Yesterdays commute was bad had a pet problem had to do the vet then rush to work so I drove. I got off work had a Dr's appointment (fit as a fiddle once again thank you Bianchi and Specialized) got about 5 miles from home on the freeway when the truck decided to quit. Just stopped my AAA membership in Oct cause I don't drive the thing anymore ugh expensive vet bill and tow bill all in one day. I have been thinking about returning to a no auto lifestyle (20 out of my 30 years of driving age has been by mass transit, foot or bicycle) got up this am and it was raining but I was so happy to be back on the bike I didn't even notice it ANd am looking forward to tonights ride in the thunder :D

My first commute above zero today, had new pair of Hs-33 installed! gosh, i love those brakes :love:
I also switched from rigid to a suspension fork, my bike is more laid-back now, very pleasant for my return rides.

Weather; wind 2 Bf, temp 5 degC. , foggy conditions, some showers.

Looks like you can use a pint of beer! :beer:

Hey Ed, congrats!

Have a good trip and enjoy the party :fun: :beer: :fun:

2 days of beautiful commutes; it started snowing yesterday on my way to work and by evening we had 4-5 inches of wet snow on the ground. Nokia studded tires worth their money again. This snow clung to my wheels more and my front brake quickly froze up, so I really appreciated my rear disc brake. There was a nice head wind on the way home that did a great job of sculpting the snow onto the trees. The trip to work this morning was awesome, too bad I forgot my camera. The trees all had these nice vertical snowdrifts on them, really wonderful. Makes up for the slow going. Tonight was a hard ride with all the ruts frozen, but still fun. Winter riding is fun, I love showing up for work on my bike having clients see me, and learn that it is possible to commute by bike year round.

This morning was promising, it was still hot but I could sense the embryonic stages of a relieving southerly change coming through. However, since then some **** has decided to start yet another bushfire, so this afternoon's commute is going to really suck - unless it somehow rains between now and then.

I haven't commuted in about two weeks; sore from working on a shed project, and then got a cold with bad symptoms. So this evening, when my wife drove home with a burned out front headlight, I rode my bicycle to the store to pick up a replacement. I wanted to go out at night, and rode around the neighborhood just to look at the Christmas lights. Wow, what a show, especially compared to where I've been years before. It'll get me on the bike again in the morning just to go home after dark and see the lights.

John

Tough going today, left the house 0 degrees F, clothing layered up, computer froze and had no display, right shifter would only shift up so I rode the entire ride in the big ring. I took my panniers off before I left to lighten the load. Traffic was light but the car windshields were all iced up causing a few uncomfortably close motorists. I was still toasty in my clothing when I arrived at work, my average speed 13.2 mph for 18.5 miles.

Was a chilly ride for me. I haven't commuted to work in the coldest of weather yet. Today was my first REALLY cold day. It was 27F when I started. I had good layering and I stayed warm the whole time. I still have one more layer at home that I can add if it get colder... I'll probably add that if it's down under 20F.

My cyclocomputer totally froze up. The screen was still good and showing digits and such, but it wasn't reading any speed or time. I double checked and the magnet was very close to the pickup. I've been having problems with this for sometime now in colder weather. I think it finally just got too cold for it. I am thinking I will pull out my old "wired" cyclocomputer and just use that from now on. The current one I have is wireless. Plus I use it on both my bikes. It's great to just switch the computer from bike to bike, but I guess if it can deal with the cold, it's not much use.

Funny thing happened: A police officer was pulled over and standing in front of his car with his radar gun out. Obvious speed trap. No cars where behind me as I was pulling up to him and he aimed the radar gun at me to check out my speed. I tried to duck out of the way and he just laughed. He said I was "moving along pretty good" when I passed him. Course, I couldn't tell because my computer was frozen up by that time. But I was on a hill so I doubt I was doing more than 12 or 13 mph at the time. Its a good thing I didn't get me a little ways up the road and coming home... it's a monster hill. I've hit 35 or 36 on it several times. Speed limit is 25. LOL. I wonder if he'd pull me over.

PBW

December has provided some nice variety so far. Today it was in the 50s with big winds from the south. In addition, when I started my ride this morning the rain was coming down at a nice clip, but let up as I got into my commute. It was the first time in a while I saw no other bikers. This month has been a big weather experiment, the conditions have varied so much that I have really been able to fine tune what it takes to get to work in whatever weather. Right now I am rooting for a cold front, I think life is easier with frozen precipitation.

My light was running low this morning, so i had to turn on my spare LED.
My return ride was very relaxing, did the off-road route and came home with a very muddy face!

weather; wind... no wind today! :D , temp 2 degC. light showers

My final commute for the year 2003! tomorrow i`m gonna celebrate my two weeks off.

:fun: :beer: :fun:


Enjoy the rides and stay safe!

