I know I am really determined to keep at my commuting. Just got home. As I have said before since work is 12.5 hours, we report at 6 am and 6 pm. 6 am start time would mean my 26 mile commute have to leave in the middle of night. So I commute for the 6 pm start up time.
So I just returned home. Took about 2 hours. we have some significant hills on my route.. So, I did enjoy todays' sunny weather. My comment. noticed on way home, I felt inclined to want to doze off on the bike a couple of times.
Surely not getting my 8 hours sleep before the commute ! But if I commute that is the conditions, I have to work under. So do many of you think you could completely fall asleep on the bike.
This is infrequent, but have noticed it happening before. I only commute once of a two day work stint.

Better than when it's on the Dark Side. (cue Imperial March)

Things I noticed on the commute today:
1. There is tons more traffic on Wednesdays. What's up with that? Where are all these people the rest of the week?
2. Check this out sometime: pay attention to the way the wind feels on your legs whe your hauling the mail down a hill. Really focus on that. I laughed out loud...it tickles! (Ok somewhat flaky but try it and you'll see)
3. There was a wind advisory today. Winds gusting to 45-50 miles an hour. I left my panniers at work to avoid blowing over. The winds were swirling around, but about 55% of it was a TAILWIND!!!! Absolutely amazing. I felt like Lance. ;)

I hear ya there, Beetlebaby! :D

Today was my first time commuting two days in a row. I feel pretty good. On the way in, there was a beast of a headwind. I was riding in my lowest gears, the "it would be faster if I got off and walked the bike" gears. The funny thing is, I was upshifting to go up hills, because behind them there was a little shelter from the wind, and downshifting at the hilltops and on the flats! I was actually grateful for the traffic, the farm trailers and trucks broke up the wind pressure for a few secs. There were birds everywhere sitting on the ground, safely out of the wind, and it made the song, The Tennesse Birdwalk, keep running through my head.
Take away the trees, and the birds will have to sit upon the ground....
Take away their wings and the birds will have to walk to get around....

It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to get in, but I had allowed lots of time. :)

Of course, the payoff came on the trip home, where I did almost the whole ride in my highest gear and barely had to push the pedals. Spectacular sunset, too!

I noticed at work today that the suntan on the backs of my hands is patterned in the same mesh pattern as my biking gloves. :D

So remember me my darling, when Spring is in the air,
And the bald-headed birds are whispering everywhere,
When you see them heading southward in their dirty underwear,
It's the Tennessee bird walk....

Grrr... two idiots in their wheeled metal cages had my adrenaline flowing this morning.

First, a dumba$$ came from a side street, crossing the mixed bike/pedestrian path and turned right to the main street. I was on that bike path approaching from his right. He never saw me, he was too busy talking to a cell phone apparently glued to his clueless head. All he was interested in was whether there were any c*rs coming from his left. I lifted my rear wheel and managed to stop as he cruised in front of me. What annoys me the most is the fact that he will never know how close it was. He'll probably drive home thinking he's a better-than-average driver.

Some 4 kms further down the road: same kind of situation, only this time the intersection had traffic lights. Different car, no cell phone but obviously some extremely important notes in his calendar as he inspected them carefully while inching his car to the intersection, passing the red light signal on his way, and finally stopping with the rear part of his Audi blocking the bike path. I went round the back, giving the Audi a "friendly" thump with my hand on the way. His head started to spin wildly, but it took him an additional 5-6 seconds to connect the spots. Well, two first spots at least: a thump on his precious vehicle and a malicious cyclist leaving the scene. Maybe I'll get to read about this one in the local newspaper?

Had I crashed in either occasions, these both drivers would have explained to the police that I came from nowhere. What a load of BS, I was there all the time, they just did not bother to look.

--J

Mornin
Today I did my first commute on my newly built bridgestone RB-t with dura-ace tripple front and XTR rear. She's a smooth ride, blew off my 19+ mile commute in 53 minutes, sun is shining and the birds are sigin, what more can I ask for.
Have a great day

I have been saved from daydreaming drivers so many times I can't count them all. What saved me?

A very loud sound device, so loud it penetrates closed windows. It only cost me $3.00! It's a whistle I keep in my teeth, always ready (and used frequently, mostly on drivers, sometimes on jaywalkers who misjudge my speed.)

I hate to see inattentive drivers spill their coffee when they hear my whistle. :cry:

:D Oh I'd love to see the looks on their faces!! :eek: All eyes then!!

