first full week of commuting after a couple of weeks off of the bike. 70F today and the bike path, which felt like it belonged to me and a few other hardy souls all winter, is now packed with strollers, runners, wanderers, meandering bikers, roller bladers, sunbathers, even small groups congregating in the center of the bike path to meet and chat and talk and wonder why I ring my little bell as I approach.

Tagged along with a huge group of riders for critical mass on the ride home tonight, looped about the city with them for about 45 minutes but just couldn't seem to bring myself to not stop at traffic lights and run down pedestrians in the cross walks for too long before I felt a little too self righteous for my own good and had to peel off and head home. It was a good sizable group though and a great night for it. It's like a little mini-revolution/carnival on wheels and for the most part has a good spirit- I'm just not in my comfort zone with some of those who choose hostile antagonism towards motorists. So, in keeping with old Massachusetts traditions I had my touch of civil disobedience and then rode off to the beat of a different drummer.

Dogwoods in bloom today. Lots of robins. Spring has sprung.

4/1/06 is the first day of my retirement so I did my last commute Thursday, had to drive Friday to haul all my cuby stuff home. I plan on riding daily but it may be hard without the motivation of getting to work!

4/1/06 My first Commute on 2 wheels. I can see there is a little more palnning I need to do. I also need to figure out my pace so I cool off faster when I get to work. I was hot for 20 minutes and was just starting to cool off after I was clocked in. It is only 10 miles round trip on a mix of road, sidewalks, and bike trails, but I am out of shape, and it is my first time riding since winter ended. Unfortunately the bike trails I have to take are in horrible shape for my road bike. I will need to change the tires I have to make up for the rough conditions. Nice breeze and little traffic. All in all I can't wait for Monday.

Pouring rain going in, dry ride going home, and headwinds kicking my butt both ways. The best thing about weekends is the lack of traffic. Hoping for rain and no headwinds tomorrow.

One stops commuting, one starts...

Ride in was dry with a headwind. Ride home was raining with a headwind. Coming home the wind kept me to 11 MPH. I had a carload of teenage girls challenge me to a race. I had to smile, at least they saw me and didn't try to buzz me. I love riding in the rain, but I definitely could do with out the wind.

First ride in the last 4 days. Went out of town w/ no bike so my legs feel fresh and ready for more abuse. Almost got right hooked once, had to go around a few taxis that sped ahead of me only to turn right and stop to wait for peds allowing me to pass them and almost had a cab turn into me changing lanes while I was there. Turns out the middle of a 4 lane avenue really is the safest place to be. Saw this woman outside my office bldg. taking pics w/ total strangers.

http://ia.imdb.com/media/imdb/01/I/07/47/18m.jpg

Ride in was mostly good this morning. Picked up some Shimano sandals and pedals at the LBS this weekend - more on that in another post if I have time. It's my first set of clipless pedals, so this was the first commute with them. Very nice! I managed not to forget to unclip at stops, managed to unclip the right foot, and had no problem clipping back in, so I would call that a success. The sandals were unbelievably comfortable and secure. Very please so far.

I did get buzzed by an 18 wheeler - I was doing 20, and he was probably doing 25 and had a full lane open to his left. Also got honked at by an idiot in a pickup - first time that's happened. Headwind kicked my butt on a couple of stretches, but the ride time was pretty standard 53 minutes. Went to turn my blinky off when I got of the bike, and it was gone. I think I must have lost it on the one bad stretch of road I ride, which means I did 12+ miles without it. Good thing my pack has an obnoxious hi-vis rain cover that I always use on the way in. Lack of blinky might explain the idiot in the truck honking, but I doubt it...

It was cloudy here this morning, the radio said rain begining in the afternoon, and on and off for the next three days. The ride took about ten minutes and I felt the first few drops as I was getting to the office.

Nice commute this morning, I wore the raingear in but didn't need it. The radar looks like I may definetly need it tonight tho:D ugh.

I'll be eligible for retirement in October and I might leave then. I have the same plan after I retire but also the same concerns. Anyway, I had a nice commute, cool (30F/-1C) and windy but sunny. It's not warming up much but I took the long way in and I'll probably take the long way home.

Did 20 miles home on Thursday, great day for a ride, cool, light traffic, fantastic. First 40 mile day! Thought it would be the start of a weekend of great riding, but then a project helping a friend do maintanance work on her car went horribly wrong Friday (I had Friday off) I ended up not riding on Saturday morning because of it, or on Sunday, and It's STILL messing up my rides. Looks like it will be at my house all week and maybe then some before we get it fixed.

Short route in this morning (8 miles) not a bad ride, I put on my compact double this weekend (about the only bike stuff I had time for) and it rides pretty good. Currently having to do a lot of shifting to try and find the gear I want to spin...hopefully I'll get more used to it in the future. I can already tell that it will help a lot on the BTC this year, with all those lovely hills they have planned for us :-)

Won't be commuting home, need to take home my "spare" car so that the friend has something to drive, I swear I'm never working on another friends car again. No matter what, it's just too much trouble.

No ride today. We left for the mountains directly from work on Thursday night and I left my bike in its locker. So I carpooled in with Mrs. Caloso and the Wonder Twins. It's just as well, since it was POURING at 7:45 this morning. Like a fire sprinkler.

Hopefully it'll be a little drier on the way home. Plus, I need to hit the LBS. It's the last day of their spring sale and they sell tubes as a loss leader. I always stock up.

