How was the commute today?
05-18-08 | 05:58 PM
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27,266
Likes: 150
From: YEG
Bikes: See my sig...
Sunny, 74F, and windy as hell.
It was great.
It was great.
05-18-08 | 06:45 PM
<user defined text>
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
From: Sydney, Australia
Bikes: 80's peugeot. Somewhat knackered. Lovely new Salsa Casseroll singlespeed.
Cold but sunny this morning. Very nice riding weather. There seems to be increasing numbers of cyclists around. Which is good. Even if some of them do do weird things at junctions.
05-18-08 | 08:18 PM
Nerd
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 450
Likes: 0
From: Wheat Ridge, CO
Bikes: K2 T-9 Crosswind
The ride to work was beautiful. I love riding to work, watching the sun rise and enjoying 50F weather. I'm gonna get spoiled by rides like that.
The ride home, though, was kind of a bummer. I ride on the MUP when it's light out. Today, I saw gang graffiti that wasn't there a few days ago. I also saw a mom being very mean to her little 4-year-old (walking away and telling him to catch up while he was sobbing for her about 25 feet back); cigarette butts, roaches, and empty liquor bottles littering the area around the bench where I take my rest stop; a pregnant teenager smoking a cigarette and yelling at someone on her cell phone at the park by my house; those and the other signs of ignorance and poverty I see on my route put me in a bummer mood. Sometimes the MUP uplifts me, sometimes it bums me out.
I came from a poor neighborhood like the one I ride through on the way to my (lower middle class) house. I've lived in apartments where the first of the month was always a party because that's when everyone got their welfare checks. I understand poverty, I understand bad choices, I understand living paycheck to paycheck...but that doesn't mean I'm ever happy to see it. That doesn't mean I'd wish it on anyone.
All the philosophizing and navel-gazing I did was able to distract me from the fact that I had just ridden 3 miles uphill, though.
The ride home, though, was kind of a bummer. I ride on the MUP when it's light out. Today, I saw gang graffiti that wasn't there a few days ago. I also saw a mom being very mean to her little 4-year-old (walking away and telling him to catch up while he was sobbing for her about 25 feet back); cigarette butts, roaches, and empty liquor bottles littering the area around the bench where I take my rest stop; a pregnant teenager smoking a cigarette and yelling at someone on her cell phone at the park by my house; those and the other signs of ignorance and poverty I see on my route put me in a bummer mood. Sometimes the MUP uplifts me, sometimes it bums me out.
I came from a poor neighborhood like the one I ride through on the way to my (lower middle class) house. I've lived in apartments where the first of the month was always a party because that's when everyone got their welfare checks. I understand poverty, I understand bad choices, I understand living paycheck to paycheck...but that doesn't mean I'm ever happy to see it. That doesn't mean I'd wish it on anyone.
All the philosophizing and navel-gazing I did was able to distract me from the fact that I had just ridden 3 miles uphill, though.
05-18-08 | 08:52 PM
Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Lubbock, Texas USA
My ride to the grocery store was fantastic today, I love spring.
05-19-08 | 05:45 AM
Rim crusher
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
Had a close call this AM.
A bright, clear morning, about 6:30 AM, sun up, but still below the treeline so no visibility issues at all. I was riding North on Miami Blvd (3 lanes Northbound, 3 lanes South). I'm in the right lane doing about 20mph when a car passes me in the middle lane doing about 25- which is odd of course because traffic is usually moving 50-60 on that stretch of road. Driver has a cell phone pressed to his ear (not a big surprise). So no big deal, he keeps poking along in the middle lane and I'm pacing him ~ 50 feet back in the right lane. There's no other traffic immediately behind us, and I had to take a left turn so I start drifting left to get into the left turn lane. The driver, now about 20-30 feet ahead of me, and still in middle lane starts braking. I, now in the left lane, could have gone ahead and passed him but still wasn't sure what he was doing, so I hung back and waited a bit. Then with no warning at all (such as blinkers) he does a left hand U-turn right in front of me. I had to jam on the brakes and swerve into the middle lane to avoid him, approaching traffic behind me hitting their brakes too. I began yelling WTF are you doing? etc.... He of course just kept on going. Not even sure if he knew I was there or not and that he could easily have injured or killed me. Lesson learned...If you're not sure what the driver is doing stay away from him! I'm glad I did, cuz if I had passed him on the left, which was my intial reaction (and totally legal) I probably would have ended up in the hospital.
