2012 - How Was the Commute Today?
#3201
Senior Member
We got a slight reprieve from the near- or sub-freezing a.m. temperatures we've been having recently. Looked at the thermometer this morning and saw 6C/43F. Woohoo! shorts weather! Roads were dry (trails a bit damp) and almost no wind, so it was a great ride in.
My path converged with another, very fast, commuter on a hybrid running dual headlights and a nice bright blinky in the back. He started about 30 yards ahead of me, and I had to work hard to stay that 30 yards behind. I chased him for about 15 blocks, when suddenly I heard up ahead, "POPPSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHUPSHUPSHUPSHUPSHUPSHUP"...poor guy got a flat. I stopped to ask if he had a flat kit and yeah, he was fine, thanks for asking, and off I went on my merry way, a little slower. Bummer, I was having a lot of fun!
My path converged with another, very fast, commuter on a hybrid running dual headlights and a nice bright blinky in the back. He started about 30 yards ahead of me, and I had to work hard to stay that 30 yards behind. I chased him for about 15 blocks, when suddenly I heard up ahead, "POPPSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHUPSHUPSHUPSHUPSHUPSHUP"...poor guy got a flat. I stopped to ask if he had a flat kit and yeah, he was fine, thanks for asking, and off I went on my merry way, a little slower. Bummer, I was having a lot of fun!
#3202
Senior Member
9C this morning, the first day in about 3 weeks that I've been able to wear shorts on the way into class. I wore a light wool sweater over my jersey. This afternoon is supposed to be 18C, so the ride home will be very nice. I'll have to try for the 40km route home if I get out of my afternoon lab early enough. I'm riding the mountain bike again this week trying to get ready for winter. I took an extended route in this morning that ended up being 28km. My legs were feeling pretty good this morning, I averaged 25kph and got up to 44kph on a final sprint from the light leading into campus.
I did some maintenance on my touring bike on the weekend. The rear v-brake bosses had no grease on them which would explain my sticky rear brake. I fixed a radial anomaly in my rear wheel that was causing pulsation in the rear brakes. But fixing that knocked my wheel dish out by 1/4". So I bought a dishing gauge and figured out how to dish a wheel. I ordered a spoke tensiometer online, so I'll be ready to start building my own wheels.
I was expecting to go on a long ride Sunday. But just one person showed up at the meeting spot. We ended up just riding along at 20kph for 30km which actually worked well to loosen up my legs.
I did some maintenance on my touring bike on the weekend. The rear v-brake bosses had no grease on them which would explain my sticky rear brake. I fixed a radial anomaly in my rear wheel that was causing pulsation in the rear brakes. But fixing that knocked my wheel dish out by 1/4". So I bought a dishing gauge and figured out how to dish a wheel. I ordered a spoke tensiometer online, so I'll be ready to start building my own wheels.
I was expecting to go on a long ride Sunday. But just one person showed up at the meeting spot. We ended up just riding along at 20kph for 30km which actually worked well to loosen up my legs.
#3203
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Wet, since it has been raining all weekend, but the cloud cover keeps the temps very mild. It was mid 50s, and it had been down in the mid 40s the last couple weeks. I debated a long time about whether to carry my full rain gear, or just wear the water resistant layers. I compromised and wore the water resistant tights, which keep my legs nice and warm, but just carried my jacket with me for the ride home.
It's supposed to be raining pretty hard, with gusty winds this afternoon. That's unusual around here. More commonly, we just get a nice steady drizzle with little wind.
It's supposed to be raining pretty hard, with gusty winds this afternoon. That's unusual around here. More commonly, we just get a nice steady drizzle with little wind.
#3204
What, me worry?
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The weathers totally gone crazy these last few weeks with high temperatures (it's going to reach 90F/31 on Wednesday!) and long duration sunshine followed by brief and heavy storms. Also the humidity is through the roof (for Athens that is) never dropping below 40% which is very strange.
Because of the above, even when cycling during the early morning or late evening with a t-shirt and shorts, I end up getting soaked in perspiration making any trips longer than 15-20 miles very uncomfortable. This morning when I reached the office, my t-shirt was drenched and people were asking me if it had rained on my way there....
