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2012 - How Was the Commute Today?

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2012 - How Was the Commute Today?

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Old 03-26-12 | 08:00 PM
  #1001  
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From: Burnaby, BC
Super. Scouted out a new route, adds 5kms but it's way more scenic. I saw some ducks.
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Old 03-26-12 | 08:13 PM
  #1002  
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From: Atlanta

Bikes: Cannondale T700s and a few others

Little chilly in the morning just how I like it mid 70's for the ride home. Wish I had a place close to get off the mail roads and I would have put on a few miles more but Rush hour here just sucks.
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Old 03-26-12 | 08:14 PM
  #1003  
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From: Monson, MA

Bikes: Catrike Trail Recumbent trike

Great but very windy commutes.

46F and sunny with mainly cross and some headwinds from the NNW @ 26-30mph gusting to 39mph for the ride in. It was definitely the ultimate test for my coromobile and it did great. It was really shocked to see an average speed of 15.6mph. Before, when the trike was bare, 15.6 would have been considered a quick commute and on a day like today, I would have been lucky to average anything above low to mid 14mph. Today is definitely one of those days where I'm really happy I made it.

34F and dark with mainly cross and some tailwinds from the NNW @ 17-21mph gusting to 26mph for the ride home. Actually had to break out the ear muffs and gloves, even though I ended up taking the gloves off about 1/2 way into the commute. We are back to reality with the cooler temps at night here in New England. Last week was all about breaking high temp records.
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Old 03-27-12 | 04:04 AM
  #1004  
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From: East Metro Atlanta, GA, USA

Bikes: Giant Sedona (Mid 90's), Giant Seek 2, Greenspeed Anura

Nice early-morning ride in. I was well ahead of traffic and most of the lights were green in my favor. I also saw more stars than people (easier to do on my recumbent).
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Old 03-27-12 | 04:10 AM
  #1005  
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From: Greenwood Indiana

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Cold. A month ago I would have described 38F as warm, maybe toasty, but it has been up in the 80's since. Now 38F is chilly. Oh yea, it was a wonderful ride, I left a bit early, 15 minutes makes a big difference in morning traffic.
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Old 03-27-12 | 04:40 AM
  #1006  
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From: Columbia, Maryland

Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter

A bit chilly this morning at 34F (1C). I fought a wind all the way home yesterday, and it was chilly wind. I need to move, so I am I am on the othe side of the wind coming home. The winds here are usually north, west or north west, so I need to move further sounth of here, so when I am coming home, the wind is at my back.
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Old 03-27-12 | 05:33 AM
  #1007  
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From: Merrimac , MA
I took the car this morning due to the winds that we are having. I wasn't sure I wanted to fight them today.
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Old 03-27-12 | 05:55 AM
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I was back to the hat and gloves but still went with short pants. Strong wind but still a good ride in.

Had a great tailwind push me home last night after work,
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Old 03-27-12 | 06:02 AM
  #1009  
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From: Southern Wisconsin US

Bikes: Schwinn DBX, Trek 820

Back to long pants and a coat...stocking cap too...great tailwind outta the SE pushing me. I had to wait out several deer on the wooden bridge for the bike bath that crosses a creek a couple miles from work. This afternoon's ride will likely be a challenge if the wind keeps up.
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Old 03-27-12 | 07:13 AM
  #1010  
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From: Raleigh, NC

Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia

Like a lot of you guys, I'm battling the wind in NC. Yesterday afternoon I fought a stiff headwind all the way home, with tired legs from riding 62 miles on Sunday, which made for a very slow commute. This morning, I had a sweet tailwind all the way to work and had my fastest morning commute time since my route changed last fall. Also recorded my lowest weight since I started tracking calories in December 2010, and I've now lost 32 lbs, just 1 lb short of my goal.
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Old 03-27-12 | 07:40 AM
  #1011  
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From: Washington, DC
First commute since last Thursday... my lady's birthday weekend required me to drive Friday & Monday. Any way...

It was much colder since my last commute after all that great weather we had. 30° is not bad when riding, but I do need some sort of glasses though. The cold air had me tearing much more than I remember during the winter.

I need to find another route to work. I'd like to take a longer ride. My current commute is only 2.6 miles each way. And most of my ride is on a busy, 4 & sometimes 6 lane street. Between the cars, potholes & pebbles, I'm too alert to really enjoy the ride.

Cool thread!
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Old 03-27-12 | 07:42 AM
  #1012  
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Sunny, 30F, breezy. It was the coldest day since I began commuting 10 days ago. Not exactly sure what to wear so I had a tshirt under a shell. Then I had bike shorts with long underwear and sweatpants and ski gloves. Not exactly the most graceful outfit but functional. Once I reach my goal weight, I will have to invest in more appropriate clothes. I just dont have a spandex body.

On a side note, I bought a MiNewt600 on the recommendation of someone else on this forum. Can't wait for my 4p-2a shift on Thursday to try it out.
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Old 03-27-12 | 08:19 AM
  #1013  
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From: Canada

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

0C and drizzle but a tailwind made it pleasant. Until I literally came within inches of getting hit by a truck. The idiot approached the intersection as I was going through it and proceeded to roll through the STOP (only if I have to) sign. Dead center with their grill and my elbow almost touching their hood I swerve left to avoid getting knocked down. I'm lucky they didn't floor it as they often do half-way through a rolling stop.

A similar thing happened a few months ago in a different spot. People will fly up to a stop sign looking left to see if its clear while still rolling and not even see what is directly in front of them. Its even worse when I'm out walking.

