allmost hit by a car on a roundabout; he just didn't see me, and as i slowed down he went past not even looking in my direction!

simply not good enough

Still a bit cool this morning, but much warmer than the past two days - this afternoon it started snowing more, still coming down and a nice warm -4C. CM should be fun tonight in all this

I got waved through stop signs today by crossing guards. Normally when I encounter crossing guards while cycling they are trying to make sure that I don't sneak by when peds are crossing just because I'm on a bike. But this time there were no peds, and the bored guards really wanted to find some sort of outlet for their energy, I guess.

looking *very* wet to head home.

February is OVER!!!!! WAaaaaaaaahoooooOOOOOOOO.

It was 43F today. Warmest commute in...um... can't remember. Didn't even mind the 100mph wind.

I rode today, yay!! But the hills got steeper somehow. Must have been the snow. *nods*

Layering was a fun challenge, I must say. Started with fleece tights over my shorts, a long sleeve Polartec shirt under a thin sweater and my shell, mitts and neck warmer - came home in shorts and the Polartec alone....

It's been getting warmer, my layering strategy is a bit wonky.

Been using the pannier on my Tikit more--street shoes and "just in case" rain pants and booties go in very nicely.

Alas, my shifting has been all over the place. I cleaned my chain, adjusted, adjusted some more, got a work buddy to hold up the thing while I adjusted--it's put me in quite a foul mood.

Finally I figured out the derailleur itself was grotty enough to be stiff. Which accounts for why shifting to a bigger cog seemed especially balky--being as it just lets tension off, to where the spring is supposed to do it, it's not as much a "forced" action as shifting to a littler cog.

Now I just need to get at it with a toothbrush and some proper lube, I think. Yay, learning maintenance! Boo, ignorant frustration!

very nice.
Warming up daily! Actually saw a threat of a sunrise on my way in! I go a long time in the winter without sunlight due to 12 hour shifts.

Dreading and excited all the same to see more than the two other commuters I've seen all winter on my route...

Feb is over and the weather is beautiful. Yipeeee! arch isn't always nice in KS but we cave crested the hill.

All I can think about are my upgrades coming via UPS next friday.

I ordered a wheel from Peter White and he's so busy it took almost two weeks for him to get around to lacing it up.

My upgrades next weekend:
-Shimano disc generator hub
-B&M Lumotec IQ fly 40Lux LED headlight with light sensor and standlight (replacing my old-generation Dinotte battery-eater)
-B&M generator tail light
-Schwalbe Marathon Plus 40Cs, half the weight and more puncture resistance than my current tires (31oz to 18oz tires).
-My $20 wobbly rack is being replaced by a tubus Logo with low pannier mounts and taillight mount

These are significant upgrades and I can't go an hour without thinking about them. Only a kid ordering stuff out of the back of a comic book is more excited than I am right now.

So I'm riding home from work last night on the MUP, about 10:30. I'm on the overpass over the interstate. At the top of the hill, I see one of the strangest sights ever in my path: a man with his back(side) to me, pants down, crouched over and doing nature's business. "What the ****?!!" I shout. No response.

Just thought I'd share. Another argument for fenders, I suppose.

oh what fun it is to ride from work and home again. hey

I rode my bike to work Thursday, second time this week (and second time this year) - Tuesday was great - nice and clear but yesterday, pretty stupid of me as I really wasn't prepared for the elements. I had gotten ready believing the forecast called for clearing and moderate temps but whan I opened the door to leave - rain! I was stubborn and foolish enough to think the weather would improve as I headed west twords Bellevue. Well, it didn't. 26 miles in the rain, no fenders, booties and a marginal jacket. Arrived soaked to the skin, caked in grime. Good thing there are hot showers and a dry set of clothes for me at work. So there I am later on at my desk, got my wet clothes hung over chairs and such hoping everything will dry out in time to ride home. Eventually I gave up and arranged to have my wife come and pick me up. Didn't want to step into wet shorts and ride for an hour and a half to get home even if the sun did eventually break out.

What an adventure.

The morning rain was fine and dense at times. I was climbing a steep stretch of the Issaquah Fall City Road where there are no houses, the trees were thick on both sides and no car traffic. Pitch black and all alone, my glasses started to fog up and I had trouble making out where the edge of the road was. The white fog strip that is usually painted on the edge was covered with a winter's coating of grime and there wasn't much for a dividing line. I am riding more in the center of the road and moving my head (I have a helmet mounted light..) to the right occasionally to keep a bearing on the ditch and I see some eyes reflecting green looking back at me from the woods. The spacing between the eyes was pretty wide and I am sure it's a large animal and it unsettled me enough to pick up my pace. The faster I started to going up the hill the more afraid I got. Were you afraid of the dark when you were a kid? I was. Then on the right side I head something crashing around in the underbrush and that made me go even faster...freak out time!

