They predicted rain this afternoon, so I dressed up the jeep and drove to work. Earlier this evening a glint of excitement came over me as I checked the clock, saw it was time to catch the train, and turned to my bag to gear up for my ride and realized I had driven to work! What a bummer! The upside to this is when I do drive, I skip the highway and head down through the canyon to Laguna Beach and continue down the PCH for a relaxing ocean-view commute.

I was riding at 5:30am to the gym for a morning workout/meeting (yep, at the same time). I was behind a car at a stop sign, and the driver put it in reverse (I guess she wanted to pull a u-turn) and started backing up quickly. I managed to get to the side before she hit me, and banged on her car at the same time. She said she was really sorry and "I was wondering what that blinking light in my rear view mirror was."

Spring is here!

More cyclists are appearing on the roads, and the streets are taken over by kids playing ball hockey and what not. As a couple of times before, got to return to some kids a wayward ball that rolled into the road. I also had a young kid on a bike (on a sidewalk) stare at me and ask her mother: "Mommy, why is this lady riding a bike on the road?" I really hope the mother didn't explain to her daughter that I have a death wish or something...

hate to admit it did not ride today but there is always tomorrow. To much rain coming down for the first time in a bit. Rather nice sometimes to just enjoy it.

Getting home from Tuesday night meditation, I had my beloved Fenix L2D blazing at the second-highest setting for an exciting bit of downhill. After stopping at a light and proceeding in a more leisurely way, I passed a couple of guys chatting in the middle of the street.

After I passed, I heard this exchange:

"Whoa, I thought that was a car!"

"Ninja."

That put a big smile on my face. It's worth mentioning my clothes were mostly black, plus a balaclava against the cold wind.

Lovely ride in today. TV said 30F, but I didn't see any frost anywhere, and I didn't notice any breeze 'til walking around the building. Just two mornings ago, I was riding in in a light rain in shorts. Today I slipped the balaclava into the bag just in case--didn't need it, though. Altogether nice.

Going over the bridge--part of the two miles or so of noticeable VC-ing on my ride--a car in the center lane gave me a couple of toots as it passed. It didn't seem to have any anger or frustration behind it, though, and I was riding absolutely textbook--in the right tire indent of the right lane, hi-viz Showers Pass jacket, steady red tail light and red blinky above doin' the wild thang, plus various reflective bits on pedals, shoes and tires. It was almost as though it was a kind of, "Nice job!" sort of thing. It took me a second to get the automatic "F**K OFF!" out of my head to realize it though.

Imagine! Me thinking the best of someone and giving them the benefit of the doubt!

I must be coming down with something...

WANT! But my commute today was almost as much fun as a drive down the PCH.

The ride to work was sweet. The weather was nice (didn't even have to wear my hoodie!), the greenbelt was pretty much clear, the wind was negligible, and I went really fast. I don't have a speedometer, but I'm guessing my speed was somewhere around WHEEEEE!!!

The ride home was something else entirely. It started out with steady rain, which gave way to those big fat wet spring snowflakes. It was cold, it was sloppy, it was scary, and it was more fun than I've ever had on my bike before. There is a certain joy that happens when someone gets caught in the rain (ever wonder why kissing in the rain is so romantic?). Once a person gets to the point where he or she stops worrying about getting wet and enjoys the big sloppy mess, that joy becomes apparent. I have never appreciated a cold and snowy day as much as I did riding home this morning.

Very long commute for me yesterday, but it was a beautiful spring day in NC. The temperature hovered around 60F all day, morning and afternoon. Spring flowers are blooming everywhere, and the rain we had last weekend really greened things up. It also brought out the pollen, and my tires were coated yellow with it.

After riding to work in the morning, I headed to a meeting on the other side of town about the city's new bike transportation plan. I thought it was important to show up on a bike, as did some other commuters. I had to take some new routes to get there and got lost several times trying to follow unmarked greenways and bike routes -- so that gave me some good feedback to relay to the planners. Spent a while talking to the planners showing them improvements that could be made to the regular routes I ride, and they seemed to appreciate the comments and said that was exactly the sort of feedback they were seeking. So maybe some good will come of it eventually.

