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How was the commute today?

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Old 05-23-03 | 03:18 AM
  #2376  
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From: Hamilton, Ottawa, Maberly, Apsley, Ontario

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Yesterday was a truly great day for the bike commute. I rode to a Doctor's appointment at 9:00 (I'm usually at work by 7:00 am), so it was warmer and lighter, plus I took the long 22km commute around the bay. I was already late for work so I took my time and actually stopped at a couple of places I usually just ride on by. (Including a bike shop I hadn't been in yet - lots of nice Bianchis, Cannondales, Treks and Kleins- didn't buy anything though!)
I ended up taking the long way home as well. The lift bridge was just going up and looked like it would be up for a while, so I figured why wait for 30 minutes, I might as well spend the time riding. It was great!
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Old 05-23-03 | 06:04 AM
  #2377  
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Hi Folks,

Breezy, no, windy today. Great for the ride to work, not so great for the impending ride home!

Cheers,

Ed
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Old 05-23-03 | 08:55 AM
  #2378  
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It was awesome! 56 degrees and very little traffic
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Old 05-23-03 | 11:02 AM
  #2379  
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Welcome to the commuting world SteveE.

Todays ride was very nice. Great weather, great feeling, some good speed. This is what its all about. I have a lunch ride to look forward to today, and then another ride to get myself home.

Nice weather is sooooo goood.
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Old 05-23-03 | 11:08 AM
  #2380  
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From: Kirkland, WA

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Decent weather this morning, the weather follks would probably have it as "Considerable cloudiness with outbreaks of sunshine" The nice thing was it was warm, probably getting towards 60 this morning, supposed to be the warmest day of the year with highs toward 75

My legs were toast today though, I've commuted 4 time this week and on my day off I did a hike after work. I'm looking forward to resting up tomorrow before heading out on a MTB ride on Sunday Yay weekend
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Old 05-23-03 | 11:17 AM
  #2381  
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Nice weather yesterday....there was a light crosswind. Nothing of interest happened.

I didn't see the horse today, but I didn't see anything like evidence of an accident, either, and nobody in town had heard about any such collision...
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Old 05-23-03 | 02:51 PM
  #2382  
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Fantastic weather I thought today, by 9:45 when I set off it was scattered clouds and blue sky peeking though. But warm, temps int he mid upper 60's I'd say. No wind! I did a bit extra on the way in, and I'm looking forward to the ride home. More fair weather bikers, out though.
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Old 05-23-03 | 03:31 PM
  #2383  
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Originally posted by Kodama
Fantastic weather I thought today
Well kodama, I think I can claim at least partial responsibility for that. I finally installed my fenders yesterday evening thereby ensuring a zero chance of rain for today

Enjoy the ride home, it should be a beauty
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Old 05-23-03 | 05:51 PM
  #2384  
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Thanks, Sailguy!

I'm getting the hang of commuting. It's not that I'm not used to traffic, it's just that most of my rides are designed to avoid traffic. I've found, however, that the number of cars on the road in the morning is not as bad as I expected. There's more traffic in the afternoon, so I've revised my route home to use some bike paths for a few miles in the middle of my commute. I limit my time on one road (Fair Oaks, for those of you in the South Bay area) that is the safest way to cross US-101. After that I can find a lot of different side road to get home.

The weather has been great every morning. The afternoons have been on the warm side (mid-80s).
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Old 05-23-03 | 09:25 PM
  #2385  
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Blah. 8:30pm and I'm still here, 12hrs. after arriving. We go through this every year in May and it's just something to be endured. The benefit is that the streets of Sactown will be cool and quiet when I finally ride home.
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Old 05-24-03 | 07:29 PM
  #2386  
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Strong winds today! I headed out on the long route this morning. Just as I approached the turn which would take me to town with a tailwind, I saw another cyclist...the first I've met commuting outside of town. He came up the end of a really steep saddle, went to the top of the hill and stopped to take off his jacket, so I turned the wrong way for a little bit to chat with him. He said he always goes from Kaukauna to his family's cabin by bike...which means that he had been riding 25 miles or so already into a killer headwind. (Poor guy!) Anyway, the wind pushed me along to town at a rapid pace.

