Congrats on your first bike commute! And to all the other first timers/returners as well!

The answer to the above question is yes and yes. Some people take backpacks; I use panniers and I always take them with me. I've had mine stolen when I left them on once. Check out the Advice for New Commuters thread (up at the top, like this one) for other methods/thoughts.

VERY NICE.
Didn't need the knee warmers or base layer. Just shorts and a long sleeve T-shirt under my lightweight vest (for visibility). Stopped at Kinko's to make some copies and dripped sweat on all my papers (they had the heat on ). I was glad to get outside again and cool down a little before I took off for work.
It's days like this that I almost wish I was unemployed again so I could do my 30-40 mile rides in the early afternoon. I sure miss those days.

Ahh... pleasant memories. I remember my first bike commute after moving closer to work.
I had a stupid grin on my face all day (love those endorphins!)

Nice ride in. I'm getting the hang of my new ride, so I was really flying a few times. Happy trails.

Rode in on my wife's hybrid again. With the headwind, it was like pedaling in sand. I think I may hook up the kids' trailer to it and fill it with milk jugs. That'll be my training secret!

I've been fortunate today so far. I had a beautiful partly overcast ride in this morning, then after I got in it poured all morning. It stopped raining at lunch time for my lunch ride. Now, let's see what my ride home will bring, looks pretty gloomy out there. It's been balmy for this time of year, right around 50F/10C.

Had to deal with an impatient driver this morning. I swear to god people around here either drive 10-15mph above OR below the speed limit.

I don't know if any of you read my past posts on here, but the raccoon roadkill is hangin out for the 5th week now. It's pretty disgusting... all you can see now is fur, shards of carcass, and a skeleton. Ick.

Rode in some fresh snow today. Temp. was around +12F (up from -7F a few hours
earlier). All in all, a nice late winter ride.

74 degrees and sunny! All the college girls are sunbathing on the quad, lots of frisbees being tossed (more pedestrians to dodge) Spring has sprung!

Due to some construction on campus, they have a path on my route blocked off, and the detour is a soggy path of mulch. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until my rims were mired in the muck. Dang nasty.

First commute (25K) of 2005. Left the house at 5:50am temp was -3C. Warmed up for the return trip +12C. A little out of shape and 15lbs heavier since my last commute in November.

Today was the first dry, clear, projected 50F day, but I had a MD appointment this evening so I drove to work, moaning the whole way. Got to work, MD's office calls and reschedules my appt to tomorrow night. Now I am going to miss riding both of the decent days this week. After this winter, that is just not fair.

37F at 5:45 AM today with broken clouds but it was dry. Sunny most of the day & just a few sprinkles on the way home this afternoon.

Good ride to work but on the way home, I was riding by a bunch of kids on a porch and I was hit by a rock from one of them. So I had some words with the kids. I told them I would call the police and rode on. Have a good night.

A lovely ride to work and back was had today. The stiletto chopper that I have been using all week is impressing me every time I am out. I was flying past folks left right and centre today, startling more than a few that a long, low chopper could blow past them so quickly. Some university students even videotaped me while cheering me on. I love spring.

I have a locker at work to keep stuff in. Usually, I try to keep up to two weeks worth of clothes there, but I usually wind up having to pull the trailer in at least once a week, so that's when I do the laundry shuffle.

https://www.burley.com/products/trail...?p=Flatbed&i=7
Before I got the trailer I had to on drive in on those days.

Incidentally, today was a trailer day. When I left this morning it was 59 F, variable 2 mph winds, heavy overcast and light rain. 66 F, winds out of the ENE at 7 mph and heavy overcast on the way home this afternoon. Normally when I have the trailer chasing the bike I get a lot more attention than without it. Well, the trailer gets a lot of attention. A lot of, "WTF is that?" looks, with some, "What a great idea!" looks. Well, today a horn blew two lanes over. A BIG truck air horn, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAANH, so of course I instinctively look over. A white 4-door sedan of gawkers came real close to getting creamed by a dump truck. Of course the dump truck driver could have been a gawker too, which may have accounted for the close call.