Just once with one of those small air horns would make my day for a full year! :beer:

Today is a beautiful sunny day in new england, the ride in was slow and enjoyable, I had to stop on route 20 for a spell, there were canadian geese blocking the road. This is the kind of weather we should have year round.

This morning was great, and almost made up for Wednesday's commute.

My commute takes me by the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and they are having graduation week ALL week (we had Blue Angels flying overhead the last few days). There is a scary amount of traffic. However, this morning I was happy to see the traffic because I was on my bike, and therefore immune to it all.

On Wednesday I had to drive, and the traffic was much worse. I was cursing myself, wishing I had brought my bike.

Hopefully there will be even more traffic tonight (Memorial Day weekend means everyone will be driving through towards Ocean City), and I can again enjoy the thrill of bypassing it all.

Teresa

Today it snowed, but I rode anyway. It's not supposed to snow in May! Who's responsible for this? I want answers!

On Wednesday I had to be at work early so I left home 5:15. Great ride - no traffic, sun just coming up, following wind. I thought I would have a nice ride home in the afternoon before the rush hour, but I had to wait for a software delivery. I didnt leave till 6:30. The wind had increased, so instead of climbing over the Jacques Cartier bridge into a head wind, I took the gound level route, crossing the seaway at the St Lambert lock. My luck - the Federal Hunter (registered in Hong Kong) was going through, I had to wait 35 mins. I didnt get home till 8:45.

Hosehead, you are! :)

My parents live in Estes Park, Colorado, where it has snowed (snown?) in the summer at times. By afternoon, all the snow had melted and about 70 deg.

:eek:

Anyway, my commute this morning was great! The weather was perfectly "cool," winds fairly calm. Seems like I hit almost every green light! The two red lights I remember gave me a chance to drink some OJ and fiddle with my gear.

:beer:

Beautiful ride in this morning with a nice tailwind. Special treat on the way home. Due to heavy Memorial Weekend traffic I passed a teen in his hot car (his chick setting next to him, the stereo blasting) four different times over a 2 mile stretch. Long lines at each of the lights so I'd go by him while he waited. I waved the last 2 times. When he could finally pass me for good on a clear stretch he gunned it. Its hard to be cool when your being passed by a bicycle every few blocks!

Mornin All
It's a shorts and jersey day in new england, I hated to stop when I got to work ths morning, the temperature is just about perfect, the sky was clear and the geese that usually block route 20 were in the water. I can't wait for the ride home, I just may get lost for a couple of hours.

mornin
Aaaaahhhhh the value of fenders, The roads were wet from the night rain, there was a lot of sand on the roads that gets picked up by the wet tires. The fenders kept it all where it belongs. All in all it was a very pleasant ride in, the air was warm with high humidity, I kept my speed to about 16 mph and enjoyed the ride. I may get wet this afternoon on the way home.

This morning was great, overcast but bright, perfect temperature and I finally had time to stop & take a picture of the pink ladyslipper orchids blooming along the road. Shortly after that I encountered a snapping turtle crossing the road to lay her eggs, so I got her picture too. Even had a chance to talk to one of the Audubon researchers. Great ride. This evening was a "get lost" night, turned the 8.5 miles into 18. Also a good ride.

What a sense of security bike commuting can give!

The brake shoes wore out on my car (metal on metal! Aak!) and I had to take it in to be fixed. In my pre-bike days, this would have involved a lot of trying to figure out a convenient time to drop it off, or trying to figure out how to kill a day while the mechanic worked, or imposing on family and neighbors for rides. Instead, I just tossed the bike in the back, dropped the car off at the mechanic's, pedalled the three blocks to work, and pedalled home. Rode the bike in to work the next day, picking up my car on the way. :)

Not that I've cared much for the riding conditions lately--warm, humid and vast amounts of insects. Still, could be worse.

Best ride in this week so far. Took the back roads and up a hill that runs along woods that once formed part of a large estate, the woods are fringed with lavender coloured Rhododendrons (sp?) that are currently in full bloom. Nice warm and sunny, but with a slight cooling wind that was only a headwind for about a third of the trip. Made the trip in a record 1hr 5mins despite a few traffic problems coming into Canterbury.

Richard

Great ride in this morning, heavy thick clouds and quite humid, no rain though. I thnik mom nature is saving that for the ride home. A small deer ran across the street in front of me as turned onto the highway, I startled her and she startled me. Got sprinkled 4 times this morning, I often wonder if the people that have lawn sprinklers really know where they actually spray water, most do a great job of watering the street. I go by these places day after day all summer long and they never change. I have to believe that the sprinkling goes on in the early morning and the owners never know.