The way home wasn't so much fun. I was meeting my mother in Green Bay for a movie, and was on a tight schedule, so I took the short route, which means I got to contend with holiday weekend traffic as well as killer headwinds. The struggle to be on time probably built muscle, though. (And I was on time for the movie--barely!)

So, it was a good day. At the moment, though, typing sucks because I just gave a banana chunk to my pet rat and the enthusiastic little moron missed it and sunk his razor fangs into my typing finger. Grrrr.....
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Old 05-24-03 | 10:50 PM
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First post on the status of my commute, but I had such a great ride that I have to let someone know. I just put slicks on my mountain bike, and this was the first time I rode it on the commute. My road bike lets me feel every bump on the road, but the mountain bike was a bit more comfortable and not nearly as heavy in comparison as I thought it would be. I think I actually made it in a couple of minutes faster. Maybe I was just excited about a different bike. Anyway, the weather was great, high 50s this morning, low to mid 70s this afternoon and very little traffic on the road. Here's hoping it will be this great tomorrow.
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Old 05-24-03 | 11:10 PM
  #2388  
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Originally posted by astrale
First post on the status of my commute, but I had such a great ride that I have to let someone know.
You're in the right place! Welcome!
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Old 05-25-03 | 06:01 AM
  #2389  
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This morning was cold as the sun was just coming up, red, over the horizon. I had the usual fun of listening to roosters crowing all the way in. A nice little tailwind helped me make good time.

Well, I got to the gas station and got started, and what happened but 15 minutes later someone else turned up to work....it seems I wasn't scheduled for this week, and the boss forgot to tell me! So now I'm holed up in the library (I have my own key) surfing the net and waiting till it's a little warmer before going home. Getting up at 4am has left the entire day ahead of me, and my commute has turned into a rec ride!

(Last week I was given off, too, though I knew about that. I'm not scheduled for next week, either...I wonder if they're trying to fire me gently? It would make my decision whether to quit simpler...)
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Old 05-25-03 | 04:39 PM
  #2390  
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All kinds of firsts for me lately, but I guess that is to be expected as I haven't been commuting for that long. Today was my first ride in the rain. I had been a bit nervous about it and turned down the offers of people at work to drive me home. I had new rain gear and fenders, and the ride was very enjoyable. The temperature was in the 60s and the new clothes were breathing comfortably. The Sunday afternoon traffic was fairly light, and I actually saw another cyclist out on the road. I was rather proud of myself that I didn't get passed. Got home and wiped down my bike. Not a very good place in the house for that, so next time I'll have to set out some newspaper in advance.
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Old 05-25-03 | 05:47 PM
  #2391  
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Rode to work yesterday and today; 15 miles round trip so 30 total. Takes me about 35 minutes to get to work and about 75 to get home. My last 1-1/4 miles is extreme uphill and can only pedal about 3 mph in low-low gear so it takes a LOT longer but I love it. Bike worked flawless except for squealing front brake only in the morning (go figure). If I had to work tomorrow (Memorial Day) I would, only because I'd get more riding in. A very good day to all bikers out there.....keep pumping!!!
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Old 05-25-03 | 05:49 PM
  #2392  
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Rode directly into work today. Very quiet on the streets of Sactown since it's the Sunday of a three-day weekend here in the States. I hope we won't have to work tomorrow. If not, I'll take a long ride up to Folsom and back.
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Old 05-26-03 | 12:02 AM
  #2393  
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For the first time this summer I rode in wearing just bike shorts and a t-shirt. It certainly feels great to shed all the multiple layers and long-sleeved clothing. A beautiful, warm morning (I woke up at 6 and it was already +12C). My commute back will be late in the evening (sometime around 22) and I cannot wait to see if it stays warm until then.

