I caught up with a friend who commutes to work as well for the ride home. Had a pleasant conversation and a pleasant ride home to close my first day of bike commuting.

Ok, the last few days have been rainy days which, of course, did not deter me from bike-commuting. However, I haven't bothered to lube the chain because what the hell, I figured, the lube would just be washed right off it the next morning. Except: it didn't rain today. So what do I hear as I start pedalling this morning? The most god-awfully loud squeak I've ever heard from a bike chain!

Unfortunately, I slept in today, so had no time to go back and apply lube... In fact, I slept in so much I didn't even have time for any breakfast! These two factors combined (with some headwind thrown in for a good measure) accounted for my slowest commute since the start of the school year: an abysmal 20 kmph (~12.5 mph) average. :(

Luckily, there is some WD-40 in my office - not a very good chain lubricant but did do the trick for the return trip (which therefore was much more pleasant for both me and the bike).

Still cold & wet , But it was still a good ride to work and home . I hope it clears up . Have a good nite .

yay, at least one hoopy frood who got it. now i just need me some red dwarf people, and i'll be almost reconciled to the end of baseball for 2005. oh, the nights will get long and dark now until spring comes around.

amazing terrific morning ride in, in spite of 14 innings robbing me of some sleep last night. cold cold - eh, not really, but cold enough to have that wonderful inside-of-a-freezer smell that is one of my favourite smells in the world. i forgot to check the digital signboard but it felt like about 3 degrees. got passed (on the left) by someone else quite early; i heard his gears clashing so had lots of warning. he said hi as he went by and i said 'nice shirt!' to his back - which it was. neon green is the next colour i want; i could see him in front of me all the way no matter how far ahead he got. actually, he never got very far, just far enough to push all the slow light buttons for me at intersections. i followed in his tracks for the approach to the bridge and was emboldened to do what he did and see if it works better than what i do (it does). seemed like the nice kind of commuter, so i didn't think he would mind me picking his brains like that.

the only other feature of the morning was that i made my first try at the second-last remaining logistical trick: crossing the exit lane off the bridge and taking the next lane over, which is the first one that goes straight through at the light. as opposed to just continuing from the mup to the sidewalk until i get to the light and then turning pedestrian to get across and waiting for another light cycle until it's clear to merge back off the sidewalk into the road. i think the only one left now is merging over into the left-turn lane a mile or so further on. i'm giving myself lots of time for that one.

coming home was different. stayed to watch game 4 (break my heart) at 6 pm and didn't leave until 9:15. tired and hungry by then and been working on automation tools all day in the area that's super-air conditioned for some stupid reason, so i type with one hand with the other one shoved underneath me. not really in bike mode too much by the time i left. but it was nice in spite of being harder than i'd wanted it to be, and so traffic-free that i had patches where i could just watch the sky in between watching the road. i like that a lot. think my tires need air.

my brain thinks it's thursday. feels like another cold day tomorrow, but ahhhhhh. i bought myself thermal socks.

Was it a figment of my imagination or was I dreaming? Maybe someone is lurking in the boards. Up at the top end of the sewage treatment plant, it was lit up like Times Square (ok not quite). The whole circle up there was able to be navigated easily. Was this a one day thing? Is work being done?

Chilly this morning, but bearable. Have to start covering my feet better. I found myself hunching my shoulders to keep my gaitor properly placed.

Was that a turd on the Manhattan side of the Manhattan Bridge?

Oh yeah, something else. Not part of the commute, but when I got to work. My actual office is across the street from main building. My usual routine is like this- I ride past a cop who checks badges. I lock my bike to sign in front of the building I work in, run upstairs and grab my backpack with clothing, go back downstairs, unlock the bike, ride down into the garage of hq across the street. The bike gets locked up there. Then I go up to the locker room and shower, etc.

This morning as I was locking the bike to the signpost, a guy coming out of my building (not facilities or security) asks me if I know that the cops are going to clip my lock because I am not allowed to park the bike there. I explaing that I know that, but I am rarely here for more than five minutes while I get my clothes and have never had a problem. Then he starts asking who I work for and who said it was ok to park there. I explain that I don't really park there, but just lock it there while I get my stuff. He starts walking away saying 'ok'.

I used to park my bike there all day until on Bike to Work day one year, I got a call from facilities that I couldn't. Very ironic. Probably some of you wil say well you shouldn't park there, and others will say, you have every right to. Just bothers me that people put up barriers to cycling and make it seem like a hindrance rather than making it easier.

I have joint placement of my HS daughter (three weeks on/three weeks off); the on weeks I have to drive her to school, so i only get to bike-commute every three weeks (bleah). I really just started bike commuting (again) in earnest this summer.

Here in Madison, the morning temps for my 8.25 mile ride these days is between 29-34F No technical gear save for a rain/wind breaker over an old fleece over a pullover (forgot my work shirt today *grr*) I still have to get the hang of the gear each day and fresh gear (shirt/socks) to change into. I may look into these Triflex tights as riding in pants is okay but a bit cumbersome.

