NM-NewRoadie

Nice ride home yesterday, very slight headwind for part of the ride. Stopped at one point because riding no-hands is getting very annoying...I have a wobble that is very consistent, and I can stay up with it...but it BUGS! I've been trying to figure out what it is (cuz it didn't used to be there) and I came up with the theory that maybe in a minor wreck (really a tipping over in the driveway incident) that knocked my stem to one side a few months back had also loosened the tension on my headset. II straightened the stem but never thought about the headset bolt until yesterday. So I stopped at one point to tighten it but it didn't make the problem go away.

Just as I was getting going again (still not up to cruising speed) a pack of 3 guys on uber expensive road bikes passed me. All with there "team" shorts and jersey's and shaven legs... Am I the only one that thinks that's funny? I know the Pro's do it...but why do all these others? Anyway...I stayed a respectable distance behind them cuz I didn't want them to think I was drafting (they weren't drafting each other so obviously training ride) As I spun up to my cruising speed for that section of the commute (about 17 mph) I started catching them *evil grin on my face* I shifted into a bigger gear, and upped the RPM's from 90, to 100, cranking a good 20+ MPH, I "on your lefted" them (turkeys were now three wide on the MUP like they owned it or something) and hammered past them. Didn't look back for two crossings and when I did, couldn't see um. Made me smile from ear to ear.

On the way in this morning, I was BLINDED by a runner. *disclaimer* I love old people, and I love anyone who exercises *end disclaimer* as I was getting close to the university, I noticed a runner coming towards me, but he was on a side street and I was crossing his street. I watched to make sure we wouldn't collide with each other cuz he never looked my way. As I got closer....OOOOOHHH....MYYYY......GAAAAWWWWDDDD!!!!!!!! The pain seared my synapses and my brain started to shut down. I still think if I hadn't been pedaling that my whole body might have just STOPPED.... OK, now that you have an idea of how shocked I was...let me try to explain.

This guy was at least 65, maybe 70, and bless his heart for going out jogging that early in the morning...but...*shudders at the memory* he was wearing ULTRA high cut jogging shorts. You know the kind, where the slits in the sides of the legs go all the way up to the waist band? And the entire length of the short is about 6 inches? That was it. No shirt, no hat, no bathrobe. And let me just say, EVERYTHING was all over the place. Luckily for me I passed him quickly and wasn't exposed to more than a glimpse of him, but GAWD. I hope I don't see him again….It was awful. If he had just worn a shirt, and some normal length shorts, everything would have been so much better.

mtessmer

Nice commute, rode the long way in this morning because the sun was shining. It's been cloudy and spitzy off and on all day so the ride home distance won't be desided until I get out there. Not to warm out today, boy, am I ever spoiled... but it's good though.

caloso

I took the lane in a spot where I used to get right hooked all the time. A woman in a black Honda Accord honked at me (which means she saw me), so I turned around and gave her the Look with my hand back. In the next block there's a nice wide spot and no street parking so I pulled over towards the curb and waved her through.

Now, that wasn't so hard was it, lady? Just a few seconds to ensure my safety and to prevent some nasty scratches on her car.

And when I caught her at the red light (which I knew she'd hit), I didn't even think any nasty thoughts about her. Have a nice drive!

jumpr

It's amazing how easy it is to get around in traffic when you use appropriate hand signals. There's one spot where I bike over a narrow overpass, and I take the lane. Then, I have to get in the left turn lane, so I stick out my left hand and point left, then I open my hand and put my palm out to the cars behind me. When cars know what motions I'm going to make, they're so courteous!

Also, my new LEDs came in the mail today from LED Shoppe. I ordered two of the ones in the link; they were shipped (FREE!) from China! They're plenty bright for my morning commutes, and there's some cool flashing patterns too. Plus, since they're only $5 each, I can order more if I lose or break one.

vrkelley

39F on the inbound ride and a beautiful view of the Cascades...
63F and wonderful weather...nice rice home!

spidercyclist

Nice .

tokolosh

*blink* no, no, hair gel goes on your . . . oh never mind.

i was right about combining bike commutes and baseball season. it's gonna be, uh . . . challenging. yay, just what we need: yet more character. score so far for the week is kid 2 games and 2 practices, mom 1 bike-commute. still, we're adjusting to new venues and such, so by the end of spring season i should be sorted enough and in better-enough shape to make summer season a bit less daunting. and tomorrow he can get his own pointy little head to the park that's just a few blocks away i'll see him for the first pitch.

