zone has reappeared. Saw still more cyclists today including one obvious commuter. Kind of a slow ride in, I'm blaming under inflated tires.

Closest to buying the farm yet. Light changed from green to yellow just as I moved into the an intersection with 4 lanes. If I stopped, I would stop in the middle of the intersection so I stepped up the cadence. Just as I was into the 4th lane the light went red, and the car approaching the intersection didn't slow until it was on top of me. No collision, no harm, no foul. Not sure what I could have done differently. I suspect the car approaching the interesection didn't notice me because I was hidden by the left turning lane cars and they had been timing their arrival to the intersection to match the green. Otherwise, a great commute.

How ironic, I had the exact same thing happen to me on the way home from work yesterday! It was green as I entered, changed to yellow and then red very quickly. All of the traffic lanes were full and completely stopped so there was no incident although the last guy didn't see me until I was in front of him. Anyway, great commute, I took the long way home. I had a nice one this morning also, we are getting warmer temps.

Whew, what a headwind this morning! To be fair I had a smokin' tailwind on the ride home last night so I guess this was payback. Bike was riding nicer today though, with tires back to ideal pressure and some seat adjustments. For the second day in a row I saw this big bird of prey sitting in the same tree. One of these day I'll need to bring my binoculars and try to identify it.

Showers today with many sun breaks but I managed to ride to & from work in a downpour & my fresh cleaned bike is all dirty again :( Don

Managed to break my pannier rack today. I'm not quite sure how it broke today -- given that it survived all the crap I put it through in Tasmania. I suppose I should have expected it to go eventually. After all, it wasn't really a high-quality one, I just got it as part of a deal when I bought this bike. I just need to get my hands on another Blackburn MTN rack like I had on the bike that got stolen. It had already outlasted two bikes!

In anycase, I'm going to have a mad search for some duct tape tonight. After hearing tomorrow's weather forecast (40C and about 98% humidity), I'll walk if it means not carrying a backpack!

Tally-ho!!!! My friends.

On my trip home yesterday, I diverted to the scenic route to log in a few extra miles.

Just after Stamfordham I came across the Tynedale Hunt, Couple of doz Horse and riders spread out along the Road in their Hunting regaliar, I gradully picked my way through them only to be confronted with the Pack of Hounds, The front Riders were teasing me to ride through them. "I don`t think so" was my reply, I was`nt to keen on the the thought of cycling with some hungry looking and baying Fox Hounds scenting the chance of a kill. So I just followed along behind with the Horses for a couple of miles until they turned off on a Farm track....

Wise move willic... I'm far more wary of dogs after the trail of comic events that was supposed to be a sunday ride: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=45730

The good weather has offered the chance to get a few extra miles on the commute here too.

Cheers,

Ed

Yes right Ed...

Cycles and Dogs do not make the best of "bed fellows".

The prospect of aggrivating a hole bunch of mean looking Hounds never appeals . Heck these animals are starved before their hunting assignment.
The prospect of a few chuncks of poor old cyclist is probably quite appealing to them...

Hey, willic and Ed! Very interesting activity! I've only seen that in the movies, we don't have that here in the US (that I'm aware of). Anyway, it gave me a great visual. :p Great commute this morning, I'm really enjoying this balmy weather we are having up here in the frozen hinterlands. I know it's short lived but I'll enjoy it, I'm actually able to put some extra miles in myself.

a glorious, great to be alive day here in DC - temps in the 50s - a great ride in as I attempted to cycle off the effects of my 14 course meal last night

On the bike path last night, I was lollygagging a bit on my Cross-Check with heavy, studded tires. A road bike with slicks blew past me without so much as an “on-your-left.” My competitive instincts kicked in, and I kept up with him just fine.

Then we came to one of the few remaining stretches of ice, about 20 feet long. The road bike had to slow way down, get off the path and ride over the bumpy grass with scattered ice and snow.

My Nokians took me straight over the ice, no problems. I never saw the road-biker again.

Over the winter, I got used to having the path all to myself. Now that the fair-weather commuters are back, I'm going to have to learn to share again.

Ya, good reading willic & Ed... :D

Studded tires, ice & snow, broken racks & dirty bikes... Winter huh? :p

A bit of rain all day yesterday & this morning was clean & fresh 42 degrees !!

Aha, Southern California, expecting another 65-70 degree ride home today ;)

[QUOTE=mtessmer]Hey, willic and Ed! Very interesting activity! I've only seen that in the movies, we don't have that here in the US (that I'm aware of). Anyway, it gave me a great visual. :p

Yeh I suppose Fox Hunting is a Aristocratic throw back to visions of typical rural England,conjured up many in scenes in books and films.

Still pursued in many parts of the Country, but under fire these days from the (Guess who) Animal rights campaigners.

Personally I quite like to see The Horse and Riders in their splendid colourfull jackets, with the Master Huntsman cracking his whip and calling in the Hounds wih that charicteristic blast of the Horn.

I know it can be a rather Gory and savage death for the Fox, but I tend to balance that with the Knowledge of the Renard itself being an indiscriminate killer that will not only make a killing for its food but, for instance, if they get into a chicken run will slaughter all the occupants....

Ahh, a true sign of spring: Increase of posts in the 'How was the commute today' thread :D

Another gray day for me, but much less wind which was appreciated. The big hawk was in the same tree today with the addition of a few crows harassing him. For the first time my Brooks b.67 felt "soft". Nice. (now if only I could somehow stop the springs from squeaking :( )

I broke down and braved the winter and did my first ride since December 29. I took the Kona to work at 5 this morning after putting on a chead pair of fenders last night. Just a 14 km ride to work now but I was happy to replace the stationary bike at work with some wind in my face. I didn't even take the road slicks off because the roads were clean and dry.

A funny thing happened on the way to the office though. I have to cross a canal by one of the three bridges in town and the one that's curently closed was still open, I thought, to foot traffic. It wasn't. I ended up inside a tarped enclosure that was filled with scaffolding. Through an opening in the tarp I entered an second chamber with the same equipment, however the opening at the other end wasn't big enough to get the bike through. I searched around and found a way out and blasted off like a kid who went somewhere he shouldn't have.

The ride home was via one of the "open" bridges. Enough excitement for one day.

90% chance of icy rain overnight.... Do I ride again?

Best day for commuting of the week & I had to drive in due to a work luncheon! On a cheerier note, I went to the Seattle swap meet Sunday & came home with lots of good stuff. Best of which was NOS pair of white leather Lotto cycling shoes for $10.00, can't wait for some nice warm weather to wear them. Don