2012 - How Was the Commute Today?
#1476
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Once again, I almost talked myself into driving but rode instead and had a great commute. I've been really dragging this week with our first bout of really hot, humid weather. The high hit about 93 F yesterday afternoon and I was sweating bullets. However, I rode my fastest commuter bike with a light load and that made for an easier ride than the previous two days. Temperatures were about 5 degrees cooler this morning and I felt rejuvenated, with my morning commute about 5 minutes faster than other days this week. Biked to work every day this week, which I don't often accomplish due to weather and other factors.
#1477
Senior Member
After a week of perpetual haze, albeit with decent temps, I saw a patch of sunshine on my way in this morning.
#1478
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It was a hot commute week. Mornings near 70 and evenings above 80. A bit of wind, but not too bad. Pretty good weather.
Yesterday evening a pickup truck came along and went through the parking lot that I was riding through. He went on up to the next outlet and it looked as though he was merely turning left onto the highway. As I was circling to go around him he looked back. I gave him a brief nod, but then he called me by name. Turns out it was a guy that I knew back about 20 yrs ago or so.
He offered me a ride but he should've known better; serious commuters don't want or need rides. So we just chatted for a few minutes. Apparently he's been seeing me around recently.
Commutes like that are just fine.
Yesterday evening a pickup truck came along and went through the parking lot that I was riding through. He went on up to the next outlet and it looked as though he was merely turning left onto the highway. As I was circling to go around him he looked back. I gave him a brief nod, but then he called me by name. Turns out it was a guy that I knew back about 20 yrs ago or so.
He offered me a ride but he should've known better; serious commuters don't want or need rides. So we just chatted for a few minutes. Apparently he's been seeing me around recently.
Commutes like that are just fine.
#1479
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found i could easily ride in 43F with a l/s baselayer and a jersey. just had to use gloves.
on the way home it was 51F and the torso was a little too warm and i had ditched the gloves.
of course the universe conspired to have a guy try to door me while there was a moving truck passing me. although he did dive back in his car and yell "sorry!".
on the way home it was 51F and the torso was a little too warm and i had ditched the gloves.
of course the universe conspired to have a guy try to door me while there was a moving truck passing me. although he did dive back in his car and yell "sorry!".
#1480
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Not really a commute, but since I have a Metrolink month pass, I can take the Amtrak to ride with a club up near the work end of my commute. My local clubs rides tend to be extreme on the hills sometimes, and I am a bit clydish. Rode from near the old closed Tustin Marine base to Rancho Santa Margarita. That was 20 miles and about 1500 ft of climbing with no real steep grades. From there I dropped from the group to rid the mostly downhill 17 mile to the San Juan Capistrano Amtrak.
#1481
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Another uneventful ride in, light is strange! Close to 60, light breeze.
#1482
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The beginnings of a good day, a nice ride in this am. The temp was only 44f but not to chilly, and the sun up.
#1483
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Bright sun under a cloudless blue sky. Temps around 40F/4C. We saw Colin Hay last night so I got to bed too late, but my ride was still pretty fast, and traffic was light.
#1484
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Great commute with cool temps compared to last week, high 50s vs. high 60s. Took it easy after riding 200 miles last week. Thinking about riding my first loaded tour this coming weekend, so I want my legs to be well rested. If my LBS finishes building up my touring bike and the weather cooperates, my plan is to ride from Raleigh to the coast -- about 160 miles in two days. Would camp out at state park near the halfway point. My wife and daughter are heading down on Saturday and would carry me and gear back home on Sunday.
#1486
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A really nice commute today, including several of the longer stop lights on my route going my way! low 60s and overcast, so shorts and technical Tee was perfect. I also managed to have a nearly continuous series of impromptu 'riding buddies' for most of the ride, which I think kept my speed up a little (not drafting, just motivated to keep up).
Only one moment really marred the ride, by providing some sphincter tightening vicarious excitement: my most consistent riding buddy was a young woman in a Bike to Work Day t-shirt who was keeping a pretty solid clip on her Specialized road bike (very similar to my weekend bike ;-)). She and I approached the intersection of Jefferson Dr. SW and 3rd St. (Just before you get to the US Capitol Bldg) at roughly the same time; she was leading the way by a couple of bike lengths, perhaps. She was heading right, and I was heading left, so I took the portion of the lane to the left, and she was positioned pretty far to the right, though not because of me, as far as I could tell.
As we passed a parked over-sized vehicle (probably a tour bus, but my memory isn't that good) a jogger came darting out right in front of her. She grabbed her brakes and yelled in surprise, and he danced around her, demonstrating quick reactions and decent agility. So no actual harm to either, but it was a near thing.
I'd been with her for about 8 miles at that point, and I knew her to be a pretty careful, conscientious rider. In hindsight, she probably should have stayed a little further out in the lane despite her intent to turn right, esp. with the obstructed view offered by the parked vehicle.