Other than that, a spectacular morning for a ride. Looking forward to heading home with a 10-15 mph tailwind
A bright, clear morning, about 6:30 AM, sun up, but still below the treeline so no visibility issues at all. I was riding North on Miami Blvd (3 lanes Northbound, 3 lanes South). I'm in the right lane doing about 20mph when a car passes me in the middle lane doing about 25- which is odd of course because traffic is usually moving 50-60 on that stretch of road. Driver has a cell phone pressed to his ear (not a big surprise). So no big deal, he keeps poking along in the middle lane and I'm pacing him ~ 50 feet back in the right lane. There's no other traffic immediately behind us, and I had to take a left turn so I start drifting left to get into the left turn lane. The driver, now about 20-30 feet ahead of me, and still in middle lane starts braking. I, now in the left lane, could have gone ahead and passed him but still wasn't sure what he was doing, so I hung back and waited a bit. Then with no warning at all (such as blinkers) he does a left hand U-turn right in front of me. I had to jam on the brakes and swerve into the middle lane to avoid him, approaching traffic behind me hitting their brakes too. I began yelling WTF are you doing? etc.... He of course just kept on going. Not even sure if he knew I was there or not and that he could easily have injured or killed me. Lesson learned...If you're not sure what the driver is doing stay away from him! I'm glad I did, cuz if I had passed him on the left, which was my intial reaction (and totally legal) I probably would have ended up in the hospital.
Other than that, a spectacular morning for a ride. Looking forward to heading home with a 10-15 mph tailwind
05-19-08 | 05:49 AM
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,805
Likes: 868
From: Greenwood Indiana
Bikes: Surly Crosscheck
I dont understand why cell phones are not illegal to use while driving in all 50 states. More dangerous than drinking. I got hit jogging last year by some bimbo on a cell phone.
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Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are
Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are
05-19-08 | 06:06 AM
Back in the game...
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 302
Likes: 0
From: Keller, TX
Bikes: 1985 Trek 400; 1999 Specialized Rock Hopper (rigid, slicks); 2007 Crosscheck
Taking the day off today to get some things done around the house, so no commute. I will get out for a long(er) ride this morning, though. Trying to get some rides longer than my commute in so maybe I won't feel quite so spent when I get to the office at the end of a ride.
05-19-08 | 06:32 AM
Soul filled with grease
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Hills-Vegas, NC
Bikes: Early Surly XCheck;1960 Schwinn Speedster;1996 Giant CroMo Camper;1986 Fuji
Great ride this morning. I've added some mileage to the morning route and it turned out great.
Only downside was that at about the 4 mile mark I realized that I'd forgotten my water bottle ... Doh!
Grabbed one at the closest station and kept going.
Only downside was that at about the 4 mile mark I realized that I'd forgotten my water bottle ... Doh!
Grabbed one at the closest station and kept going.
05-19-08 | 06:34 AM
Belt drive!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,614
Likes: 0
From: Burlington, Vermont
Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX
Ride was okay this morning. 10-15MPH headwind but for some reason it didn't seem to slow me down. I did lose some energy during the last mile or so though. Temps in the low 40s, overcast. My co-worker was astounded that I rode without a jacket. 
(Also, shorts, and no gloves, just to freak out you southerners...)
On the MUP, I saw one cyclist going the other way, and I think 3 peds. Plus one kitty.
(Also, shorts, and no gloves, just to freak out you southerners...)On the MUP, I saw one cyclist going the other way, and I think 3 peds. Plus one kitty.
05-19-08 | 06:42 AM
Back in the game...
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 302
Likes: 0
From: Keller, TX
Bikes: 1985 Trek 400; 1999 Specialized Rock Hopper (rigid, slicks); 2007 Crosscheck
05-19-08 | 06:43 AM
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,798
Likes: 1
From: Highland Park, NJ, USA
Bikes: "Hildy", a Novara Randonee touring bike; a 16-speed Bike Friday Tikit; and a Specialized Stumpjumper frame-based built-up MTB, now serving as the kid-carrier, grocery-getter.
I rode my first commute on the new bike today. Getting used to a road bike again after two decades on a mountain bike is takign some getting used to. I took it easy, but once I get used to the drop bars and pedal cages (or whatever I end up with on the pedals, I can see putting some PowerGrips on), I'll be trimming some time off this 4 hr RT commute.
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Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
- Uke On! - ukulele duo - Videos
- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
05-19-08 | 06:59 AM
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: South FL
Not the best day for a bike commute... A very humid 87 degrees at 8 in the morning and on top of that, smokey air (Everglades are on fire), but on the bright side, didn't have to deal with much winds.
05-19-08 | 07:22 AM
SERENITY NOW!!!
