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-   -   2012 - How Was the Commute Today? (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/790056-2012-how-commute-today.html)

genel 09-18-12 07:38 AM

beautiful morning, but fall is definitely here. Temps in the 40's. Sun is now aligned with the road during my east bound route. A cyclist was killed there a few years ago so extra caution needed. Even if traffic is light I hop on the parallel bike path.

EKW in DC 09-18-12 09:32 AM


Originally Posted by aquateen (Post 14740269)
any DC riders riding in tomorrow? with high wind thunderstorms I think I'm going to drive in...

I rode in today. Leaving work around 3:30 to get to class. Come to think of it, given the forecast 20 mph headwind I'll be riding into, gusting to 30 or more, I might need to allow a few extra minutes.

The ride in was fine. A couple times the wind picked up, a nice tailwind, allowing me to cruise at 20 mph with little effort. Not looking forward to the flip side of that this afternoon, with the addition of rain, but what doesn't kill you just makes you stronger right?

truman 09-18-12 09:43 AM

First day that I was cool for the whole 11 miles. A couple degrees less and I'll be wanting some sleeves. Adios, Summer!

Telly 09-18-12 01:46 PM

Very peculiar weather for Athens today (Greece)... on my way to work and back, there were thunderstorms in the distance with heavy black clouds everywhere except on my route which was nice and sunny! Weather's hot and humid at around 27c / 60% humidity making my ride moist but bearable.

phx1973 09-18-12 02:32 PM

Back commuting today after taking the long, hot Phoenix summer off (from riding, not work, unfortunately). The bad news is I had to leave home mid-morning rather than early morning, so it was still 100'ish, which is a little hot for me. I just took it nice an easy. Felt great to be back at it, though.

gecho 09-18-12 02:59 PM

I was going to ride around a bit this morning before going to school, but when I phoned for a dentist appointment this morning they had a spot today. Not so lucky on my optometrist appointment which isn't until October 25th.

I stopped by the LBS on the way to the dentist and got a strong maybe for someone to join me on a 200km ride Saturday, assuming the forecast stays as it is. I'll be using my road bike rest of the week instead of the touring bike. I'll try not to push too hard and not do any extra distance to save my energy for the weekend. The randonneurs I've been riding with are all much stronger riders than I am.

When I left the house around 1:30 for school it was 20C with a strong tailwind. I averaged 29kph despite trying to take it easy. I could have easily beaten my previous best time had I put in the level of effort I did last week.

making 09-18-12 05:06 PM

Beautiful ride home,70F, big tail wind and I felt much better than this morning. Just nice.

jrickards 09-18-12 05:33 PM

Cold ride home, just like this morning, 6C, but unlike the morning, no rain but instead, significant wind and because my route home is somewhat circular, at some point in the ride, I will have a tailwind, a crosswind and a headwind. Today, the headwind was the worst of it.

Tomorrow's morning forecast is dry but 3C so i'll need to find all my cool weather gear tonight.

cycronin 09-18-12 10:01 PM

It's strange how things can happen all at once. I'd gone a good while without an incident with a driver, and during this mornings commute I had three.

It started with someone buzzing me. I didn't get too worked up over it. Then I hit a four way stop. I followed the rules to a T. I stopped at the stop sign... another car had gotten to the intersecting stop first and I let that person go. Then I went, and the lady behind the other person stopped briefly then took off. I wasn't going fast yet and was about to stop, then she saw me and stopped, and looked at me and gestured like I was in the wrong. I pretty much flipped, pointing at both stops signs, screaming "It's a four way stop!"... I suppose I could have reacted worse. Anyway I went on my merry way, on the bike lane a bit later, when a car making a right cut me off. Still wound up over the last incident, I had to pull out the middle finger. Doubt the dude even saw me.

Ah well, hope I go another few months without an incident.

Mr. Hairy Legs 09-18-12 10:27 PM

Warm again today! I arrived at work this morning dripping with sweat.

acidfast7 09-19-12 12:14 AM

1 Attachment(s)
10C today (50F). little bit colder than yesterday.

biggest group at a light ... about 20 8-12 year olds going to school by bike.

also, saw my first compact e-bike today on the street (60yo woman) and man she went up the hill fast :(

it actually looks like a perfect commuting e-bike for an older person.

small frame
20" wheels
8spd Nexus hub
250W
11A/396Wh
dynamo w/LED lights front/rear
fenders
reasonable price (2399€)

although it not the newest BOSCH motor (which goes 45km/h ... 30mph of the 700c bikes)

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=273696

M.R.Serecka 09-19-12 02:28 AM

very cool yet comfy this morn. mercer county is not flooded. will ride home rahway to princeton this afternoon weather permitting. where are all my critter friends?

fletchh 09-19-12 04:23 AM

A perfect morning at 61 f (16c). Yesterday afternoon I got lucky. I saw a trough in the storm about 10 minutes before I normally leave, got dressed and bolted out the door. It spit, and it was dark, but I didn't get touched. About 15 min being home, it just opened up with another unbelievable downpour. Just another erratic storm. It is good to be lucky.

dcb23 09-19-12 05:07 AM


Originally Posted by fletchh (Post 14748912)
It spit, and it was dark, but I didn't get touched. About 15 min being home, it just opened up with another unbelievable downpour. Just another erratic storm. It is good to be lucky.