My ride is part 'suburban' neighborhood, then a few miles of commuter bike path (very buccolic), then thru campus, then a nice wide bike lane, thru a park, over some rough tracks, past the weiner factory, around the airport, and I'm there. Next I need an alt route for variety (the city is completing some new paths thru the isthmus)

I can keep my bike in the room where I work (I feel for you big city folks who have to shift yer bikes around or lock it outside)

Starting to get a little chilly. I ride by a gas station with a digital thermometer that read 30 degrees Fahrenheit this morning. My commute is 14 miles each way and my toes were starting to get a little cold by the time I got to work. I'll have to start wearing the noeprene bootie things over my shoes soon. Not too bad for the most part though.

My one day off helped alleviate my burnout from my horrible commute earlier this week. That and my legs were god awfully tired. They are still slightly tired but I feel much better.
I took my time this morning and ended up at work 15 minutes early. Go figure.

This week has been record low temperatures for Houston. The morning commutes started at 40 degrees (Mon and Tues) with today being around 48. The rides home have been awesome (mid to low 70s). I am still trying to figure out a good layer system to keep me warm and not sweat so much. This morning was just cold enough to really push it and enjoy it - and not come into the office drenching with sweat.

On another note, yesterday's miles jumped me over 1000 miles of commuting since August 1!

Chris

30f this morning and no wind. Dropped the wind pants about half way, and switched to lighter gloves.

I left a bit earlier then usaul to test out my lights for the dark rides after the time change. Worked pretty good. I have a dual beam cyglolite for distance, and then added a Cateye halogen pointed about 10ft in front. In the back I have an LD500 and LD1000 and a pair of 4" reflectors. With all the leds in side to side mode it's quite effective. I'm planing on putting the LD1000 into steady mode in the dark/dark. My route includes about 8 miles of unlit busy two lane. I'm hoping that with the Cateye pointed right in front of the bike my eyes have an easier time adjusting between the total blackness, and bright lights of oncoming vehicles.

Coming up Clague Rd this morning - two lanes, no shoulder to speak of. Traffic is backed up behind a stopped school bus. I'm sitting there in the lane, patiently waiting with everyone else as I see that the bus is waiting for a kid in a wheelchair being rolled out from his house, then loaded on to the lift, etc. Next thing I know the guy in front of me starts blasting his horn and a bunch of others follow suit. I even hear some people yelling. At first I think a plane is fixing to crash on top of us or something, but no, they are all ticked off that they are having to wait for the school bus and a kid in a wheel chair. Sometimes I feel embarassed to be part of the human race. :(

A little chilly today, no sunrise to speak of. Traffic was slow, with lots of people getting in my way. :)

I forget the word to describe my commute. Oh yeah, now I remember: Dry! :)

Too much rain around here lately. Even I'm getting sick of it, and I'm not usually bothered by weather. Lots of snow in the higher elevations. None where I ride though. Too low.

I reeled in another roadie but really wasn't feeling too energetic so I stayed a good distance behind him and had a nice relaxing ride at about 15MPH.

Haven't posted in this thread for a while since I just end up giving a weather report, but in that spirit...

Lately my commutes home have been about 78-80 F. This is without doubt the perfect cycling temperature. I love it, a little cooler and its gets too nippy and it takes too long to warm up, a little warmer and you need to drink more. I love it! Correspondingly my speeds have increased to where they were in April before it got really hot.

Al

There's no excuse for that kind of behavior. Sometimes I think a whole lot of people were raised by parents that should've been sterilized for being too stupid to raise kids.

I winterized my commute bike last night, if you can call it that with our mild NorCal winters: attached fenders and lubed with Cross Country lube. And of course this morning was totally dry.

Great ride to work and home . Still cold & muddy out .
Have a good nite .

cold and clear this morning. i noticed frost on some of the leaves in the gutter when i stopped to adjust my saddle, but it's not that chilly to ride in (so far).

left home at about 8:40. this has to be just about the worst time i could pick, with school arrivals and all the last-ditch drivers all over the route just getting into their cars and peeling out on their way to work. that and having the sun in my eyes every time i checked east on the cross-streets slowed me down this morning on my way in. i've noticed that it really doesn't seem to make much overall difference though.

someone was already using My shower stall when i got into the club! oh, the outrage.

coming home was sure a nice night. there was a heck of a wind blowing, but i'd planned to just go easy anyway so it was no real bother until i found myself having to work a bit coming down the slope of the bridge. now that's a wind, but it was that big gusty not-too-cold wind that feels so much like october, so it was neat. something-awful-but-i-don't-know-what had traffic crawling all the way over the bridge; even fighting wind and slacking on my way up i passed most of it.

leaving work i forgot my runners under my desk. had myself all the way changed before i noticed, so i had to go back in for them in my full top-gun outfit. heh; hoping to escape notice while rustling with windproofing and flashing all over with lemon-yellow and reflective tape. not much of a hope, but luckily almost no-one was left and i only got one double-take.

hooray for friday. that's the kind of day that i like.

