:mad:Near miss this morning. While looking back at traffic from behind, some veggie nearly left-hooked me from the front. I screamed like a banchee and she stopped!

Bellevue, drivers are the worst. That extra hi-vis stu$$ just doesn't get their attention in Bellevue! Maybe a helmet light would work...or a set of Christmas lights
:mad:

Had the same problem with a Beemer pulling out of a gas station. I should have just gotten hit, then sued. I could use some time off of work.

So on the way home I fell over on ice in the parking lot. Also a lot of fun negotiating road crossings on the bike path. Took an extra ten minutes tonight... anyone else find all this snow adds some decent time on to their commute?

It is getting old and the melting is a blessing and a curse since there will be more ice in the morning.

N/A
i feel like i am missing something, life is incomplete!
i re-started graduate work, post- 2 yr "vacancy", so to speak.
once i get that MS PSYR Degree, watch out (2 classes left after this one)!
x-usa # 2 ?
may try 1 x per/week commute for now. it seems these web base classes are real b-busters though!

interesting ride today. The ride in was a little faster even though there was a dusting of snow and lots of ice. No wind? Two days off in a row? Carrying less stuff?

And the ride home was the same way. The studded tires felt great in today's conditions. Don't want to get over confident but wow. This was the kind of day those tires were made for.

Today I put on a bunch of new clothes: new jersey (my fanciest :)), MEC tights (cycling tights with seams in the crotch?.. come on people!) and army boots. I've had leaky boots for a long time and got very tired of them. Army boots are GOOD. No leaks, baby. :)

I'll have to run a few errands later today. Will rack up a bunch of miles... which is always good of course. The roads are so clear it's boh-ring! Sno-ow? Hel-lo-o? :D[/QUOTE]

I've got MEC balaclava & gloves & stuff but has been to warm to use it. They get some great Bike stuff not as good as LBS but a great store.

Commutes to GO station past couple of days have been good except for the ice. This year is warmer but icier, snow at least gives me some traction and definatly adds to the fun..

I saw a hit-and-run this a.m. going in, a SUV hit the back of a small car, totalled it, and headed off. A sheriff's car was behind a group of cars at this intersection, and managed to slip out and go after the bastard. I called in to offer my witness info, and they said they caught him, a DUI at 8-frickin-30 on a Tuesday a.m. I was looking in my mirrors constantly on my way home.

Snow squall! Fun though. I've altered my route to take a main road (North Ave) and avoid about 2 miles of unplowed MUP. Part of the road isn't bicycle friendly so I use the sidewalk for that (carefully) and then hop down onto the roadway once it gets friendlier. No issues so far. I just act like I'm at the bottom of the right-of-way food chain on the sidewalk, especially since my ride home is wrong-way. :eek: :o

It was warmer than expected this AM. Based on last night's weather forecast, I wore a wool mid-layer jersey, and FINALLY wore my PI lobster gloves. At 34 degrees, I was too warm. On the way home, I'm going to have to shed the jacket.

Road was clear, but several spots on the W&OD were icy, making it necessary to unclip and go slowly enough to put a foot down. One bridge was a complete sheet of ice. I'm going to take the street through that section on the way back.....

-11 with the wind they said....roads dry for the most part, sunny and nice.
i was threading up about 15 cars at the light past river (name escapes me), streetcar stop ...i'm threading up quickly. i pass the police ....whoops in my mind, a car in both lanes as we all start to move with the green, so I carve over the right tap her car in the back, crank to front and wave her over to her lane. Then i'm gone...... Cops pull up to me at Church, partner rolls window down laughin' his ass off about my controlling traffic. Tells me to be careful laughingly as they pull away.
heehee fun ride.

Don't worry, the low Friday morning should be 16 F out in the 'burbs and closer to 20 F in DC. My coworkers are really going to start worrying about me if I ride in.