I work in a basement so all I saw was a bunch of fallen branches etc when I finally rolled out....I miss all the big storms.

Nice ride in.

vtjim 09-19-12 05:53 AM

52F/11C with a quartering headwind. Still short sleeves weather! I felt slow. Lots of debris from the storms that blew through here last night. Nothing huge, but I had to dodge the odd branch here & there.

I saw a big white domestic cat. I made noises at it but it ignored me. Cats. :rolleyes:

jrickards 09-19-12 05:58 AM


Originally Posted by Mr. Hairy Legs (Post 14748532)
Warm again today! I arrived at work this morning dripping with sweat.

Come and cycle with me today then!! The ride started with the air a chilly 2C and dropped to 0C by the end (~45min later). Yesterday, it was 6C and wet (drizzle) yet I was able to ride in shorts (and rain jacket) but today, just 4C colder, I had to put on a warm jacket, tights, warm gloves and head cap (I couldn't find my toe covers and suffered by the end of the ride).

These temperatures are abnormal for this time of year, we don't normally see these until mid- to late-October. However, the forecast for the next few days are mid- to high-teens highs and high single digits as lows.

I feel invigorated by today's ride (or maybe it was the hot shower when I arrived at work), have a great day everyone!!!

tarwheel 09-19-12 06:08 AM

Back in the saddle today after driving yesterday. We had forecasts yesterday for severe thunderstorms and heavy rain from a cold front, which turned out to be correct for a change. Rain totals ranged from 2-4" across the area with many flooded streets, high winds and tornado watches. Good day to drive in my book. The roads were still wet on my morning ride this morning but the rain was all over, and the temperatures and humidity levels are starting to drop.

spivonious 09-19-12 07:57 AM

After getting completely soaked on the way home yesterday, today's cool and dry weather was welcome. I had to pull out my old sneakers since my newer ones got dunked in a foot of water while riding through some flooding yesterday. Any tips for drying them out?

wphamilton 09-19-12 08:21 AM


Originally Posted by spivonious (Post 14749356)
After getting completely soaked on the way home yesterday, today's cool and dry weather was welcome. I had to pull out my old sneakers since my newer ones got dunked in a foot of water while riding through some flooding yesterday. Any tips for drying them out?

Not in a dryer on high! But I've used a hair dryer successfully, taking great care.

aquateen 09-19-12 08:24 AM

rode in this morning cautiously due to the tons of debris from yesterday afternoon's storm. very glad i did not bike in yesterday

groovestew 09-19-12 08:31 AM

About 4C when I left my house, cooler in the valley; there may have even been frost in the valley overnight. It's that time of year where I freeze in the morning and sweat in the afternoon.

gecho 09-19-12 09:49 AM

8C with a pretty good tailwind, any colder and I would have regretted not wearing my full finger gloves. 28kph average speed on the way in, still not having much luck with this week's goal of "taking it easy". This afternoon I'm going to track down some running / cycling tights. Its going to be cool for at least the first half of my long ride Saturday and my jogging pants are a bit too restrictive.

Mr. Hairy Legs 09-19-12 09:11 PM

Flatted on the way home... that's 3 flats in 6 days. Time to invest in some hard case tires.

M.R.Serecka 09-20-12 03:31 AM

it is Thursday morning.
the temperature is cool but not cold.
rode home 30 ish miles from Rahway to Princeton last night. saw lots of squirrels who have passed on and one doe. luckily spotted the poor thing laying dead in the shoulder so I didn't even risk hitting her. let's all buy our friends and families those whistle type things that attach to cars and use wind/air to make a noise that alerts wild life to oncoming cars.
I once hit a coyote with my pickup.
the coyote died and I felt awful.
maybe it would have thought twice had it heard me from a little further off.
i once ran over a large something on my bike(smaller than a dear though).
the carcass was around a bend uphill so i was taken by surprise.

ricardoespsanto 09-20-12 03:46 AM

...ducks really have the worst timing for when to cross the road...


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