Wow...a nice ride in today...was able to eliminate some slowspots/stopspots along my route. Took 4 minutes off of my 18.5 mile commute to work reduced riding time to 1 hour 15 minutes, and I felt like I did that leisurely. Should be sunny, cool and only a 4 to 5 mph SSW wind in my face for the ride home...YAY! :D

Pleasantly cool weather, big orange moon setting, foggy going through the woods again. Did the entire ride (4:50 - 6:20am) before sunrise--need to get that 12V lead/acid powered DIY halogen light system I started building finished to augment the white LED ones.

Saw one semi-serious (head & tail lights, dressed in cycling clothes, but no helmet) commuter this morning, pretty rare to see anyone. (Well, there's the occasional no-lights, no-helemt, dressed like a street slob, wrong-way-riding, maybe-they-lost-their-license type, but I don't generally count them.)
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Pseudo-Random Commutting Thought of the Day: Keep your RPM's up and your breakfast down.

This morning was pretty good. Stopped at a lot of lights with other commuters (usually I only see one or two on my new route), and shared a few cheery "good mornings!" Plus, I tried pacing with a couple of them for a while, and really upped my speed. This unfortunately resulted in a sweatier Mugsy upon arrival at work.

Funny thing happened on the ride home last night. Was was riding home from work, and as I was coming over the bridge on Damen (about 3 miles from home), I was coming up to a red light. So I started to slow down, and heard someone behind me honk.

I got ready to turn around and give them my cyclist version of the bird (aka "wave and smile"), thinking "who's this jackass who's honking at me while I stop for a light?"

But it was my fiancee, driving home from work. Ha! I kept pace with her for quite a while - but then she caught a light at Roscoe that I missed, and that was the end of that. Still, she only got home about five minutes before I did

Light rain last night on the way home. The trip home is pretty quick, so I just rode it out in my Tshirt. It's only water anyways.

Had some fool trick me with his blinker.... 4 lane section and he was pacing behind me to the left with his right blinker on. There was a turn lane to my right, so I figured he wanted in the lane but wasnt sure. I moved left into the lane to signal my intent to go straght. He followed me [straight] up the hill at 30mph [in a 40] with his right blinker still flashing. Lesson learned...Blinkers are a lousy guide of a drivers true intent. But I suppose I already knew that.

This morning's ride was was like playing Frogger... cars everywhere. Seemed like every cross street had someone waiting to pull out. Packs of unleashed dog walkers, etc. I put the flashing LED headlight on the bars this morning and I believe it kept the whole lot of them at bay. It's pretty bright and obnoxious. :)

That "4-letter" season is on the way. :crash: Slightly overcast and getting less warm. :(
This morning's temperature was cool enough that I probably won't be wearing my sandals much longer. I hate that. :cry:
Only saw a few commuters but had a great ride. :beer:

No commuting tomorrow. I worked on Labor Day so I'm taking tomorrow off. :p
I'll be "commuting" on my road bike to Stone Mountain for what I hope will be a great day of riding. :)

I felt like I was seriously drag-@ssing it this morning. Heavy legs, tired feeling, couldn't wake up until a mile or two into the ride. Of course, my g/f and I went out to a concert last night, and 5am rolls up on you quick when you don't get to bed until midnight.

The concert rocked (Matisyahu/Polyphonic Spree/Street Drum Corps) and feeling sluggish this morning is a small price to pay for such a fun time.

I had a lovely ride in with my wife today. The weather was great, the sunrise was red from all the forest fires in BC, and traffic was quite manageable. It's nice riding with her, since I ride at her speed and don't get as sweaty. We can also blow kisses to each othe as I make my turnoff for work. <awwwww>

Very short and painful today. See this thread for details http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=226363

:(

Brisk. Gray but not foggy. Nonetheless, out came the headlight. Pretty dim bulb after spending the summer in the garage, but it's charging now.