There is snow forecast for the afternoon so I'm on my mountain bike today. The forecasts lately have been spectacularly wrong, so I'm thinking its just going to rain given the temperature.
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Old 03-27-12 | 08:25 AM
  #1014  
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From: Michigan

Bikes: 2011 Giant Rapid 3, 2001 Schwinn Mesa GSX

25 degrees from my gf's house to mine but 30 degrees on my way to work today, but the wind wasn't as bad as yesterday and it was sunny, at least!
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Old 03-27-12 | 09:16 AM
  #1015  
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From: south Puget Sound
43F and misty
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Old 03-27-12 | 10:51 AM
  #1016  
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From: Athens, Greece

Bikes: Corratec / Jamis

It's been a beautiful couple of days with temps rising to 20-22 Celsius and calm winds... but unfortunately I'm stuck home with the flu for the second day.
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Old 03-27-12 | 01:03 PM
  #1017  
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From: san francisco, ca

Bikes: jamis nova, felt brougham, gunnar fastlane

mine was okay- nothing crazy happened, I got over a bigger hill w/o barfing, and I got the pick of the bike rack because it was kind of raining (lightly) this morning
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Old 03-27-12 | 07:35 PM
  #1018  
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From: Cleveland, Ohio

Bikes: Fuji Crosstown

My first commute in the 20s (Fahrenheit). I was glad to find out that what everyone says is true -- it's really not that cold. I warmed right up after a mile or so. also had my first "accident" today ... Foot slipped and rode right into the curb and tumbled. Only my pride was injured! The ride home was way less eventful.
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Old 03-27-12 | 08:14 PM
  #1019  
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Prepared for the weather today. Froze my behind off yesterday as I was sorely unprepared.

Morning was the usual, a couple of idiot delivery vans, specifically a Cintas (uniform people), and a UPS truck. Really need a front mounted camera and start sending them in to the police ... either that or big stickers with a "I PARK ON BIKE LANES - aka idiot" on it, in like florescent green so they stand out, so I can plaster on the rear of them.

But the commute back home strengthened my resolve to find a way to ban every single Smart Car on the road. And ban taxi cabs, racism be damned, especially ones driven by very specific groups of people who seem to come here and think cause they are in a car they own the road.

Damn idiot, probably a nurse or doctor (was in a area of TO with a ton of hospitals, and they turned into one of the hospital's parking spaces just down from the corner for staff), decided to use the bike lane to make a right turn, because there was just enough room between the curb and the taxi in the car lane. Slammed my breaks just quickly enough to avoid being side swiped by them.

Then, a not too far away, while I was on the same street, a moron taxi cab driver decides to slam his breaks the moment 2 women get onto the road between 2 parked cars, I guess hoping for a fare, turns out they only wanted to J-walk. In the mean time, moron taxi cab driver, decides that slamming his breaks and stopping nearly on a dime with another taxi behind him (aka motivation to stop quicker as the other guy would have gotten the fair) and I was behind the 2nd taxi. Missed getting hit simply by swarving into the left lane (was going nearly 40Km/h would not have been able to stop on time) and ended up getting into the street car tracks.

Fun commute.

Jim
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Old 03-27-12 | 09:42 PM
  #1020  
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From: san jose

Bikes: 2017 Raleigh Clubman

I rode to the Palo Alto YMCA (i teach Rockclimbing to youth and adults, over 2.5 years) the weather was a little drizzle until the way back was down pour, good thing i brought mountain bike instead of my road bike.
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Old 03-28-12 | 05:00 AM
  #1021  
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From: Columbia, Maryland

Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter

Dressed for chilly weather, but was surprised that it was up to 44F (7C) when I headed out, so I adjusted the best that I could. Warm front coming in this afternoon, and all the lovely storms that usually accompany it.
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Old 03-28-12 | 05:34 AM
  #1022  
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
Third day commuting by bike to a new job. It is close enough that biking is legitimately faster than driving or public transit, and there is a shower in the building. I really can't complain about anything right now.
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Old 03-28-12 | 05:35 AM
  #1023  
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From: Merrimac , MA
The commute in this am was much better than yesterday, I rode my bike today. The thermometer in town said it was 29f when I rode through town at 6:00am, though there were no winds, so a very nice ride in. Hopefully all the rain will hold off this afternoon and it will be a nice ride home.
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Old 03-28-12 | 06:23 AM
  #1024  
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From: Burlington, Vermont

Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX

34F/1C with a tailwind this morning. Traffic was lighter than normal.

Yesterday I almost watched a woman get nailed by traffic trying to cross a busy street at a mid-block crosswalk. It was so close that I did an audible, "Yeeeee!" She just jumped on out without paying attention. Peds don't have blanket right of way at uncontrolled crosswalks in Vermont. They have to make sure traffic can/will stop safely. Most drivers stop when they see a ped waiting, but she didn't give them a chance. The motorist had good brakes and stopped about 3 feet from the woman. Imagine if the driver had been distracted...
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Old 03-28-12 | 06:58 AM
  #1025  
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From: Raleigh, NC

Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia

I paid for the sweet tailwind on my morning commute yesterday with a stiff headwind heading home. I was so tired that I had planned to drive today, but went to bed early and felt great this morning. So I rode after all and was rewarded with a beautiful commute this morning. Trees and flowers are blooming everywhere around here and temperatures are supposed to reach mid-70s this afternoon. Too nice outside not to ride.

Last edited by tarwheel; 03-28-12 at 07:03 AM.
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