I had a strong tailwind all the way in this morning. I was travelling the same speed (or faster) than the traffic so I took the right lane and rode with traffic the whole way in. It drove some of the cagers crazy knowing that there was thirty feet of space between me and the car infront of me that they could be productively using. There were a few people who waved and smilled, a few who had other (rude) gestures and a few who layed on the horn. I had one woman race past me in the left lane cut back right in front of me and hit the brakes while giving me the bird. Lots of good that did her because she had to look and my smiling face in her rear view mirror for the rest of her drive. Kill with kindness. I didn't have to get mad at her because another driver (with a roof rack and cycling stickers all over the faring) started honking and yelling and gesturing at her for me. That aside it was a great and fast ride to work.

Wet ride home and idiot cabbie buzzed me. Had another woman speed ahead and right hook me. I was tempted to crash into her just to teach her a lesson, but the Koolstops work too well in the wet for that. Got home and found a package slip from the post office so right back out again to pick up a box of mixed fruit chips from my Mom. She rocks!

Mom always makes a bad day better.

It's getting warmer and wamer every day. The sun was at the perfect height to blind me for most of my ride, so I squinted like a madman.

windy ride on the way in today about 1pm. but it stayed blowing from the east so I got a nice push on the way home.
Tragedy at the building right next to the one I work in- the scaffolding collapsed on a construction site killing at least 3 people. I had just ridden by it and parked my bike across the street and went into my building and then found out about a half hour later what had happened. A sad and scary event. We were all sent home. Almost couldn't get to my bike because the street was blocked off and the cop I asked about my bike was pretty surly but then he relented and walked me to the bike while I unlocked it.

A bike is a great way to get out of a city during an emergency. The traffic in the area was a nightmare. Had my car been parked on that street I wouldn't have had access to it for a day or two. Glad to be home safe and sound.

nice ride today. cloudy. it's heating up here... temps now up in the 80s. it won't be long before we have 100 degree days (may, june, july, August, Sept) that will be the true test of my commuting resolve, if I continue in the heat. I will try. anyway, it's not bad yet. and It was nice today. my route is slightly uphill going home, so it tires me out a bit, but I'm sure as I get stronger that will get better.

Dry into work, wet on the way back.

Pros:
- This morning was one of those fantastic commutes. No headwind, sunny but a bit cool. Work shirt/blazer and the warmth of the sun on your back... moments like that you remember.
- Evening, a wet ride back. Headwind over bridge as well. Wait, why is this in the pro area? Oh yeah... great temp, had my rain shell, got my work pants soaking but didn't care. Felt great being on the bike and not stuck next 100 wet subway rats^H^H^H^Hriders. That pair of rain pants is on the list... Campmor time soon...

Con:
- Erm... works pants and chain don't mix. Time to pay the $3 idiot tax at the dry cleaners again...

Tail wind - and warm!
 

Left early (5pm) and flew home to beat the wave of thurnderstorms. Very good time - 39 minutes, 12 miles and 18.5 mph average. Got to wear shorts, short sleeve jersey, and summer gloves! Had to take the windbreaker off. DST - the whole ride in sunshine!

Darn bike
 

Well, I've been commuting for 7 months and have logged over 2,000 car avoidance miles plus weekend ride which is another 1,000 miles. The old girl is wearing out. Broke a spoke (steel) and if that was not enough got a flat (unrelated) 1 mile from home so I just walked her home. Broken spoke and a flat! Made the mistake (I suspect) of going from 1.25 tires to 1.125" (yes, they are 27" wheels) and although they are great on weekend rides they don't seem to survive the daily commute as this is flat #2 in 300 miles on NEW tires. UGH!!

I may have saved gas and oil changes but my bike is now worn out and requires a new rear wheel as this is the 4th spoke and the process is getting tedious......but fun, but fun!

I rode the wife's Trek Mulitrack today. Lead sled but no flats or broken spokes!

Congrats on your retirement ollo ollo!

Congrats
 

I understand. I have a tough time keeping up with regular riding when I can't ride to work. I hope you can work it into your new routine, whatever that may be. Congrats on your retirement.

Huge winds yesterday...
 

I had my slowest ride in ever yesterday. The wnds were in my face at 15 to 20 mph, and I had an extra pannier with my laptop in it. I was well loaded down. Still fun. 36 minutes for 6.5 miles, took about 5 minutes extra.

On the way home the winds worsened and it blew rain at my every crevice. I don't know their speed, but I know that when I crossed a large, level bridge I peddled as hard as I could and managed about about 8 mph. Had it in 1st gear on my 7 speed. When I crossed the bridge, I jumped to the sidewalk. Later, on the part of the ride that was wind assisted, I had a lot of fun. In my longest stretch I had a cross breeze, which was crazy. Gusts were trying to push me around. I had my lights on and kept going pretty hard. I didn't dare slow down.

More rain or even snow is in the forecast today. I'm letting my gear dry out and drove in :o(.

Wet, Windy & Warm this morning. At first I couldn't quite figure out why I was so slow, but soon realized the winds had switched. My usual morning tailwind had flipped on me so dropped to the small chainring and proceeded to spin. Yesterdays packed bike room is empty once again as the part-time commuters don't want to get wet. What really amazes me is how some commuters bike in, but don't bike home. They just leave their bike to machines to sit for days, weeks and even months in one case.

Yay!....page 500 :D