Nice cool ride this morning (temps in the 60s). Left a little early, so I got a few extra miles and some quick geocaching in on my way to work.

Nice 'n cool (40's), getting abit dark but the lights do thier job. New 23c tires roll pretty decently.

Well it was actually yesterdays but I blew a flat i mile from home.... what suck the most is I was making the best time ever!

Well, it finally had to happen. Got caught in the rain today on my ride home. I've been bike commuting since April, and this was the first time I've had to ride in the rain. It was cloudy all day but I made it to work with no rain. However, the rain finally started late in the afternoon. There was a steady drizzle by the time I left work and it quickly turned to showers. I was totally soaked but comfortable with temps in the mid-60s. I guess that makes me an official bike commuter now.

late today so had to take the road route in.

Comm Ave is a mess- a slalom course of construction and Ipod wearing BU kids who never learned the "look both ways before crossing" mantra.

I did manage to make amazing time on that route and had time to grab a coffee and a donut before work.

Ride home was wonderfully fast and furious dodging joggers mindlessly plodding down the center of the bike path and into a blazing sunset along the Charles River.

What an odd couple of weeks. I have been working long hours on a project and that has resulted in a few less commutes and strange commuting times for others.
Today I rode in at 5, arrived at work around 7, worked till 7pm, and left just as the sun was going down.
80F and positvely wonderful. Traffic was light and everyone was out walking in Washington park. The only downside was my weak light. At dusk it was impossible to see. I believe it is time for a new one.
That and riding through the interesting areas north of denver was downright freaky.
Now I am the type of person who works 7-3 everyday. Routines are my thing. This project has completely thrown that off and I think it may be a good thing. God that was fun.

Oh now I get to monitor the process until around 3 am.

Its cooling a bit here in Virginia - first time this season for long sleeves. Commute was quicker than normal today for some reason. TGIF!

Fog with sun. Very pretty. Low 50s. No squirrels tried to climb through my wheels today. One walked out into the middle of the MUP and stood up on it hind legs to watch me as I approached. Very cute. I aimed for it. It darted back into the trees. Can't let 'em get complacent!

Cagers seemed agitated for some reason this morning. Even on the residential streets, they were cutting corners and making a lot of noise accelerating. Streets where I'm lucky to see one car per commute, I saw 4 or 5. One person started pulling out of a driveway as I was bearing down at 20MPH. She stopped short, bouncing her car. Also holding a cup of some beverage in her hand.

I saw some homeless dude (with a bicycle) camped out on top of a picnic table inside a fenced-in dog park, too.

There was also what looked like a very large mug that had been smashed in the street. It's like there's a full moon or something. Weird stuff going on. Be careful out there.

I saw three frogs on the mup today. I like frogs.

Really moving on trip home yesterday. Of course a strong tailwind helped.

Another flat on Wed. So I ordered some new kevlar belted tires. My comute is really tough on tires.

Very nice though quite sweaty. I kept my pace up the whole ride with some Slayer and took a different route which took me across a very fast moving bridge. I'm not sure if I'm going to take that way again, it was pretty sketchy crossing with 2 narrow lanes and cars moving at 45mph+. After work I'm going to cruise with a friend and take some pics of our bikes. Yay bike porn.

The ride home last evening was the heaviest rainstorm I've ridden in in a long time. There were a few roads where I was cutting through four inches of rainwater. I think I may to rethink this whole, "I live in New Mexico so I don't need fenders" idea.

This morning's ride deserves mention. It was foggy when I left home for the 7.5 mile commute downtown to work. Looking out across a soccer field from my bike the fog had created a cloud about 2 feet high from the ground, obscuring the feet and lower legs of a woman walking her dog (and all but the head of the dog). They moved like ghosts floating over the field ... Having reached the bike path I passed a homeless couple, each about 40 years old, who I had seen pushing grocery carts with attached bulging trash cans full of cans collected from the roadside, on their way to the recycling plant to turn them in for some cash. This morning they were slightly off the path and into the weeds picking weeds (flowers) and the woman had put together a bouquet ... Once I reached my destination, a parking garage where I leave my bike, I had a nice conversation with the parking lot attentant who was telling me that since he started biking in his blood pressure was down, his joints, especially his knees, no longer hurt, and that he felt great. He said he and he wife started biking around town together and they love it. He recently started locking his bike next to mine in the garage, that's how I happened to meet him.