The forecast only called for a 30% chance of rain - one of those 3 chances in ten hit here. Cold, raining, almost snowing. I woke up late, forgot to shave last night so had to do that, finally said heck with it and drove the truck in this morning. Supposed to be a nice weekend, so I figured I would take today as a rest day, rather than Sat or Sun.

Other than losing my tail light 3/4ths of the way and not knowing it until I pulled up to the bike rack at work, the commute was nondescript.

NOTE TO SELF: In the future, be more sensitive to metal plates covering road work, especially when hitting it at 20 MPH.

.

Morning bicycle rush hour on the rail trail this morning. 3, count 'em, three other cyclists encountered heading in to Burlington. Each of us with either a backpack, pannier, or trunk bag. It was nice to see.

No rain (two days in a row now) and temps in the 30Fs. I could clearly see the snowy ski trails over on Whiteface Mountain in New York.

Also saw a large group of loons (17 of them) floating around near the mouth of the Winooski River.

TGIF...

Late night riding + new video game + Friday = rolling outta bed and telecommuting. S'ok though cuz I noticed a lot of squeaking last night and as one BF member said, "When I saw all the rust, I was like, 'that's hardcore'", it signaled to me that I need to lube my chain (again!) after all the rain we've had recently.

OK, somebody check the forums here for the last time jyossarian didn't telecommute on a Friday. :D

Uneventful ride today, as things go in NYC. A van tried to left-cross me, but I was ready, a car ran a red light at high speed but I was ready. A semi-truck crossing the street (from one lot to another, without the trailer) slowed me down enough to miss a light. A woman pulling her car out got a loud "hey" from me and was started to see a bicycle on the road. I got honked at right before a red light. Yaddayaddayadda, same old, same old. :D Nothing to see here, move along...

-4C today on the ride in, but no snow! I rode in with my wife today, and I'm noticing a pattern. Whenever I ride with her, we end up taking a "shortcut" or making some kind of dicey manouever that ends up being somewhat life-threatening. Today she says "Go in the right-hand lane and then we should be able to get into traffic up ahead and turn left". Sure thing, honey! In short order I find myself at the front of a line of cars, 5 of which I have effectively cut in front of. My wife was nowhere to be seen, so I'm assuming that she didn't make the light. <just got a phone call - she slotted in somewhere behind me and missed the light> We were discussing life insurance policies last night - and how she wants new furniture. Is there a connection?

Not too bad today. Pretty uneventful aside from the usual "You don't count because you're on a bike" crap. A little warmer today at 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus it's Friday so that's definitely good thing! :D

I can remember a Friday where I was asked to drive to the NJ office for no good reason, but other than that, yeah, Fridays tend to be my telecommuting day. I wonder why... :D Heck, I almost telecommuted the whole summer!


Amazing what uneventful means in NY. My uneventful rides are filled w/ the same kinds of events, but b/c they're everyday occurrences, they just blend into the same old same old.

Well the sewage plant seems to be my favorite place on the greenway. This morning, coming in an hour and a half later than usual after dropping the kiddies off, I noticied 2 State Park police cars talking to each other by the circle at the top of the plant. As I am riding south on the straightaway (on the right side) one of the police cars was behind me and says into his loudspeaker that I should be riding in the bike lane on the left side of the street. I cruised over to the side and when he passed me I flagged him down.

I explained to him that I frequently encounter motorists driving in this bike lane* coming toward me. He tells me 'ok, but ride safe'. He drives away and I cross back to the other side.

(The area by this sewage plant is right by the West Side Highway between about 135th st and 145 st in NYC. The plant has huge fans that suck air from the land side of the plant and blows it out to the river. You never encounter any kind of noxious fumes. Once in a while, if the wind is blowing from the river, you get a 'moist' smell, but not bad. There is even a park that sits on top of the plant. If you watch the Apprentice it was featured in an episode. I am posting a pic for this. 9A is the elvated west side highway. On street level just to the right of the highway, it is a semi private road, only workers and construction people gain access from the south end of the complex. There is a road that has a bike lane on the east side of the road going north-south, seen divided by a road stripe. All the way on the right bottom is the unfinished greenway.)

Two great rides. On the way home last night I was able to take a nice long detour around the Pocket that added 15 miles to my ride. At one point I caught up to a fellow commuter who was riding a Trek tourer with panniers. We rode for a bit and she mentioned how nice it would be next week when you'd see the sun set into the Delta at that time of day.

This morning was very mellow and I took a slightly smaller loop around Land Park. Not many motorists this morning. Cool with wet pavement but no precipitation. It made me sorry to have to come to work.

Rode it low and slow thru MiG Alley this morning, then punched it when the coast was clear. Many cruisers at the intersections heading uptown.