beautiful, glorious morning today. i don't remember much of it now, except that i left after the rush hour, it was pretty and i didn't work all that hard at it. oh, and a girl about my son's age stopped me as i was on my way out, asking if i could change a five for bus-fare. i couldn't, but i had enough for the fare, so i gave it to her and told her to just pass it on to somebody else. she looked like someone late for a final exam or her first day on her first job made me glad i was there on a bike to be stopped, instead of barrelling past in my car.

ride home was wunnderful. making up for baseball time, i stayed a bit late, so i was leaving at around 7pm with the sky all high and cloudy and light, and this wonderful coolness to everything. it's really nice not to be under pressure, and to have some daylight still happening at the end of the day. i took it easy, and still made it home sooner than i used to by sweating up a lung on the old bike. and bought pizza for dinner; ain't credit cards and cell phones just great?

songs: come a long way (500 miles), michelle shocked; ain't gonna be treated this way, woody guthrie; boomer's story, ry cooder.

scottmorrison99

Good rides both ways interrupted in the middle by 12 hours of work. Might get two coworkers to try bike commuting for bike to work week next month. I'll keep working on eliminating their excuses. They both are talking about doing it, just in good weather only. Wimps! Gotta start somewhere. I pick up the new road bike tomorrow. I'm off, but I'll be putting in some miles. Poor MTB will become the rainy day bike.

buzzman

great ride in this am. Boston's winds are all over the place this spring. Unpredictable and odd directions.

coming home I had to run an errand and get to a shop in Allston/Brighton before it closed at 8p, or did it close at 7:30P?, I couldn't remember. So, I tore out of work in downtown Boston, hopped on the bike path and was frantically pedaling to get to this place. I figured I'd hop off the path over by BU shoot down Comm Ave and I'm there. Lots of joggers, cyclists etc. on the path and I'm pounding by all of them. Up ahead I see another cyclist also moving at a good clip but I was gaining fast on him and I look down at my cyclometer and it's reading 26mph(!), which means I'm going all out on the commuter bike (probably aided by a gusty tail wind). I pass by him and continue on my way.

Now a 1/4 mile down the path I've just got to make a quick left off the path over the little footbridge to the backside of BU and, fortunately, I check over my shoulder before I turn on the odd chance someone might be about to pass even at that speed. And there, hanging an inch off my wheel, just off to the left is the guy I'd passed a 1/4 mile back. Thank God I looked back because I almost didn't and just swung a quick left, had I done that we would have gone down in a heap. I wish people wouldn't do that- or at least have the guts to eek out a little, "mind if I ride your wheel?" so I know they're there or if they lack the manners to ask permission to just say, "I'm on your wheel."

grrrrr.... don't mind me it's been a long week.

Oh yeah, and I did get to the store on time.

And what's with all the double parked cars on Comm Ave.? I wanted to kick all their doors in... what am I saying? It was a gorgeous spring day but I just wanted everybody out of my way (and off my eff'in wheel) today for some reason.

jeff-o

A great ride today, finally warm enough to wear shorts in the morning (10C). I can feel myself getting stronger each time I ride, it's awesome.

Also, I feel that, as of yesterday, I'm officially part of the Commuter Club. For the first time ever, some loser in a black smoke-belching VW yelled "get off the road!" and sped off... I'm so proud!

vtjim

Winds calm this morning. ~40F. More blue sky and sunshine.

On two afternoons this week I've seen a guy who I think is a commuter but I'm not outgoing enough to ask him. He's kind of a power-rider. Never slows down, even for trail congestion. Seems to have roughly my cruise speed, but he's on a much nicer bike of some kind, with small panniers, no other accessories, and clipless pedals. And he wears green and white lycra. (Nobody here, is it?)

Yesterday he passed me when I was coasting over a bridge checking out scenery (Lake Champlain and Adirondack Mountains) and sipping some water. I reeled him back in, barely. Eventually we went our own separate ways.

WhiteRabbit

Weird. Just plain weird. Yesterday I decided to take the longer way home, which pushes my one way trip from 5 miles to 10. Nothing big. Normaly a quite nice ride, but for some reason it felt like I was bonking out around the 8 mile mark, which made no sense. I get home and was really out of it the rest of the evening. This morning I get up and feel great, so I start to ride on in, following my normal 5 mile route. This time I started having problems around mile 4. What gives? I should not be having these sorts of problems.

pinkrobe

My knee was killing me on the way in. I went for the inaugural SS mtn bike ride and torqued the hell out of my legs. I think I need a PRK [Patella Replacement Kit].

eastbaybob

A ten minute ride to the office this morning under partly cloudy skys.

For the week I was 5 of 5 for bike commutes. For the year I am -5 in bike commutes, in that on 5 occasions I have failed to commute to work on my bike.