Beautifully crisp and clear morning here during this window between two big storms of the Pineapple Express. I think it was 37F when I left the house at 6:40, which is about as cold as it gets here. Took the long way in. Many folks at bus stops said good morning and drivers were courteous and friendly. Maybe the holiday season is taking hold...

Thankfully, they got the building water heater working again. (Yesterday morning's shower was pretty brisk! Didn't need coffee after that.)

My assignment list is fairly short today and if my good luck holds out, maybe my boss will let me go home early and I can take the long way home too.

Tough rides the past couple of days. I've found it very difficult to muster the energy and commuting by bike has become a chore not a pleasure.:(

Its my last commute of the year so hopefully next year will be better.

We finally got a southerly. Did it ever cool things down quickly! :D :thumbup:

I had a totally stranger stop me on one of the dark stretches of my commute this morning. He asked if I was the fellow with all the wild and crazy lights on his bike. I said, yes indeed I am. He said he could see me from a long ways back and that my lighting setup was a real attention grabber. It was nice to have some verification of your rear facing light print.

Other than that it was a cool, but not frigid 12 F when I headed out, with just a slight head wind. Forecast is calling for a high of 40 F today, so looking like a warm ride home.

Seven more commuting days this year!

It must be acknowledgement day, TC! A pedestrian walking through the 7-11 parking lot this morning said loudly, "Wow, they sure won't have any trouble seeing you!" to me as I rode by on the street. Trouble is, I didn't figure out what he had said until I was a block or 2 away, so I didn't acknowledge his comment.

Things are warming up here, +3 C and a few light showers this morning, a lovely ride in. I found my lost cell phone this morning, in the parking lot where I park and ride, it must have been under the snow when I had 2 or 3 good searches for it on Monday and Tuesday. Anyways, somebody drove over it (maybe me) so it's done like dinner. That's 2 phones squashed this year, both attributed to cycling. I have learned my lesson (you do have to tell me twice!) and now keep the phone in the back pocket of my bike jacket when riding.

Yesterday's commute was excellent, had to leave work early for a dentist appointment, got to ride home in the daylight!!

First slide on ice of the season, but luckily only the rear went...

Geez...forecast was calling for 40 F as a high today with cloudy skies. Well, no clouds, so temps are already up to 45 F and climbing. It will feel like early spring for the ride home.

Where the heck is winter?

On the subject of lights in the last month I have added a 2nd flasher on the rear wrapped my rear rack with reflective tape and bought some tire flys (those little flashing lights you attach to your stems) those puppy's made the biggest difference I notice that people see those more than any of the other lights I have as for the commute last night I was tired dragged butt the whole time. This morning was much better about 40F and no rain can't really ask for much better!

Today was horrid.

First I had to scrap ice of the windscreen, then I had to put up with other motorist on the road, who all seem in a hurry to get to Work !

I did notice that the radio in the car sounded better than I remembered:D .

yep you've guessed it I HAD to take the car to work, I failed to make it to work yesterday due to ill health (nothing serious but the side effects of the bug were unbelievable:( ) so today I was to weak to cycle, but had to go to work.

I promised myself that whenever I went to work this year I would cycle, I failed by one day:( , still last day tomorrow and I WILL be taking the bike.

It should be a good one.

One of the greatest things about cycling in the winter is that I can laugh at my iced-over car when I leave in the morning.

Now that most of the snow has melted around here , I've commuted every day this week so far. I love coming in when it is a 15 degree day with windchill because all the drivers are impressed with me. That, and I get here WARM instead of popsicle-like if I had driven my car.

Rats! I had planned my last bike commute of the year for today, but... high winds, snow in the forecast and an all day yesterday spent in bed with the flu combined to eliminate the bike for today.
Oh well, it's been a great biking year, expecting more of the same next year! Here's hoping everyone has a safe and merry Christmas!! :)

I was freezing this morning. I need to get some better socks and gloves for riding to work when it's in the 30s F. But it was a beautiful clear sunrise. You just don't appreciate that kind of thing in a car, do you?

Should be a nice ride home tonight. Need to stop at a local art shop to pick up my wife's Xmas present.

Enjoy the ride, everyone. And be safe: people are distracted and stressed.

I biked into the office for a couple of meetings and to run some errands. I started a little later than usually, so the sun was already well above the horizon, the temp was right around freezing and the winds seemed calm enough. Once I got out onto the main road I realized it was quite gusty and I had to fight head winds for most of the ride in. The weatherman is calling for 6-10 inches of white stuff tomorrow (Christmas Day), which explains the winds. I can hardly wait to ride to work on Thursday...should be fun.

Have a happy holiday season...4 more days of commuting left in 2002!

Nice commute this xmas eve morning. It is cold and misting lightly and snow is in the forecast for this afternoon. None the less the traffic was light and I took my time because things are laid back at the office today; no need to be on time. Hopefully the snow will be falling for the ride home this afternoon. Merry Christmas :beer:

The past two days it's been in the teens, FINALLY. MN's weather is finally coming around, now all we need is the snow.