Very nice morning that I would have missed had I not cycled in.

COOL!

They're in the process of re-striping the lanes on the main street of my direct route to work. It's going from 3 lanes, no bike lanes to 2 lanes for cars and bike lanes on both sides. On paper, this ought to make this route more bike friendly, but in practice I'm not so sure. Before, I had no problems taking the lane and because I can ride at traffic speed, I'd have no trouble changing lanes to make my left turn. Now with the bike lane, I'm wondering if it'll change the attitudes of drivers when they see me leaving my assigned lane. I guess we'll see.

I can barely recall the ride to work today. I think it was fast...

Hey! I was in that too, and I also got soaked. Today wasn't so bad.

Thnx guys!

Did my 2nd commute today. Felt more confident & relaxed. I'm definately getting addicted.
Took the lane a few times and felt good doing so. Another beauty of a day, 60F-ish on the way in & 80F-ish on the way home.
Gonna have to look into getting a winter bike, as I only own a road bike now (not including my BMX thrashers).

Streets were a little wet this morning. The rain gage in my backyard showed 0.3 of an inch. The ride in was not cool at all. But I enjoyed it. Stopped at the Missouri river and got a photo of a tug boat going down river.



On the way home was blown a little bit by the south wind of about 12 mph. 9.4 miles round trip.

It was a bit foggy this morning and I debated getting on the train when I rode past the station but decided to go ahead with the ride. Headwind was on me all the way home and I was tired after leaving the gym so I took a leisurely pace home. It was a nice ride.

Nice riding day. No crazy roadtrips for work. Stayed home late, dropped both kids (opposite directions, one on his own 2 wheels, one in trailer), into office, then ran some errands before retrieving kids. Good mix of road, mup, grass/dirt, pretty much everything my area has (except for chunky gravel, still save that specific shortcut for mtn bike days)

Rode my Bruiser bike to and from the shop today. I love that bike, except the 165 mm cranks. They make the hills that much harder.

I am dealing with the aftermath of my own stupidity and spastic-ness. I gotta spill:

For months I have been pining away for a cheap used road bike to come into my life so I could build it into a single speed screamer. I haven't owned a road bike in like 15 years. I love single speeds, and I want to spin big skinny wheels.

Well, there it was. A yard sale bike for 15 bucks. A Matsuri Jaunter XII, in rough but promising condition. Steel lugged frame, 27" wheels, lots of aluminum components. I fell in love. A few hours of loving attention, new wheels and tires, and presto! I have a 52x20 single speed road bike! It's still a little rough looking, but mechanically tight. Giddy like a school girl I can't wait to ride it...

and the frame is too big for me. I can ride it, but I feel like an 8 year old. I can't even straddle the thing.

I was blinded by lust! I feel like a complete idiot.

And I have a bike I don't know what to do with. It's a 64cm frame. It's huge! How did I not notice that?

Today the ride in was great, mid 50's, and every light was green. The ride home was nice,great to be riding fixed again. I passed a bunch of high school kids who hooted and cheered as I went by at about 22 mph, made me laugh. Today was a great day to ride. Tomorrow is supposed to rain, am I crazy to be looking forward to riding in the rain?


Scotty

Awesome. I am THIS close (finger and thumb very close together) to going fixed. I've done my homework and I have read about brakes and and no brakes and spinning and being careful working on them and watching your pedals when you lean into a big turn. I LOVE the simplicity and low maintenance thing (and I'm a professional bike mechanic!).

It's weird though. I love single speed coaster brake bikes. I know those hubs are grind boxes and you might as well chain an anvil to your bike, but I love them. I love the simplicity and how cheap they are. And I love no controls on my handlebar.

Does anyone else commute in a small town? I have to worry about deer about as much as cars where I live.

cruzMOKS - that is a neato photo. thanks for sharing that.

I am pondering going fixed for my next bike. Perhaps build up a frame this winter.
However, it is conflicting with my desire to build up a mountain bike for riding around in winter.
Too many wants. Too little time and money.