The bad thing is that the weather doesn't seem to be changing soon, so we're probably going to enter November (which is the rainy season for Athens) in the mid to high 80s!
Because of the above, even when cycling during the early morning or late evening with a t-shirt and shorts, I end up getting soaked in perspiration making any trips longer than 15-20 miles very uncomfortable. This morning when I reached the office, my t-shirt was drenched and people were asking me if it had rained on my way there....
The bad thing is that the weather doesn't seem to be changing soon, so we're probably going to enter November (which is the rainy season for Athens) in the mid to high 80s!
#3205
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Blissful tailwind for the ride in this morning. Made for an easy ride at a pretty good clip. :-)
Keeping an eye on my ear wheel's spokes. Found that a couple were VERY loose last Friday. Tightened them back up. Wheel still true, but I'm a bit disconcerted that those couple spokes had loosened themselves up so much. Besides that, I cleaned and oiled the chain and tweeted the position of one of my brake levers/hoods this morning before I hit the road.
Keeping an eye on my ear wheel's spokes. Found that a couple were VERY loose last Friday. Tightened them back up. Wheel still true, but I'm a bit disconcerted that those couple spokes had loosened themselves up so much. Besides that, I cleaned and oiled the chain and tweeted the position of one of my brake levers/hoods this morning before I hit the road.
#3206
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Wet and windy in Portland tonight. Man it sure seems the wind F's with me everyday, in whatever direction I'm going. Always feel good when I get home though
#3207
Super-spreader
Drenched!
But my feet and shoes are bone dry, thanks to my new shoe covers. One of the best cycling gear purchases I've ever made!
But my feet and shoes are bone dry, thanks to my new shoe covers. One of the best cycling gear purchases I've ever made!
#3208
Senior Member
Warm this morning. At about 4pm or so I'm chatting with some folks at work that share a corner office on the 31st floor, with a north view up Manhattan and an east view to the UN, and I see how dark it is getting. I do a quick exit and get on the bike to go home before it pours. I got caught in the rain but it was never too heavy. I don't usually ride in the rain so I didn't have any rain gear, but I did think to take a Capilene wicking undershirt and that kept me warm even when wet as the temps dropped. When I got into Brooklyn I thought about taking the subway but when I got close to the station the rain stopped so I kept going. It started coming down hard less than a mile from home. By then it didn't matter anyway.
#3209
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A nice ride in at 50f (10c). 14 degrees F, cooler than yesterday. Too many cars yesterday going home, and some days are just like that.
#3210
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had my first fall this morning. riding over a wooden bridge with wet leaves i started to fishtail and immediately went down onto my right side. luckily my pannier with my laptop is on the left side and it survived with no damage. no damage to the bike too it seems, just some bumps and bruises for me
#3211
Senior Member
I am glad to hear your fall was not to bad aquateen. The roads were wet this morning as the rain was just coming to a stop as I left the house this morning. It was overcast and dark and temps of 50f, so warm. It was a slow ride in due to wet roads, and my nervousness on them. Though I am happy I rode to work instead of going to the gym.
#3212
Belt drive!
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45F/7C, overcast, and dark enough that street lights were illuminated, so I ran my blinkies for good measure. Also had a headwind but it wasn't too bad.
#3213
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Last night's ride home was interesting...big black threatening strom clouds coming out of the West as I pedaled East. Missed the rain though. Drivers seemed more aggresive because of it.
Overnight showers brought the temps back down and this morning was cool and crisp.
Overnight showers brought the temps back down and this morning was cool and crisp.
#3214
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Great weather for riding this morning with cool temps about 50 F and low humidity. Chose to drive yesterday due to forecast for severe thunderstorms in the afternoon, which was a good call because we had pouring rain and high winds at the time of my afternoon commute. The weather for the rest of the week looks good right now. Despite the day off, my legs were still tired from riding a mostly solo metric century on Sunday, so I took it easy.
#3215
Senior Member
8C with a 24kph headwind this morning. I was stiff most of the ride from the 58km I rode yesterday. I didn't get as much riding in on the way home as I had planned due to my lab running late.