I'm sure it's the trailer they look at. It sure ain't my physique.

Edit-Oh yeah, tonight my computer is showing 94.3 miles, tomorrow I will easily break triple digits for the week. May not mean much, it's just a goal of mine to get over 100 miles a week. Blew it week before last by not checking the computer when I got home Friday afternoon. Didn't notice until that night while filling out my log that I had 97.4. Wish I'd noticed, a short detour would have broken 100.

Wonderfull ride home yesterday. Tempature was right around 76F. I wish I would have brought my shorts and short sleave jersey, when I got home I was soaking wet from sweat. I had a tail wind on the way home again it was a good ride.

That tail wind I had last night was in my face this morning on the way to work. Decent tempature, wet roads from the rains last night.

Wow.....what a commute. I tried out the new Hybrid this morning. It was awesome. I will have to give my daughter the task of comming up with a name for it. I don't miss dragging my MTB to work at all. The MTB has it's place though....it will be a good winter bike but for now it will be cleaned and hanging from the garage ceiling.

Today is -4C and a slight headwind. Looking good for the ride home with 5C and hopefully a tailwind but alot can happen in 9 hours.

Have a great day everyone.

Didn't ride today (see image below). Late last fall my wife and I hammered out an agreement about what kind of weather I would ride in. Close-by lighting was one of the conditions not to ride in. Gee, since she wants me alive I guess I can respect that. Maybe she likes all the exercise I've been getting... However, I think I might stop by the LBS on the way home and check out some riding sandals.

Flood Warning
Flash Flood Watch
Hazardous Weather Outlook

Overslept this morning so I took the motorcycle in today. Like map tester I wasn't really looking forward to riding in this weather.

I took the studded Nokians off yesterday evening. This will likely produce a freak spring blizzard in DC I'll be picking up my daughter from school for the next two days, so I also attached the trailer. In terms of pedaling effort, the two factors seemed to cancel out; however, it was a change to roll quietly again. Cool spring weather with lots of birds and flowers.

Paul

Map Tester that's a helluva storm! Put on your rain jacket and fenders and go riding!

It was 40F and sunny when I woke up at 6:30 this morning. Good commute. Saw some dopes out ice fishing. Reckless.

I was approaching a guy and his dog on the trail. Dinged my bell and he turned his head and saw me. Then he told his dog to sit down and as I went by he kept praising the dog. I thought that was cute.

Nearly collided with another wrong-way cyclist this morning. That's twice in two days. I know this has been discussed endlessly, but WTF?

vtjim, don't get me wrong--if it was just rain (even a lot) I would have been out there! Got the jacket, fenders, and disk brakes. It's the close lighting (>1 mile) that scares my wife. And since she encouraged me to buy a new bike who am I to argue? Here is the list:

Conditions I would not ride my bicycle in:
Thunderstorm in the immediate area (hear thunder closely)
Line of thunderstorm or strong storm coming toward us (by radar)
Hurricane (NOAA high wind warning/heavy rain warning)(we do get these in Atlanta, about once or twice a year)
Freezing rain (crazy drivers skating on the road)
Sleet (tried that once-the facial sting was bit much)
Hail (probably would be a major thunderstorm anyway)
Fog at the house so thick you can't see past the neighbor's house (never has happened)

Conditions I would ride in, but would take a different route, mostly the bike path:
Heavy fog
Heavy rain
Snow (once a year if that, and if work was open)

Conditions I would ride in, just taking extra care--slower, and allow more time:
Rain
Cold (below 32°F)
Heat (above 100°F)

YMMV

Beautiful day today, Sunny and 60F. I made it a "don't push" ride which meant
time on the road was 37min instead of 32 (on about 10 miles).

Stressful at work though, which makes the outdoors that much more appealing...
Can't wait to ride home.

Perfect weather on the way in today, strong possibility of rain tonight for ride home.
No problem - great to be back on the bike after being out of town/off bike for 5 days.
Enjoy!!