We sure have been having some splendid October weather here in Alberta...it was 7 C this morning and the ride in was fabulous as I had some good company for part of the ride and there was very little wind.

The ride home was equally nice as the temperatures are still really decent and at 11 pm the traffic is pretty light.

Had a very nice ride in again this morning. 12C and a slight tail wind made for a relaxing but fast ride. Forgot my camera again.

Better ride than yesterday, although I realized that I'd forgotten to pack underwear. I debated between going commando and wearing my riding shorts. I walked over to CVS in the hopes that they'd have some briefs but they didn't, the friction on that 5 minute walk was unbearable. I'm currently wearing my riding shorts. I may go over to Filene's Basement later this morning after some meetings. Then again, the shorts aren't terrible. Gotta re-stock my backup supply.

I almost talked myself out of riding today because I was feeling tired and run down. But I buckled down and rode anyway and was glad that I did. I felt better almost as soon as I got on my bike. However, I was very congested when I got to work, so perhaps I'm starting to come down with something. I haven't had a cold in about 2 years, or sick in any other way. It must be the biking.

Bad traffic karma day! Caught at all the major lights, plus stuck behind a stopping school bus for a bit. No doubt payback for not being very patient with a truck on yesterday's ride home.

On the plus side, it was a few degrees warmer.

I got to ride my new build today! It's faster, more rigid and quieter [except when coasting]. The disc brakes are working great, although I can feeel the cable stretch already. I was able to sprint in traffic and still cover the brakes! Woot!

Another convert! Sweet!

Great ride this morning! Pitch black when I head out, few cars on my route and a newly cleaned and tuned drive train gave me plenty of time to contemplate. I have a couple of roller coaster hills on my route that I thoroughly enjoyed. Not even the cager that tried to run me over could wipe the grin of my face for more than five minutes :-D

Egads! I need my brakes tightened. I almost didn't stop at an intersection and nearly plowed right into it. I had to apply the Fred Flinstone brakes.

Lately I've been meeting my buddy for a training ride before work. I leave at 6:30, hustle to the parking garage at my building, drop off my bag in my bike locker, and meet my buddy at the trail at 7. We do an out and back on the ARBT, then I sprint back to the office, lock up the bike, take a quick shower and hopefully I'm at my desk by 8:30.

This morning we were the jerky roadies. We were doing 21 and came up on a guy doing probably 19. We announced "on your left" and passed. We heard the clunk of down shifting and looked to see him attempting to latch on. My buddy said "let's go." And we ramped it up to 24. The guy hung on for a few hundred meters and my buddy said "draft me for a little bit." And he ramped it up to 28. That was at least 500W. After a couple of minutes we looked back and he was dropped.

"No free rides."

Nice, made it in during very brief sunbreak.

Yep it's raining now!

Nice ride this morning. I'm glad I have some decent winter gear. The balaclava thing I picked up last year really worked today. I've never had my lungs feel that good after a cold ride before.

Well, today is National Ride to Work day today, and there is a free breakfast for cyclists offered in a few places in Sydney. I haven't left yet, as I'm leaving a bit later to meet up with some friends for some brekkie (in the park north of the Harbour Bridge).

I hope there's bacon butties....

Well, I arrived at work. There was a lot more cyclists out, although how much of that was to do with the ride to work day, and how much was just because I left later I don't know.

But I did get a coffee and a cheesy roll by the bridge, and talked to some council peeps about a project to extend the cycleway to get rid of the steps (yes folks, after traversing the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a bike you then have to carry your bike down 55 steps...).

Beautiful day - sunny, blue sky. Ahh, summer is coming. Bit of a breeze, but that kept the temperature perfect.

Great commute this morning - warmer than Monday by 15 degrees. I achieved a new PB time with the commuter bike upgrade. First ride ever with a cycling jersey - all rides to date have been with cotton T-Shirts, and that is a problem (sweat retention) now that things are cooling off.

It looks like I'll be able to commute 3 days this week on the bike, which is a good schedule for me!

Nice and warm this morning. Must be over 10°C . Nothing special to report other than another great ride . Since I got my new light, it's nice to ride through the forest (on the road that winds through it) in the dark and not worry about hitting anything that the cars (ugh) have left behind.

It's amazing how much junk cars drop. There was a new pile of glass in the middle of one intersection today. This would never happen if we all rode bikes.

The weather is still gorgeous but the dark seems to be keeping the joggers and walkers off the Greenway. It's all mine now! (maniacal laughter.)

On the down side, I hit TWO rabbits today in separate incidents. Ironically, one was just after I got on the Greenway. The second was just before I got off the Greenway.

32F! I was oddly de-energized for some reason. Barely plodding along at 15MPH. Only saw one other cyclist heading the other way. Funny how the cold air seems to scare people off their bikes, even in Vermont.

Rabbits have the same brain as squirrels when it comes to running in front of bicycles.

Mounted new tires Sunday, which I've been riding this week (panaracer, kevlar belted and banded), but when I got to my starting point this morning front tire was flat. Ended up driving to the office. Changed the tube there. I was plenty early, and it's light and warm. Good news is it was a bad patch and I didn't get a new puncture in only 50 miles, bad news is I have to drive home.

OK, I'll bite, what's a bacon buttie?

Great ride in this morning. It was 49 degrees when I left, just perfect for the leg warmers, and a light jacket. Got in just a little bit after the sun came up, wonderful view of the lake with the sunrise. Could not ask for a better morning.

Hope this afternoon is just as nice.

Oliver, Chicago IL

Not a bad ride, kinda damp and overcast and BOY I did NOT want to get out of bed (there's one thing about peeling yourself outta bed and getting in a car - and a totally different thing when you have to peel yourself outta bed, put on the bike stuff and pedal your butt to work no matter the weather). Uneventful except for a jerk speeding (could hear his car even over the city noise) and suddenly make a left - cutting me off ---- and he slid too. Idiot. Never slowed down, never looked back --- two other cars at stoplight - drivers had a shocked looks.

I figure the way he drives and by the obviously treadless tires - he's not long for driving when the weather gets nastier.

It's like a chip buttie, only with bacon.



A sandwich, basically.

I think the singular is "butty" and plural "butties", at least that's how I've always spelt it. Regardless, canny whack a good bacon/egg/sausage or chip butty (chips being chipped potatoes bigger than french fries)

Rode hard in the winds last night, left knee felt tweaked this morning so had to change gear and spin like mad at times this morning. Made my ride a bit slower, but felt much better nursing the knee rather than force myself to fight through.

Bit warmer this morning.