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 8,739
Likes: 2
From: In the 212
Bikes: Haro Vector, IRO Rob Roy, Bianchi Veloce
Put the Powergrips back on because the sole of my bike shoe broke in half right across where the cleat mounts. They were a PITA to get my shoe in. I need to replace my bike shoes ASAP.
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HHCMF - Take pride in your ability to amaze lesser mortals! - MikeR
We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
HHCMF - Take pride in your ability to amaze lesser mortals! - MikeR
We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
05-19-08 | 07:41 AM
Nice commute this morning to the light rail. Feeling a tad sluggish from my Saturday century and the ensuing sunburn. Anyhow, I was passed by an older gentleman on a beatup hybrid with skinny tires while I was riding my MTB with huge knobby tires. I hung on the back of him due to the fact that he was not going fast enough when he decided to pass me. Dude set a good pace until I think he became annoyed and put the hammer down and dropped me like a bad habit.
I want to be that guy when I get older. I sure am not now.
I want to be that guy when I get older. I sure am not now.
05-19-08 | 07:43 AM
Seeing things
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: Maryland, USA
Bikes: '73 Bertin, '04 LeMond Poprad, Miyata 1000, and counting...
05-19-08 | 08:13 AM
Junior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Savoy, IL
Bikes: Trek 7.3 FX
Good ride this morning. I took a different route than usual to return a book at the UofIs graduate library. With school out, campus wasn't bad - and it was an interesting negotiation of dedicated bike paths, MUPs, and plain ol' street. I'm glad I did it without the traffic!
So, getting here was twice as far and twice as long - but that can be a good thing some days! Plenty of birds out - plenty of other commuters (even if you factor out the obvious students).
So, getting here was twice as far and twice as long - but that can be a good thing some days! Plenty of birds out - plenty of other commuters (even if you factor out the obvious students).
05-19-08 | 08:53 AM
my nose itches
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
From: Temple, Texas
Bikes: 1986 Specialized Stumpjumper, 2013 Redline Conquest Disc
Low 60s and low humidity...gorgeous ride!
05-19-08 | 09:16 AM
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 172
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From: Seattle, WA
Bikes: Kobe Chapparal
great ride in this morning...legs were sluggish though...maybe the ride home will be better- should be about 78 when I leave
05-19-08 | 10:01 AM
Nice warm sunny. High 50s/lows 60sF. Weather report actually announced 15mph headwind I can anticipate at go-home time.
05-19-08 | 11:38 AM
omg.
Bad one.
Sorry to hear it.
Bad one.
Sorry to hear it.
On the 25th of last month I was making good time home on a perfect afternoon along the southern california coast. It was shattered by a small sink hole in a new patch of pavement; there was no asphalt missing, no jagged edge to alert me to danger, just a perfectly smooth little sink hole in a 10ft by 20ft patch of pavement.
I was doing about 25 when I entered the hole at which time the bike dropped to zero in about one inch, I hardly slowed at all. Lucky for my bike my face absorbed the initial impact.
Facial abrasions, three cuts in my face, none stitchable but one very close. Road rash everywhere. My right shoulder was dislocated badly, I pulled my arm from it's position behind my back and rotated the arm up over my side. Luckily it just rotated back in for the most part. A broken humerous (spelling?) that radiated up into my shoulder cracking it into six pieces.
Luckily the shoulder position was good enough where they didn't have to pin me back together and I just went in for x-rays every three days to make sure the shoulder stayed put and bone started growing. Today is my first day without the cast. The arm is so sore and weak it's practically useless; I start PT on Monday.
I'll be calling the bike shop right after I post this to get the news on my bike.
I was doing about 25 when I entered the hole at which time the bike dropped to zero in about one inch, I hardly slowed at all. Lucky for my bike my face absorbed the initial impact.
Facial abrasions, three cuts in my face, none stitchable but one very close. Road rash everywhere. My right shoulder was dislocated badly, I pulled my arm from it's position behind my back and rotated the arm up over my side. Luckily it just rotated back in for the most part. A broken humerous (spelling?) that radiated up into my shoulder cracking it into six pieces.
Luckily the shoulder position was good enough where they didn't have to pin me back together and I just went in for x-rays every three days to make sure the shoulder stayed put and bone started growing. Today is my first day without the cast. The arm is so sore and weak it's practically useless; I start PT on Monday.
I'll be calling the bike shop right after I post this to get the news on my bike.
05-19-08 | 11:45 AM
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,115
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Felt sluggish but the HRM and the cyclometer say otherwise. Funny how that works sometimes.
05-19-08 | 11:50 AM
Arizona Dessert
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 15,029
Likes: 2,170
From: AZ
Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix, Lemond Poprad. Retired: Jamis Sputnik, Centurion LeMans Fixed, Diamond Back ascent ex
I'm looking at my first 100F+ commute this PM - forecast to be 109F.