Rode home on a different route, following greenbelts and bike paths most of the way, something I rarely do on my regular routes. That was fun for a change, but I had to ride very slow and cautious to avoid all of the joggers and strollers wearing i-Pods. Ended up with 35 miles commuting for the day, my second-longest bike commute.

actually saw and paced with another commuter! in Miami! who would have thought... he got me across the one bridge, when I wasn't feeling "it" today.. shared a few words at the next light.. then off to work...

great morning for a ride, the sun was shining and there was very little wind

took my time and just enjoyed the surroundings and my bike, should be a pleasant ride home too
practiced some skids on the way in too, got one good one in the loose dirt

when i left my house about 730 it was 33f or so

good times

No commute today, I'm home sick with a fever.

No commute for me today either. The weather is calling for severe thunderstorms in the afternoon. I don't think it is worth the risk

I left my home at 8:10, 38F.

It is sunny, no wind.

It is pleasant commuting with bike.

Everybody, have a good day!~~

I need to switch my sunglass lenses out for something darker, it's too sunny out! I got stuck behind a Porsche this morning doing 20 under the limit. When she finally did get out of the way, I had to try and sprint uphill with about 20 angry cars behind me. Boooo!

Good ride in this morning despite a headwind all the way. It was overcast which really helps visibility during the sunrise.

The ride home yesterday was great! Sunny skies rather than thunderstorms; more people on the trail than I've ever seen before on a weekday. (Spring break!)

I smoked past several recreational riders, which was good for my ego. Never mind that one of them was six.

The ride in this morning was good, too. Cooler (50s rather than 60s); wore a long-sleeved cotton T-shirt. Talked on the phone most of the time, which left me not paying as much attention to the ride itself, which actually seemed to make things go faster. (This morning's ride was on a deserted MUP, so my phone conversation didn't endanger anyone else.)

OK, THAT is hilarious. A bike being slowed down by a Porsche! I hope the cars behind you could tell who was the slowpoke and didn't blame you...

daylight savings might be catching up, this is 2-3 days now w/o turning the headlight on either way.

Cruisin' along in Super Fred mode today, dress shoes on the pedals and tie flapping in the wind. I'm going on a group ride after work so I rode the go-fast bike to work. If not for the allergens, the weather would be absolutely perfect.

First commute of the year (yeah, I'm a whimp). New route, new (old) bike, 32 degrees...smooth as budda!

I did my first full bike commute to my new job, 33 miles all told door to door. Got here in 2:05 riding time (2:15 actual time door to door) giving me an average of 15.9mph.

Pretty happy with that, though I don't think I'm fit/strong enough for a 5/5 full commute (nor can I afford the extra time it takes, even though it worked out to be only 35 extra minutes). Great ride, my mess. bag isn't so great over long distances with even a reasonable weight in (lunch + tools + clothes) so I'll have to put the rack on, but even at -2 leaving I was very comfortable within 20 mins and had a really good long ride.

I'll be riding back tonight, too - have to see how my body fares tomorrow as it's been a good few months since I rode over 50 miles in a day.

Chilly start today - 12C! I had cold fingers and toes. Or perhaps I'm just soft!

I didn't ride yesterday as I had to carry my viola (haven't worked out how / if I can carry it on the bike safely; if anyone rides with a violin / viola let me know how you do it!). Today I was back on the bike abd just blazed in. Partly to get wamed up, partly becaue I rested yesterday, so was fresh (normally Fridays are a slog...!).

I love riding.

Got into a head-on bike crash with another biker on the way home. Luckily we were both going pretty slow and my face broke my fall. She went down the wrong side of the street sort of (entrance to the north side of the Brooklyn side of the Wburg bridge) heading right into me. I was between a truck and a curb so we kinda bumped into each other. Both fine. Then the truck driver gets out as we were both pulling away and he was like "but but.. you almost hit my truck!"

Yeah, real worried about your truck there, buddy.

+ !
a little slow going in (against the wind) but free air!!
on return, i passed the bus i have been riding (for free too) 2 times at it's stops and waved. felt good!
as the wind pushed me home, there was 1 (one) a/h driver who did not share "fairly".
will be taking the free bus tomorrow (happy hour - spontanious (sp) socialization...after work).
happy friday!
t

Ahh, the ride to work! I live on the outskirts of Taichung, a city in Taiwan, which is home to the most polluting coal fired power plant in the entire world! (YES! We are number 1!) I ride from a relatively pristine mountain valley along a river and into the city. Little oil slicks can progressively be seen upon the surface, shining their rainbow colors in the sun. The last ten minutes of my ride to work (in total a forty minute ride) are spent with my face mask on as I pass three gravel crushing concrete factories and fight against large diesel trucks with exhaust pipes that bellow smoke out the side. I guess the fumes keep me warm on cooler days, though. That sums up my commute to work. Bliss!