Fletch, I rode in with a colleague this am and she was mentioning how she's heard birds lately.

Nice warm ride light rain.

Bonus commute for me today. I had planned to drive because it was supposed to rain all morning, but the front passed through quickly during the night and the showers were all gone by the time I got up. The roads were still wet, but that's what fenders are for. Temps were very warm again in the mid-50s, but a stiff headwind made it a tough ride.

Heavy traffic this morning, unseasonably warm, just around freezing. Second day in a row riding the snow tires, but little ice except on limestone portion of bike path. Quite a work out last night coming home on path, and yesterdays tracks frozen in the limestone this morning. Two flocks of geese heading North. Don't know much about groundhogs, but the geese are squaking spring has spring.

My guess is that the knobby tires take about 30% more energy to roll. I'll have to measure it some day.

Had one interesting moment. It was very damp, and I had no stops for first ten miles. Finally at a light I find I had no brakes, and was getting close to entering the busy intersection. Hate it when that happens. Brakes caught as I was crossing the crosswalk.

Great ride in this morning - finally a little chilly but the roads are bone dry. Time to swap out my studded front tire - or at least buy a second front wheel so the swap is easier.

B

-3C this morning, it felt warm so I didn't even bother bringing my pannier with my extra clothes. I was stiff most of the way in this morning. I seem worse off commuting 2 days a week this semester than I was commuting 5 in the fall.

My mountain bike is begging for some maintenance. The front and rear canti brakes are seizing a bit, there is a bit of play in the front hub, and the rear derailleur cable needs adjustment. My squiggle maneuver for the traffic sensors seems to be working consistently.

32F, sunbreaks. I went to pump up my rear tire, felt a little squirrelly last night, and the valve core blew out. So I grabbed my geared bike off the wall (1st time since I sprained my wrist and couldn't physically lift it last fall) and took off. Nice ride. Slower (hey look, I can shift lower here!)

50°F and very light scattered showers for the ride in this morning. Can't complain. A little bit of fog and low clouds made for nice blurry views of far off structures... Reminded me a bit of an impressionist painting.

Loved the sound of the tires rolling over the wet pavement - hypnotic...

Dang! I was out during lunch and the wind has done a complete 180 and picked up speed since my morning commute. That means I'll be bucking wicked headwinds on both legs of my commute today. This winter has been mild temperature-wise, but the winds are killing me.

That brought them around to be a nice tailwind for me on the way home. Loved it. Sorry it meant headwinds for you. I know I would not have wanted to ride into the winds that were at my back this afternoon!

Awesome here in MN!

Another warmish day--35f on the way in, about 45f on the way home.

On the way to work this morning:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5212.jpg

Bike rack at work. Look at that Scotchbrite tape glow!

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5214.jpg

Desk ornament:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5217.jpg

Self portrait with larger desk ornament:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5223.jpg
On the way home:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5226.jpg

Great pix, Mercian! Looks like a classic Bottechia Pro. very cool.

My commute was just wonderful. Weather continues to be fabulous- about 40- 45 degrees F. Notched it up a bit pace wise both in and out and it felt great to pump along at a more reasonable pace.

Back to cooler temps, 38 coming in but dry and the sun does appear on the horizon now or at least the first signs of daybreak.

More birds chirping.

Great ride this morning and finally got a break from the headwinds that have been dogging me all week. This was my first 5-day commute week since my commute distance increased to 30 miles RT last fall and it was my highest weekly mileage ever for commuting (152). I also rode 52 last Sunday, so my legs are feeling it on the hills. The weather has been so incredibly mild without much rain this winter, making riding conditions nearly ideal here (except for the wind.) The only thing getting me down is that I forgot the pizza that I had planned to bring for my lunch, but perhaps I should eat something healthier anyway.

Hey Mercian Rider, how about some photos of your Mercian? I am a fan of British bikes and have a Bob Jackson myself.

The best commute in a long, long time-I'm still pumped four hours later. I hit the road pumping hard as I was underdressed and wanted to warm up quick. I thought I'd wear down, slow after a while but, not so. I pumped hard reeling in and passing about 6 other cyclists on the way. I only wore down a bit when I hit 15th Street but, only a little and, I have to slow anyway due to traffic, lights, etc. I'm not sure what brought this on but, I've lost about 11 pounds (since September) and working my legs fairly regularly in the gym as well. I've also really tightened my diet up and eliminated: cokes, candy, processed food and, white pastas/breads, not to mention the elimination of beef, pork and, lamb. In addtion, my legs are more stable and pain free than they've been in years. My goal is to lose another 10 pounds by the Summer. We'll see.

Tarwheel--what models and years are those Brit bikes?

Rode my Mercian Pro for the commute Tuesday. I've owned this bike since I was 14:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5239.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_0319.jpg

I commute on the Jackson Special Tourist frequently, but it's been set aside on icy days. Apologies to my vintage friends for the fugly stem riser--but my back, neck, and shoulders thank me. Willl replace with nicer looking Nitto in the spring.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5241.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...d/IMG_5037.jpg

Thanks! As set up it's a Pro, but may have started it's life as a Giro d' Italia. I bought the bare frame and added the Campy NR.

Mercian -- I bought my Bob Jackson World Tour "off the peg" direct from the factory 3 years ago (2009). They let me pick the color and lug linings, but everything else is standard.

27F and sunny, until I hit a wall of pea soup fog closer to work; when there is fog coming off the sound it's usually the 2nd-to-last hill holding it back from the rest of my commute, today it was the very last.

Anyway, it's been so gorgeous that I rode my new road bike, 23mm tires, no fenders or rack, and all. And it was totally awesome!

Ha! I was right- thought it was the Giro but the gruppo looked wrong. I had a blue Bottechia Pro that I raced with for years back in the 70's. The Columbus tubing was a nice feel in the large frame size. For good classic British frames I also had an RJW Reynolds. Very nice bike.

Your Mercian is in great shape- what a cherry of a bike that is.

~58*F (14*C). When I woke up and took the dog out it was raining, but I was glad that it stopped by the time I was ready to commute (I'm new to commuting and the rain gear I recently ordered hasn't come in the mail yet, so I have to drive on rainy days). Very nice ride, but I wish it were longer (I only live ~1 mile from work). Made up for it by getting a few more miles in during my lunch break. Can't wait until this weekend to really break in the new bike.

Lovely Jackson Tarwheel! Looks like it's well spec'd for commuting.

There's an early 70s Bottecchia catelog somewhere online that shows the Pro as blue and the Giro white---so I suspect it was a Giro. It's a very sweet riding bike--I think the old Italian geometry is awesome. It has a lower BB than my Merc even with 27 x 1 1/4--so with tubies it would have been about 10" BB height when new.

The Mercian is a keeper--many years of fond memories associated with it.

Today was brutal. -10C (14F) in the morning with a 40kmph (25mph) headwind. The afternoon ride was -8C (18F), and the wind gusts had picked up to 70kmph (44mph). Snow drifts were everywhere, making the "clear" roads unrideable in places. I ended up doing 69km (43 miles) in this today, mainly just to see if I could. Now that I've done it, I don't think I want to do it again. ;)

Wonderful rides today, both to work and home! 40 degrees this morning, 55 this afternoon. No wind in the morning, brisk tail wind going home! I was singing and dancing on the bike and stress free, laughing at all the serious faces in the cars. Yeah, crazy old man I am but I'm living in style!