While 109F is relatively cool for mid-summer, it has come suddenly - all previous PM commutes this year have been 90F and under.
"A STRONG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL MAKE FOR UNSEASONABLY HOT
TEMPERATURES THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS THIS WEEK...WITH AFTERNOON HIGH
TEMPERATURES FROM 15 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. IN FACT...IF THE
OFFICIAL HIGH TEMPERATURE AT PHOENIX SKY HARBOR REACHES THE PREDICTED
HIGH OF 110 DEGREES TODAY /MONDAY/...IT WILL MARK THE FIRST TIME IN
RECORDED HISTORY THAT THE INITIAL 100 DEGREE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE
SEASON WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED THE NEXT DAY BY THE FIRST 110 DEGREE
READING."
Al
While 109F is relatively cool for mid-summer, it has come suddenly - all previous PM commutes this year have been 90F and under.
"A STRONG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL MAKE FOR UNSEASONABLY HOT
TEMPERATURES THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS THIS WEEK...WITH AFTERNOON HIGH
TEMPERATURES FROM 15 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. IN FACT...IF THE
OFFICIAL HIGH TEMPERATURE AT PHOENIX SKY HARBOR REACHES THE PREDICTED
HIGH OF 110 DEGREES TODAY /MONDAY/...IT WILL MARK THE FIRST TIME IN
RECORDED HISTORY THAT THE INITIAL 100 DEGREE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE
SEASON WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED THE NEXT DAY BY THE FIRST 110 DEGREE
READING."
Al
05-19-08 | 12:27 PM
I chase bikes!
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: South Jersey, that's in the USA
Bikes: Motobécane Grand Record, Surly LHT, and LHT Deluxe Build
Wow! I saw this thread and thought how interesting can it be to read about someones ride to work, boy I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed reading about your ride and observations. I'm going to try and be more observant from now on. I tend to let my mind drift while I enjoy my ride and am not usually aware that I'm thinking at all; thoughts seem to flow and meander from one subject to the next sort of like the bike paths and back streets I ride to get to work.
The ride to work was beautiful. I love riding to work, watching the sun rise and enjoying 50F weather. I'm gonna get spoiled by rides like that.
All the philosophizing and navel-gazing I did was able to distract me from the fact that I had just ridden 3 miles uphill, though.
All the philosophizing and navel-gazing I did was able to distract me from the fact that I had just ridden 3 miles uphill, though.
05-19-08 | 01:01 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 991
Likes: 0
From: Durham, NC
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse 5c, Scattante XRL
For those of you who hate reading people's responses to previous posts, you might want to skip my next few posts after this one. I was busy most of last week and couldn't respond till now 
Anyway...for the 2nd year in a row I was only able to ride 2 of the 5 days of BtWW. This kills me, as I'm a 5-day-a-week commuter (yeah, I know BtWW is just another week on the calendar, same as any other, but...).
Friday there was a BtWW breakfast an extra 1.5 miles past my building. My neighbor's son wants to get more CV exercise so he joined me for the ride (in the rain...he picked a great day to start out!) and we stopped, hung out, got some free stuff.
Saturday my company had their annual summer celebration on the lawn in front of my building. Fearing parking nightmares (and because I like being different) I rode to the event and took my 15-month-old daughter in the bike trailer. OK, it's a MUCH different commute when hauling the trailer (25, 30 pounds?) and the kid (25 pounds?) on the mountain bike (30 pounds?). I only weigh 140 pounds so for me that's a lot of weight! I was pretty tired when I got home (carrying the kid around much of the afternoon didn't help).
Today's ride was uneventful.
Anyway...for the 2nd year in a row I was only able to ride 2 of the 5 days of BtWW. This kills me, as I'm a 5-day-a-week commuter (yeah, I know BtWW is just another week on the calendar, same as any other, but...).
Friday there was a BtWW breakfast an extra 1.5 miles past my building. My neighbor's son wants to get more CV exercise so he joined me for the ride (in the rain...he picked a great day to start out!) and we stopped, hung out, got some free stuff.
Saturday my company had their annual summer celebration on the lawn in front of my building. Fearing parking nightmares (and because I like being different) I rode to the event and took my 15-month-old daughter in the bike trailer. OK, it's a MUCH different commute when hauling the trailer (25, 30 pounds?) and the kid (25 pounds?) on the mountain bike (30 pounds?). I only weigh 140 pounds so for me that's a lot of weight! I was pretty tired when I got home (carrying the kid around much of the afternoon didn't help).
Today's ride was uneventful.