Socks man! Socks! all black looks like regualr shoes - well as much as any bike shoes look like regular shoes. icebike.com lists sandals as one of the icebiker options. just strap them sandals under som toasting layers and get pedalling... ;)

As I approached the most dangerous intersection on my commute this morning, I noticed a slightly longer than normal line at the light. After waiting in line for a few minutes I decided to slowly inch my way forward between the cars and then noticed several wrecked vehicles blocking both lanes in my direction. There was a four car crash (two looked really bad) that must have just happened because emergency crews were not yet on the scene. A few motorists were out of their vehicles and helping those who were injured.

There was no way to ride through so I decided to get off the bike and cross ped style. Lots of emergency vehicles started to show up as I was making my way across. I was running a little late this morning, but now was glad that I wasn't there any sooner. As always, be careful out there.

Uneventful commute this morning. Rode in later (9:15) than usual because the Thing's 2nd ultrasound was this morning. Happy to report that everything looks good. :)

Virtually no one on the road at that time of day. Too bad I can't ride at that time every day....

Perfect ride home. Left work early (allowed to work from home); minimal traffic on the roads. Set a new PB of 67 minutes on my 22 mile commute (19.1mph av). Woot! :D

Another great day of commuting. Cager in a Lincoln Navigator was in a really big toot this morning. Ran a stop sign, made a left turn and slammed on his brakes after about half a block. Tried a u-turn but couldn't make a clean one. He had to back up twice to get the thing turned around. Guess his cage wasn't equipped with the latest GPS gizmo.

Finally decided to chime in on this thread, been reading it for a while. My commute is 22 to 26 miles each way depending on the route I take. Currently trying for twice a week with a goal of 3 times a week. Wanted my first post in this thread to be a positive one but today's ride home was kind of crappy so I'll post about that instead.

I got out of work about a half hour late so took the shortest route which includes a short stretch I don't really like for several reasons. One of them being a railroad crossing that is right at a switch yard. Tonight at rush hour traffic they are rearanging box cars blocking the road for a good 15 minutes. So after standing there for 15 minutes now I have this humungous line of cars behind me on a road with a highway crossing that goes back and forth from 2 lanes to 4 several times. So I get through that with just some lost time. Next I'm on part of my ride that is a bike path that runs parallel to a major freeway in Metro Detroit. At the major roads where there are entrance/exit ramps the path has to cross the streets. The worst of these crossings has a go signal for the path preceeded by a right turn arrow for the auto traffic. So basically when I get my green I have to interupt a steady flow of right turning traffic whose light just went from green arrow to green...sounds safe eh? Normally I ride out into the intersection making eye contact and forcing someone to let me through, which they normally do once they see me. Tonight was the first time I actually made eye contact with a driver as I slowy entered the intersection and she just kept on coming. So I let her pass, give her look and I'm on my way as the next car lets me through. Lastly I'm about 3 miles from home on a two lane semi residential street. I hear this clang like something broke on my bike followed by this hissing sound. I still don't know what I road over because I didn't see it and didn't take the time to go back. No tube with me today so I walk the bike down the street and find a decent spot and proceed to patch my punctured tube. First time patch job for me but it went OK, took a little long, like 20 or 25 minutes.

Sorry for the long post, just one of them days.

Nice, easy, cool, clear, no wind.
Far change from last nights ride home with strong winds against me, a broken seat, and tired legs.

Oooh, and I saw another commuter. An actual commuter...with a bike decked out with lights, and panniers, and all. Pretty lady too...wish she had been going the same direction :b

missing out on my commute today because of injury sustained on yesterdays.

Dragged @ss something serious this morning, my legs hated me. Acceleration really was a chore. Might have something to do with my lack of proper hydration lately, or maybe I was still moody after watching the dolphins lose last night.:mad:

I keep having neeeeear incidents on my way to/from work, mostly just basic courtesies that are extended to drivers but not cyclists. Makes me think there needs to be a bit more bike 'advocacy' in drivers ed courses and the like.

Weather might prove to be a factor today. Ride in was a nice 50F, but cloud cover was heavy. The sun came up as a big muted red ball. The forcast is for thunderstorms, not a chance of thunderstorms, just thunderstorms :). The legs were a bit taxed from riding the MTB last night, but I slogged into work none the less.