For anyone interested in seeing a very scenic bike commute, I've attached (or at least tried to attach) a zipped KML (opens in Google Earth) showing my route to work. I start in Alexandria near Old Town, then go by the airport, then down the Mall toward the Capitol. Neat perspective in Google Earth.

The high for today is supposed to be 15C, so I brought a lighter jacket for the ride home. I should have put it on for the ride in, as 60 seconds after I left the house I was too warm. Oh well, there's always tomorrow...

Had to drive yesterday since I had to go to court for my speeding ticket. Luckily I got it reduced from 21 over to just 9 over so I was happy about that. Almost ran into the back of a volvo sedan today on my way in, some woman pulled out right in front of me like she didn't care. I was so tempted to hit her car with my hand but I held myself back. I rode right next to the car and stared down the kid in the passengers seat :p If I see them again I will be sure to talk to them about it since I ride by there every day.

We're finally getting our over due Acrtic Air Mass TM... the temp will drop as the day goes on. I think about -15C tonight. Should make for a chill ride in tomorrow morning.

Nice warm commute at 18F. Much better than 5 F.
Now that I am starting to recover from my cold it is a great way to clear out the gunk in my throat.
Plus, it looks like my trails are finally clearing up. I am so sick of riding with semi trucks and groggy early morning motorists in the industrial area I have to ride through.

Foggy! Had to keep wiping off (the outside of) my glasses. Had a close encounter climbing a hill w/ another biker SCREAMING downhill, in the dark (and fog), no lights, dark clothes. At least we were both staying to our right rather than weaving or taking the center.

Had to ditch the bike last night to miss an SUV that decided to pull out of parking lot as I was passing it, so today's commute was in the passenger seat of a friends car because I need to get my rear brake fixed.

When I locked up the brakes on my Felt bike to avoid a left hook, I taco'd the rear wheel! My mighty braking hands shall not be balked!!! (this was a wheel that was 'built' for me by the LBS where I bought the bike after I got rear-ended by a pickup truck; I've done much better w/ cars since then...)

Well I'm glad to say that I'm back. After a month or so break due to traveling, needing wheels for work, and all this gosh durn snow piled all over ther roads, I am on the bike again.

Weeeeeee!

It was a bit chilly, but not bad. 26F when i passed the temp time thingie. Freakin monster sized chuckholes everywhere from the recent snow, ice and general winter stuff. Saw two others on their bikes along the way as well.

Sure could tell that I been off the bike for a bit. Legs and lungs were whining the whole way :-)

Today's commute was nearly ideal except for the maddening creaking in my rear wheel. Lately it seems I can't go 20 miles before a spoke or three loosens up. I have less than 500 miles on this wheel and this really shouldn't be happening. I'll take it to the LBS at lunch and see if I can have them tension and true them so this goes away.

nice today-- first time on the bike in two weeks due to very cold temps (for here)... this am it was 49 degrees and no wind so I rode to work. yay! I missed it a lot. and this afternoon it will be perfect, about 65.

Switched to slick this morning, fast ride in. I over-dressed.

I noticed the same thing heading west on the WOD this morning. Had to walk the bike across the wooden ped bridge in Falls Church, then again on the Virginia Ave one over 66, and again over 395.

All were clear coming home though- we had a nice thaw today.

After going months without any near misses I had some half-wit come within about six inches of side-swiping me. It's on a narrow part of the street, but cars generally give me at least a foot of passing room. I flipped the idiot the bird and took off after him hoping he'd hit a red light or two, but no such luck. Looked like he was talking on his cell phone (no big surprise there).

Must be near miss day. I felt the mirror touch me, and then saw the driver looking in his rearview, laughing. It was intentional! I lost it. I caught the car at the next light and started beating on it, telling the driver I would like him to get out and talk with me, more or less. I let it go on the green, realizing I was acting crazy. Good thing I was too mad to think doorhandles., or I would probably be even sorrier for losing it. I've been so good doing the smile and wave until now. I'll start back with the smile and wave tomorrow. Today was an fluke.