Beautiful sunrise on the way in this morning! Unfortunately, I forgot to lube my chain and my tires are running low. I will take care of both those things tonight when I get home. I also picked up new shants, as my other ones developed a hole where there wasn't supposed to be one.

Rough encounter this morning, since the fairweathers are all coming out of the woodwork. That means ninja joggers on the MUP, which normally aren't an issue since I run a good headlight. This morning was not a 'normally' kind of morning.

Where the MUP goes under a bridge by Redhook Brewery, there's a downhill turn either direction going under the bridge. There's a concrete retaining wall on one side, a 4' high guardrail to keep you from falling in the river on the other side. Big signs on either side of the bridge warn people: "Trail users stay to right of trail." There's a yellow painted solid line dividing the trail into 'right' and 'left' sides to emphasize the sign's point.
A group of joggers was approaching under the bridge this morning. The pack leader was wearing a couple of LED blinkies. The rest of the group were ninjas; not even reflective piping on their clothes. 3 of them moved to the far right when they saw my headlight. The last guy in the line wasn't so lucky. He decided it was a good idea to step directly into my headlight like a frightened doe. He was not originally in my way. I don't know what compelled him to step in front of me. (Did he think playing 'chicken' sounded fun? Was he just freaked out like a skittish woodland creature? Is he part moth and attracted to the light?) I dodged him as best I could w/o slamming myself into the concrete wall, but still ended up giving him a gnarly bike-polo style shoulder check which knocked him back into the proper lane. I think he's gonna be a curb-hugger from here on out.

Radio said 30F, but it wasn't, there was only heavy dew, no frost. There was very heavy fog though, so I crossed to work at x-walk and biked up the last half block on the sidewalk rather than cross traffic that maybe I couldn't see as well and surely couldn't see me as well, headlight or now.

I did have to dodge a ninja bob-and-weaver.

Took it nice and easy today. Cold morning, light traffic, only other commuters seems to be going the opposite direction. The lane is mine, all mine, Mwahahahahahaaa....ahem. Kept an eye out for any bags of money or wallets but no luck. Maybe tonight. :rolleyes:

To Robtown: Sorry, don't know what a Pinopian is. Filipino? Then yes. :)

It just seems to early in the year for me to be wringing out my tshirt and helmet pads. Had a ford EXcrusion try to put me on the side walk of a four lane road (with median in the middle). A wrong way motorist deciced to take up the exact middle. So basically someone's bad driving skills, blocked someone's attempt to not share the road. :D One of those times where I wish I had a bike/helmet mounted video camera.

I forgot to include this in my earlier post about my commute. I had a new experience yesterday.

To leave my building I have to ride up a driveway that's about .1 miles. As I'm riding up the driveway yesterday I hear a honk. I ignore it. I hear another honk that's a little longer. On the slim chance there's something back there I need to know, I look back at the car.

It's a freaking security pickup for my own company! The jackoffs are supposed to be watching out for the well-being of the company AND ITS EMPLOYEES and they're honking at me?

Apparently the security guys here have hassled 2 other commuters for not riding on the exercise path. Of course, the exercise path in question (which is frequently used by joggers and is barely wide enough for one person) doesn't even reach our building. How are we supposed to get here? Geniuses.

Well my afternoon commute (~15 minutes from now) should be fun. Here are the last readings from the airport: 35019G27KT

North wind (in my face), 22MPH gusting to 31MPH. :eek: On studded Hakkas. :rolleyes: Whee!

The studs should keep you from being blown backwards anyway.

Another great commute. The new chain makes it easier to pedal.

First commute post relocation
 

After a daily commute in Memphis....I moved to NH where things are just a tad colder...and whiter! Built a new ride over the winter and after a few weekend dry runs I did the deed yesterday! Oh, ya, the day with 30 MPH gusts from the north...and you guessed it, I was heading north. Easy ride in. Not so easy ride home. Hopefully the first of many more rides. Guess I am a weather wimp!

Snowy. And a bit of an adrenaline rush when I kicked the sh*t outta the JAM that jumped out of his car at a red light and chased me after I flipped him off for cutting me off.

Who knew the scrawny 'kid' on the bike could take out someone twice his size? :eek:

Then, when I've got him on the ground beating the crap out of him, he screams "Enough, enough, enough!" So... I back off, and let him get up. What does he do? He pulls a f***ing knife!

"What're you gonna do with that?" *stepping towards him* "You better just get back in your f***ing car"

He turned and RAN back to his car, jumps in and locks the doors. I walked back (He's blocking the intersection at a red light... yes, it turned green while we were fighting) and snap a pic of his plate... he runs the red light and makes an illegal left turn to try to get away from me.

Fun stuff, huh?