A great start for the week !

--J
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Old 05-26-03 | 02:33 AM
  #2394  
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First commute on my new steed. I'm missing the old bike less and less each day. One big advantage this one has that I wasn't even thinking of before is slighty narrower handlebars than the other one. I absolutely breezed through the daily traffic Jam on the Sundale Bridge this evening. The South Pacific was beautiful as it virtually always is.
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Old 05-26-03 | 08:07 AM
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Originally posted by caloso
Rode directly into work today. Very quiet on the streets of Sactown since it's the Sunday of a three-day weekend here in the States. I hope we won't have to work tomorrow. If not, I'll take a long ride up to Folsom and back.
Yo Caloso, it could happen anywhere I realize, but Sacto was very, very bad to me yesterday.

My family was there over the weekend for my daughter's basketball tourney. I left my hotel yesterday at 5:30am to do a long run along the American River Trail. I looked forward to the run b/c I had heard good things about the Trail.

I parked at the Watt Ave lot, went 3 miles west and back, planning to replenish at the "mothership" (our van) and to continue the other 3 miles east and back, for 12 in total. When I got back to the van I found that someone had bashed in the drivers side window and took off with my daughter's purse and our camera. Luckily, my road bike (crammed inside the van) was left untouched and they didn't have time to rummage around my exercise bag to find my wallet.

The ride home yesterday was very loud with road noise.

I like Sacto a lot and the trail was actually very nice. It's just unfortunate that these things occur.
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Old 05-26-03 | 06:25 PM
  #2396  
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Just completed my first commute to work ever. The three month old bike took very kindly to extra attention paid to it on weekdays. Haven't invested in colder weather clothing yet and paid the price with some extremely cold fingers and arms.

None the less extremely enjoyable and will be repeating on Tuesday and Thursday (weather permitting) at this stage.

I'm sure my enthusiasm will winout and it may become daily and even in the rain... That'll be a big step
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Old 05-26-03 | 06:26 PM
  #2397  
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I commuted to work for over 10 years and started a new (and great!) job this past November. Alas, it is in a completely different part of town and 17 miles one-way unlike my old commute of 5 miles on quiet suburban streets. Well I'm convinced I can start commuting again (at least as long as the days are longer) and I took a test ride on Saturday. It was well planned out after months of searching for the right set of roads and backways without adding too much mileage. Some of the traffic can be really tough and there will certainly be more on a weekday than on a quite Saturday morning. I'm very experienced so I feel confident that it is doable. I hope to ride it this week. I'll keep you posted. By the way it took me 1 hour 15 minutes to get to work and 1 hour to get home (more downhills thankfully).
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Old 05-27-03 | 05:51 AM
  #2398  
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Yesterday was a very good commute. The ride in was just average, but coming home I flew! My route usually takes me 25 mins, but yesterday I was home in 18 - and it felt like everything was going right. I got home rather out of breath, but hey - that feels good sometimes

This morning I felt like crap, and the weather was cool and very damp (and foggy). I felt like I was crawling, yet still managed to make my average time (or even a bit less), so maybe I'm getting stronger? We'll see how I feel tonite when it'll most likely be raining
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Old 05-27-03 | 06:33 AM
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52 degrees F, light headwind, heavy cloud cover, no rain, what more could you ask for. I had a great, fairly fast ride into work this morning.
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Old 05-27-03 | 07:04 AM
  #2400  
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Hi Folks,

Well, after a long and tiring weekend we have finally moved into our new house - with help from some great friends.

So, it was the first day of a new commuting route for me and the difference is AMAZING. It's about the same distance, but no longer do I have the battle with traffic in the centre of Oxford. This is much safer and makes my wife happy! The bike path along the new section of the ride is great - I can really "motor" going along there. But first there is a nice steep bit of hill to get the blood pumping - also meaning that the last bit of the way home is downhill

Fantaistic

Cheers,

Ed
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