I have to get used to all of the extra cars on the road due to school back in session.

Got a feeling the ride home tonight will be a wet one. I already went out and put the cover on the bike since it started raining a while ago.

It was super-quiet on the way in today. Many of the larger employers in the downtown core have instituted a "days off in leiu of pay" policy, so there are literally hundreds of people not coming into work on certain Fridays. It's kinda nice!

I was relieved to be back on the new bike this morning. I really don't like driving to work, even though it's not a hard thing to do. I look forward to the ride.

Let's see: I saw a mouse (or something) skitter across the MUP. I also saw a cat, not near the mouse. Plus, lots of squirrels, and a chipmunk. I've also noticed waterfowl in Lake Champlain. That can't be good news. It means they're migrating south. :(

I took the Liquid off the MUP and onto some dirt trails but not for very long because I was late.

brisk, foggy. Crazy car traffic, I need to get back to either before the flood or after it, restore some of my own sanity.

Overslept this morning by about an hour, put myself together and got on the bike in record time. I thought I'd be dragging since last night's dinner conisted primarily of cookies and milk but was surprised to find that I was cruising along at 20 mph with little effort. Since it was so late I had plenty of light and stripped the bike of its headlight/battery to save some weight (plus I don't like the clutter of these things). It was cool and foggy and should be a nice ride home.

Now that school is back in session, I no longer have to transport my daughter to day camp. That means that the Trail-A-Bike has been removed, making my bike about 25 pounds lighter. I'm still enjoying how quickly and easily I get up hills. Noow, if they would only finish up with the coinstruction at the Routes 50 and 27 overpass...

With these cool mornings and warm afternoons, it's like experiencing summer and fall in a single day.

Paul

Paul

As I reported bout two months ago, I wouldn't be commuting much anymore because I would be driving my pregnant wife into work. Well, she's still pregnant so I'm still "Driving Mrs.Williams" .

Today I was amazed at how many wobbly new cyclist (students) are out riding with no helmets :eek:. Funny-Scary just to watch them, handlbars swinging from side to side, torso wriggling. Knees coming out the side trying to maintain balance :D :eek:.

Pedaling through the dark
toward a full, yellow moon
floating over the misty corn fields.
Life is good!

Pretty amazing morning, got up at the appointed 5:30 but didn't have to take the dogs out (as the SigOth was taking them to the dog park later). Got out the door at 6 for my 3.5 mile ride downtown (fixed 2004 Bianchi Pista). Moon huge in the west, nice and cool morning. Made most of the lights and got to the bus early. Getting brighter as the bus drops me in the Northland for the last 5 miles. Last night I figured out the quickest way from work to the bus, so I repeat the process. Almost the most scenic and not very many cars at 6:40, so I ease my way past the leveled forest that will soon be a housing complex and across to the frontage road. When I get to the swoopy section, up and down and up and down...I get to the top of the highest small hill and the Airport is to the left with the moon above it and a few slivers of orange peaking through the haze to my right. Soon it is a floating orb above the trees.

Doesn't get much better...

Tgif
 

Cool morning here in the South Puget sound it was below 50 at 4:30 when I started my 7.2 mile commute Large moon and except for a couple of Semi's in the Sumner industrial park area it was pretty quiet seemed hard to get going for some reason but after a mile or so I warmed up and everything started to work (my joints that is) On the way home I took it easy enjoyed the sunshine and a little breeze made it home in 37 minutes not bad for a lazy ride I thought

god I love it when the temps get out of the 100s. nice both ways. riding home, to save a few minutes I decided to ride on the sidewalk. on the wrong side of the street. I won't be doing that again!:eek: more pedestrians out now that the temps have dropped, too. might be time to abandon the sidewalk. when I got home my ice water was still cold.

Back in Boston after a summer of bike commuting in NYC, Rome, Lisbon and then road riding in western Massachusetts. It's great to be back in Beantown and riding the bikepath into the city daily. Today was a beautiful commute along the Charles River. Not quite the same as riding along the Tiber, the Tagus, the Hudson, the East River or the Housatonic but it sure was nice to be home.