However, the jogger was definitely at fault as a) we had the green light/ he had a 'don't walk' and b) it didn't look as though he had even looked for oncoming traffic before entering the roadway.
Only one moment really marred the ride, by providing some sphincter tightening vicarious excitement: my most consistent riding buddy was a young woman in a Bike to Work Day t-shirt who was keeping a pretty solid clip on her Specialized road bike (very similar to my weekend bike ;-)). She and I approached the intersection of Jefferson Dr. SW and 3rd St. (Just before you get to the US Capitol Bldg) at roughly the same time; she was leading the way by a couple of bike lengths, perhaps. She was heading right, and I was heading left, so I took the portion of the lane to the left, and she was positioned pretty far to the right, though not because of me, as far as I could tell.
As we passed a parked over-sized vehicle (probably a tour bus, but my memory isn't that good) a jogger came darting out right in front of her. She grabbed her brakes and yelled in surprise, and he danced around her, demonstrating quick reactions and decent agility. So no actual harm to either, but it was a near thing.
I'd been with her for about 8 miles at that point, and I knew her to be a pretty careful, conscientious rider. In hindsight, she probably should have stayed a little further out in the lane despite her intent to turn right, esp. with the obstructed view offered by the parked vehicle.
However, the jogger was definitely at fault as a) we had the green light/ he had a 'don't walk' and b) it didn't look as though he had even looked for oncoming traffic before entering the roadway.
#1487
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Wet. Rain moved in mid-morning and still coming down, so much for the widely scattered showers predicted this morning . Fenders would of been very helpful as water was coming off the front tire and getting up into my face. On the positive side there was no wind, or a very slight tailwind.
#1488
Senior Member
Wowwowwow. It was cold this morning (43 F) but I made do with only my merino blend long sleeve base layer and warm up pants. Dry! Well, my back was still wet when I got to the bus stop. But this afternoon was beautiful, in the 70s and clear, just enough wind to keep me cool. I went my longer route home south out of Monmouth to Elkins Road, then west on that to Airlie Road, then over west and north into Falls City. There's very little traffic out there though what is there is fast. Just beautiful. I practiced what I think of as my touring pace, just poking along though I still made 18 miles in maybe 65 minutes.
I've made myself ride in our crummy rainy weather but this is better.
I've made myself ride in our crummy rainy weather but this is better.
#1489
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A nice breezy ride in at 60f (16c). Rain is supposed to come in in the afternoon, but the forecasts are still off, so it might be a sunny ride home.
#1490
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I love the morning after a storm. Very, very nice ride in, but slow, I must have been puttering around again.
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Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are
Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are
#1491
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Most light I've experienced in a long while, actually took a look around...a stretch of East Capitol street has been repaved so I miss my little potholes and other things that I would notice day in and day out.
#1492
Senior Member
Wet roads and a light rain were the featured part of my ride in this am. The temp was warm, I forgot to check the temp both times I went by the thermometers, due to the rain and watching the road more carefully this am. I left the house with a light rain and idea I could turn around if I did not enjoy the ride but lo and behold I made it to work on my bike. I did enjoy the ride.
#1493
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Wet, with a screaming tailwind. 54F/12C.
I saw a minor accident. It was one of those things where the cager is clearly in a fog. A contractor's pickup was at a red light. Subaru Impreza stopped behind that. I stopped behind the Subaru. The pickup driver moved forward a foot or two, and the Impreza driver just got on the gas like we had a green light and whumped right into the back of the truck.
The Impreza driver got out and looked but the pickup driver seemed oblivious, so the Impreza driver just got back in and when the light turned green we all went our separate ways.
I saw a minor accident. It was one of those things where the cager is clearly in a fog. A contractor's pickup was at a red light. Subaru Impreza stopped behind that. I stopped behind the Subaru. The pickup driver moved forward a foot or two, and the Impreza driver just got on the gas like we had a green light and whumped right into the back of the truck.
The Impreza driver got out and looked but the pickup driver seemed oblivious, so the Impreza driver just got back in and when the light turned green we all went our separate ways.
#1494
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Slept in so rode to work about an hour later than usual. It was nice riding in total sunshine and the temps were ideal in low 60s. Still can't shake the headwinds, however. Battled a stiff N wind all the way home last night, but the wind changed to the S by this morning, so I had headwinds all over again. Still made good time tho.
#1495
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Great ride into work Today...Mid 50s, no wind, little traffic and it's MY Birthday! Happy Trails!
#1496
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Got a late start on the morning, but still had a good ride, upped my speed a bit, traffic lights are still the biggest detriment. Nice shower at work, and I'm good to go. I may be off the next few days, so I'll either throw down on some longer rides, or let my legs recover.
#1500
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The onset of summer is coming quickly in southern louisiana as it was 79F this morning as I truged throught the humidity.