A couple other interesting facts for the year. I have heard one car honk (not at me) this year. I have never not been given the right of way by any vehicle, even when I don't have it. One flat tire but not for a few days after I got home, it was a big nail, an inch long, that stayed in there. I have not seen another cycle commuter, but I know there are some even here in my building.

rule

First commute in a long long time in heavy rain. The Showers Pass gear was perfect again, even in flash flood conditions. Wish I had brought along the shoe covers though. I'm not sure that it would have helped but it would have been a heck of a test for them.

The only challenge along my commute was the hike & bike trail through a local park. There was a ton of water draining and channeling down along the trail towards a park lake. Hundreds of duck were congregated all along the flow. I guess a ton of breakfast must have been in the process of being washed down towards the lake. They were furiously working the flow and weren't even wanting to get out of the way. It was pretty funny, creaping along and getting cussed out in duck.

NM-NewRoadie

Nice slow commute in this morning. Was supposed to meet a friend halfway through my ride to finish our commutes together, but he called me on my way there and said his daughter had been up sick all night, and he wasn't going to make it. I had left early cuz he's on a mountain bike and slower than me so I just cruised all the way in. Very pleasent when you don't have to try hard ;-). Going slowly gave me time to enjoy the scenery and the crisp morning weather (47 F) and think a lot about an argument my wife and I had last night...I felt better about things.

frankthetank

Commuting yesterday was a little different then most commutes i've seen/read about. My commute changes with the water levels of the Mississippi!??? Yup, to cut my commute in 1/2, i've built up the courage to take off my shoes and walk across a slim covered spillway while carrying my bike. It should be noted that this only happens when the water levels are high and normally this is just concrete that anyone can walk across/fish on

RonH

That's a little more daring than my commute.
What happens if you slip?
Anybody see a bike float by?

DataJunkie

No commute today. At least by bike.
This is my new exchange clothing and food container day. AKA break

Yesterday's commute home was somewhat interesting. I was tired and decided to try out a gel I had purchased a while ago.
Mid commute I came upon a very attractive female roadie and followed her for a while enjoying the view.
Later I passed her and she returned the favor 10 minutes later. I paced her for a while on a MUP waiting to pass. We both came upon two men riding mountain bikes. So, both of us pull to the left preparing to pass. Then the first man noticed us and went into the middle of the MUP trying to haul ass on a huffy. This was annoying in its own right but the real annoyance was this: loosing fitting jeans + 250 lb man trying to haul = massive ass crack.
The lady in front of me could not figure out how to pass him. After a minute or two of this with my energy level rising due to the gel, I pulled a no no and passed the lady who was also trying to pass ass crack man. Thus, dusting both of them.
Massive energy plus butt nastiness overwhelmed any patience I had. ah well

frankthetank

Lets just say i take it slow...real slow! If the rain lets up here in the next hr, i plan biking again today. The slime(algae?) reminds me of walking on ice, but barefoot.

another view (this is an old image, its been remodeled since this one...use to really suck!)

buzzman

a bit of blustery wind on occasion. A sad sight on Storrow Drive to see one of the many Canadian geese run over. Tough at this time of year since they are in nesting pairs right now awaiting the imminent hatching of their goslings. So, some goose is missing their mate and some goslings one of their parents. bummed me out a bit.

The ride back was swift with a touch of tail wind at times. Might try to squeeze a late afternoon road ride in if I can.

recursive

Fast!

New personal record of 29:43 for the 10.4 mile ride.

scottmorrison99

Rode with my son today, planning the route of his new commute to school. He enjoys riding as much as I do. I rode my new road bike and it's like a cardio workout instead of the weightlifting of riding my MTB. I won 2 pounds of See's candy in a raffle, but I wanted to win the bike. I only have 4. Ride on.

caloso

Changed my route slightly and a couple of interesting things happened:

1) I was passed by the local roadie hammerheads heading down to the Thursday night South River Road ride. I forgot that that's started back up now that it's DST. I need to remember to ride the geared bike and bring shorts and a jersey on Thursdays.

2) I was nearly taken out by some moron who couldn't be bothered to use his turn signal. I'm sorry that my telepathic powers are on the blink.

3) Waiting at a light, I saw a woman in a car I kind of know from the office. She said she recognized my bag and thought it was me. And as the light turned and she started to pull away, she said--in a very serious, I'm going to pray for you sort of way--"Be careful!" I said, "I always am. You be careful yourself."

rando

cloudy and humid today. lots of cyclists out, including one that looked like a hell's angel-- long hair, grey beard, and tattoos all over.
made some adjustments-- I raised my seat a couple inches and it made a huge difference! all this time I've been too low! I need to raise the bars a little bit and I'm set.