Last night I had a stupid fall, got my tire caught in some trolley tracks on the detour I have to take because they *still* haven't resurfaced the torn-up stretch of my primary route!

Just some bruises and abrasions on my left elbow and a sore left hip, and the incredible embarrassment of tripping over my own feet, so to speak, in the middle of a crowded urban street.

So this morning's ride was especially welcome, a chance to work out the kinks and the stiffness. The thick morning fog burned off as I rode, and it got sunny for a while until the humidity closed back in and the skies went gray again.

And I saw a road crew starting work on the resurfacing job. There is hope.

I feel much better now.

RichC

Sorry to hear about your mishap Rich.

It could be a whole lot worse!

Inky, I love it.

There's nothing wrong with you, Rich!

:beer:

Mornin fellow crankers
Well, I had a great, dry ride home last night, a little humid but nice. The ride in this morning was about as pleasant as it gets, I took the back country roads, about 15.67 miles in all, 60% of which are steep, long winded hills, my bike weight when I left the house totaled 54.5 pounds with my gear, ride time was 54.5 minutes with an average speed of 17.1 mph. The sky was overcast with thick clouds, the air was still and there was very little traffic, looks like I may get wet on the way home. Oh well, the bridgestone and I could use a good cleaning.

Ha! You're right, I didn't realize how crazy that would sound to a non-cyclist until you pointed it out.

The cure for a bad ride is a good ride. Looked at another way, if having a bad ride means you have to go ride again, how could it have been a bad ride? Any ride that generates another ride is a good ride. So there are no bad rides.

My head hurts. Time to ride.

RichC

Yesterday was one of my rare week-end rides. It was really incredible to see so many cyclists. Most days commuting I see 2, once I saw 6; yesterday I lost count after 32. Admittedly, this was a longer ride than my usual commute, but about the same as my weekly total milage, so I saw at least 3 times as many cyclists as normal. I was on a 3 hours to turnaround ride on my newest bike, and the first ride that I felt I actually would need my Christmas gift hydration pak. I rode from Norwood thru Concord to Carlisle, returning by way of Walden Pond and the DeCordova Museum. Most of the way I was on totally unfamiliar roads chosen from a Rubel bike map. It was a great ride. I saw an Eastern Bluebird along the Sudbury river, a car that had been converted into a fish sculpture parked in amongst all of the cars around a canoe put-in, got chased by some goose parents worried about their not so small goslings, and ate my lunch watching Phoebe's feeding their recent fledges. I did the 70 mile round trip in 5 hrs 25 minutes. I had to take a couple of breaks to eat on the return, and noticed that I was drinking a lot more on the return than outbound, and I struggled a lot more than I should have with some of the hills on the return, but it was an awesome, satisfying ride. A change of pace is good!

Mornin
I think winter is back in new england, I left the house this morning with a wind jacket and gloves, 48 degrees in June. I think I need to move. The morning was clear and the sun was beautiful as it came up in front of me. there was a light head wind and the usual wild life was moving about. I'm looking forward to the ride home.

Cold this morning, feels like december, had to break out the tights and cold weather gloves and skull cap. Summer is really holding off this year. The sky was clear and the air still, not much traffic, the ride in was at a slow easy pace. I averaged 16.1 mph and took 1 hour and 21 minutes to get here. Although cold the ride was very relaxing, a bit warmer woud be nice. I picked up a set of egg beater pedals last night, I thought I'd give em a try, They are an interesting design and I like the 4 sided entry. I'll post my impression of them after riding them a bit.

Today when I started out, there was plenty of wet in the air, but not quite rain. No wind--the ride in was uneventful.

By the time I went home, it was raining--my first commute in the rain! :D I was very glad for the nylon rain jacket I keep in my pannier, and the spare headlight batteries!

All in all, it was an enjoyable ride, though there seemed to be a lot more cars on the highway than normal. Once I got off the highway, I was alone. Suddenly I heard a rustling in the grass on the side of the road. I thought, "That must be an animal, wonder if I'll see it" just as a rabbit (maybe) ran out right under me! It was caught for a moment between my front wheel and my pedalling foot--then it skittered away. I don't think I actually ran over it and I hope it wasn't hurt. It was getting dark (and my glasses were wet) and by the time I looked back, it was gone. I'm pretty sure it was a rabbit, though. Felt like a plump lil rascal, too. :P