I finally reached the Sammamish Plateau, steetlights and the comfort of car traffic, I was thinking maybe the time has come to buy some pepper spray for protection. Who knows what could happen if a cougar jumped on me looking for a fast meal. I'm generally secure being a pretty big guy but now I am not so sure of myself.
Feeling a bit lower on the food chain. Does anyone else carry the stuff?

Saturday, I found a small unit of Pepper Spray at GI Joes. I think it is more for my peace of mind rather than how well it will work but I've had this general uneasiness one feels when they are not on the top rung of the food chain ever since my last haircut. The barber was telling me about cougar sightings in the areas where I typically do trail runs in North Bend. Her own experience was a few months ago on the John Wayne trail and neighbor of hers cut short a hike up Rattlesnake Ridge last fall. I myself have never seen a cougar in the wild but I have spotted on 2 separate occasions in the past year, Bobcats. One of those sightings was in the same general area of I was riding the morning when I encountered the electric green eyes. If I was ever jumped by a cougar I am pretty sure it would be on me before even I knew it was there. The spray is a last resort, hopefully cats don't like spicy food.

The forecasters call for clearing this Tuesday. I look forward to the ride. This time a little better prepared.

Being it sunday just went out for a ride up along some winding country roads and some simple climbs figured I would take it easy. Though I should get back up to Old San Juan Grade and ride that amazing mountain. Or well in comparison to a 1000' the hill fun times.

Monday morning! Commuting puts a different spin on that old and dreaded phrase. 28F and calm this morning--the kind of ride you want to just go on and on...

Forecast for this afternoon hereabouts is 64 and sunny! I packed along a pair of cotton knickers (actually rock climbing/yoga pants) for the ride home.

Was getting nicer over the weekend, as well--though windy as all get-out Saturday. I was riding on the mostly deserted MUP getting buffeted pretty well. Dead-flat, pretty smooth path, and I was working pretty hard in a pretty low gear (36/27) and just barely overtaking pedestrians! Not the sort of thing to inspire someone to go out and get a bike. Oh well.

Made it through the cold season, but the windy season is probably a bigger challenge. Last week was one of my toughest weeks since I started bike commuting, mainly due to the wind. The other challenge now is temperature variations. We get pretty wide swings between morning lows and afternoon highs in the spring in NC. Today it was about 35F when I left home, but the high this afternoon is expected to be near 70F. So I dressed lighter than I would have liked this morning so I won't burn up this afternoon. It's supposed to be very windy this afternoon, as well, but fortunately it should be a tailwind for much of my route.

Spring is in the air. I know this from all the bikers I saw that weren't delivering food (those guys are year round, all weather dudes). Funny thing was they were all on single speeds. Must be the new thing or a statistical pile up. Anyway, ride in was fine and it was sunny and above freezing which is always good.

First commute of the season. Nice weather, a little humid, but cool.

I need to be a little more alert though. Driver pulled up behind me and was hesitant to pass - I went ahead and cut to the center of the lane to wait at an upcoming stop sign, shortly before they had worked up the nerve to pass me. Oops! No harm though - couple of polite beeps from the car and I went off to the edge of the lane again to let them by.

We had a little friendly competition from a guy on a fixed gear this morning. He turned onto the road ahead of us, but wasn't carrying much speed, so we caught and passed him almost immediately. Next, he rolled through two stop signs we stopped at, but wasn't able to keep up on the DH. We saw him a couple more times heading into downtown, where he tended to filter and jump lights, but not flagrantly. I had fun chasing/leading him, but I think I had the advantage with a higher gear.

40F and drizzly, that's my winter weather!

Absolutely beautiful today. Winter jacket on the way in - which was too much. Just a windbreaker going home. Warmest day since fall, sun shine and no wind.

this morning coming home was the first time in a while that it was warmer than I went in. it was 35 degrees last night and 47 this morning on the way home. It was nice and warm riding home and the slush was flying.

My first commute of 2008 and it was great! A very warm winter day (60s) and bright sunshine. I was planning to start riding again after the time changes (I don't like riding in the dark) , but I could not pass up a day like today.

first day back on the bike in 2 weeks! First I was really sick for a few days and didn't go to work, then I had my bike in the shop all last week - new chain, chain rings, cassette, rear tire, seat post, etc. Just picked it up today at lunch so I can't wait to ride this afternoon. Hopefully the wind will cooperate and be at my back.

Today was WARM! Spring is here!

C'mon parents, hold your kid's hand when walking into the street to get into a cab, don't call him from the curb so he runs in front of me as I pass you. Luckily, I stopped in time cuz I was going so slow cuz I figured this would happen, but still, be careful w/ your kids.