#3216
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It was pouring rain on the commute home last night. I made it home mostly dry, though, so my gear did its job. This morning, the roads were wet, but there was no rain. It was pretty windy and gusty, though, which is unusual for this area. Made me have flashbacks of Kansas...and that's never pretty.
It'll probably be raining on the ride home again tonight, but if it isn't windy, I'll take the long way.
It'll probably be raining on the ride home again tonight, but if it isn't windy, I'll take the long way.
#3217
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I reached a milestone with over 600 miles logged commuting since the end of May (May 21st, 605.8 miles).
The ride was wonderfully uneventful, except: There were two guys crossing in the pedestrian crosswalk at one of the stop lights, just before my office. One says to meas he passes, "If anybody hits you, they just wrong! You got lights everywhere, d@mn."
The ride was wonderfully uneventful, except: There were two guys crossing in the pedestrian crosswalk at one of the stop lights, just before my office. One says to meas he passes, "If anybody hits you, they just wrong! You got lights everywhere, d@mn."
#3218
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Another beautiful morning. And a little cooler, too, which made it at least as nice as yesterday, despite the lack of the tailwind. Temps in the low 50s.
Had the same interesting weather already mentioned for the ride home yesterday... A stark line of very dark clouds with a clear break between cloud and clear sky. Rain started to spot just as I got within a few blocks of home, so no ill effects for me, but the line of cloud was pretty cool looking.
Looking forward to a cool, breezy ride home.
Had the same interesting weather already mentioned for the ride home yesterday... A stark line of very dark clouds with a clear break between cloud and clear sky. Rain started to spot just as I got within a few blocks of home, so no ill effects for me, but the line of cloud was pretty cool looking.
Looking forward to a cool, breezy ride home.
#3219
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Cool morning 54 degrees, no close calls. Beautiful sunrise... I shoulda took a pic!
#3220
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Sick yesterday, actually laid out of work today. I got a stomach bug from something.
Spent the weekend riding up in Travelers Rest S.C. It was beautiful, but I was expecting the trees to be changing. Saw some reds and a few yellows. but not as much as I was expecting. Still a bit early yet I suppose...
Rode the single speed up to Saluda. Got some funny looks from folks...It was beautiful though nice brisk morning, lot's of people out riding.
Mountain top photo...
Spent the weekend riding up in Travelers Rest S.C. It was beautiful, but I was expecting the trees to be changing. Saw some reds and a few yellows. but not as much as I was expecting. Still a bit early yet I suppose...
Rode the single speed up to Saluda. Got some funny looks from folks...It was beautiful though nice brisk morning, lot's of people out riding.
Mountain top photo...
#3221
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Sick yesterday, actually laid out of work today. I got a stomach bug from something.
Spent the weekend riding up in Travelers Rest S.C. It was beautiful, but I was expecting the trees to be changing. Saw some reds and a few yellows. but not as much as I was expecting. Still a bit early yet I suppose...
Rode the single speed up to Saluda. Got some funny looks from folks...It was beautiful though nice brisk morning, lot's of people out riding.
Hopefully I will be back on the road in the morning...
Spent the weekend riding up in Travelers Rest S.C. It was beautiful, but I was expecting the trees to be changing. Saw some reds and a few yellows. but not as much as I was expecting. Still a bit early yet I suppose...
Rode the single speed up to Saluda. Got some funny looks from folks...It was beautiful though nice brisk morning, lot's of people out riding.
Hopefully I will be back on the road in the morning...
Last edited by silmarillion; 10-16-12 at 11:34 AM.
#3222
Insane Member
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Beautiful morning, no wind to speak of (rare here this time of year). Nice, cool ride in~ Love autumn!
#3223
Rocketship Underpants
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Took a picture at mile 14 of 17 on Friday morning. I'm right at 1000 commuting miles since I started August 8 this year, I should be able to hit 2000 by the end of the year.
#3224
Idealistic Troublemaker
GLORIOUS
70F, clear skies, lots of randomly friendly fellow riders, still feeling well pre-stretched by a yoga class last night, just heavenly for 26 miles up the peninsula. Sad it had to end when I got to the office.
70F, clear skies, lots of randomly friendly fellow riders, still feeling well pre-stretched by a yoga class last night, just heavenly for 26 miles up the peninsula. Sad it had to end when I got to the office.