Post the pic. Mooowwwahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! *pinky to corner of mouth, Dr. Evil style*

I'm not much of a violence orientated guy, but people here in Brisbane HATE bicycle riders. Anyway, I was on my way home riding well on the shoulder on a straight 1.5 km road with almost no traffic, when these two rednecks pass me and throw a FULL glass tallie (600ml) beer bottle at me! It slams into my helmet and falls on the ground, but didn't smash. I was absolutely fuming, because this could have easily killed me, so I picked the bottle up, slammed my 520 into top gear and caught up with the rednecks stopped at the next traffic light. I don't think they expected a glass bottle to shatter their front and side windscreen like that! Needless to say, I hightailed it out of there! (I should have just reported them to the police, though)

What pic? *looks innocent*

haven't posted in about a week. but it's been a good full week of commuting. love having the bike ride to look forward to when I'm on the hectic schedule.

it's been getting warmer every day of the week. a little windy tonight but sweet ride. The snow is almost completely gone just an occasional little pile here and there.

Cold. My toes are still numb.

It's going to feel like early spring today. Morning temps in the low 50s (11C). Brrrrr. ;) The morning low for the past few weeks has been in the high 50s to low 60s. The high is only supposed to reach ~63F (17C) -- no sun today. Hope I don't freeze. :p

Today was smooth--it's my second week of commuting (almost) exclusively. I'm starting to see other cyclists more often, and people are starting to greet me here and there. I'm getting used to being on the streets, and my route is starting to become more solid, which I like.

The weather was a bit chilly, just under 50, and now the sun's beginning to pop up over the other skyscrapers, not a cloud in the sky. This afternoon's going to be awesome.

A real pick me up. The wind was calm, it was about 30 some degrees, and light traffic (except the one JAM who got so close to me I could have hit his mirror by moving my hand one inch).
Along the MUP I take I had a group of 4 deer run alongside of me for a while before dashing into a field. Then at work I had the chance to watch a couple hot air ballons going through the sky over the university.

Never woulda seen either of those if I were in a car :D

Dude, you're my hero! I even read this story to my wife this morning.

I'm SO tired of drivers thinking they can just push a cyclist around w/o consequences.

My god Bill! That would have been a sight to see.


No commute. 7 inches of snow yesterday and the bus I was riding in was rear ended by a SUV. No harm but I am a tad paranoid due to my crashes. That and the weather person said a strong possibility of ice this morning. However, I have yet to see any ice. Oh well. I'm already at work.

Had my fastest commuter ever yesterday, with an average speed of 15mph. I must be getting in shape, or it could have been the tailwind. The cherry blossoms are now in bloom, making for a beautiful ride in.

Last night's ride home was awesome. The weather was great, no wind, and I got a sweet draft behind a 15' box truck for about a mile. Nothing like a 28mph zip through the center of town and barely having to pedal for it! :D

I wish there was a video of dukearcher breaking the car windows with their own bottle, I have had people throw their **** at me as well, I just never catch up to them afterwards...

last night I had a dream about beating the s### out of a motorist who cut me off, maby I have too much anger bottled up inside ;) or I just really want to be like bmclaughlin807...

The commute last night was great. 69F, no wind, but lots of traffic but tame. I did delay a van for 5 seconds because I was right in between the right lane and the turn lane so I had to ride behind the cars in front of me. As the van passed me the passenger started coughing out loud(to complain?) as they slow to pass me and then sped away. Well, "cough, cough, cough!" to you too buddy. Weird people.

Nice but not perfect. Sunny, no wind, 60 degrees but the fierce winds we had a couple days ago piled sand along the strand. I had to dismount at one point! Other than that it was smoooooth.

:D I shoved my way through it. Actually it wasn't blowing off the lake as badly as it was at the airport, so I got lucky.

I got to the office building this morning (high 20sF, nice ride) and there was a male mallard (duck) sitting at the top of the steps I walk down with the bike, and a female was off under a tree in some mulch. I didn't even notice the female until she started quacking. This couple has been hanging out around our building for about 4 years now. People bring them water and food. You'd think Lake Champlain (~1/4 mile west) would be more tempting than the environs of an office building, but who knows what goes through ducks' brains.

I got into the granny gear on the Trek and very slowly rode toward the male. He was quacking and keeping an eye on me. Eventually he stood up and walked away when I got near the stairs, but I took care not to scare him. :o

geez what do you know karate or something. A jam was wanting to take me on and I was like this is south Phoenix I am outta here.

I chatted with one of probably the very few bicycle messengers in Alexandria on my way in today... I've noticed him around because he rides a ss langster with HED tri-spoke... he told me today that his disc rear wheel broke, so had to send it back to the store... We did a very relaxed pace on the sidewalk, it was an interesting alternative to my hacking it down the right lane every morning. Refreshing, actually. Birds chirping, a brisk 45 degrees (F), trees and flowers in bloom. This is one of the best times to sit back and enjoy the ride in my book!