Pleasantly fresh morning this morning, the first decently cold day since November at -22ºC (-8ºF). I had some lighting trouble this morning, which frustrated me to no end in getting going...I was having trouble getting the fiddly little plugs to fit into the power supply that I remove overnight.

Once I got going, it was lovely though. A little bit of exercise can really keep you warm on a cold morning.

I hear you're sending some of that our way to muck up what's been an extraordinary January. :-> It was 30F this morning, well above the average high, making for a nice ride. There was still some snow on a MUP from Saturday afternoon, which was fun to ride through as the wheels cut through nicely. A sign at the trail head said it was closed today through Thurs, but I took a chance anyway. I caught up to another cyclist and he chewed me out for riding on a closed trail. His grin was ear to ear. I told him I'd just been planning at yelling at him too.

after spending last week getting some R n' R on the sunny shores of tropical cancun, riding to work this morning here in chicago, dealing with remnant snow and ice, sure was a rude awakening.

and yet, my rides to and from work will still undoubtedly be some of the highlights of the day for me. i wouldn't trade this lifestyle for anything. not even the sunny shores of tropical cancun.

11 degrees F. Toes got a bit chilly, but no problem riding in. Ride back was a sweltering 32 degrees with a few decorative flakes.

Commute into work was a bit warm at 30 degrees, but it is currently 25 and I might hit some flurries on the ride home. This is my first year of winter riding and I never imagined how much I would enjoy it.

Got'em... but wasn't on the bike that has 'em.

Now that's a pretty sight... (not a single car tire track).

It would be in conditions like that when I'd be riding the winter bike (with the studded tires). That said, the weathermen are pinging about a triple whammy of winter storms this week. It's currently raining, but if it gets too much colder, I will be dragging out the winter bike.

So far winter has only dabbled in this area, and another warm morning at 44f (7C). You just never know when it can change, but so far it has been an easy winter.

I geared up in my rain suit this morning but really didn't need it, light sprinkles, temps over 40, mild headwind/Suthernly cross wind. Squeaky front brakes driving me crazy, tried to adjust 'em myself but no luck.

I decided not to tackle the -30C temperature this morning. It is supposed to warm up Friday.

Relatively mild temperatures (mid-40s F) but steady headwind all the way to work. This has been the windiest fall-winter I can remember. Seems like I'm fighting winds every ride, with some extremely windy days several times a week. We are supposed to have sustained 20+ mph winds with gusts over 35 mph, but hopefully I will get a tailwind much of the way home.

This is what I call LIVIN TO THE FULLEST!! :thumb:

9F and thin ice on pavement. One of the few days I was glad my ride is as short as it is. very slow, very upright.

I tipped over clipped in today... That really hurt. Other than that, it was a good commute. Wet rainy weather but I got to try out my new cassette and chain. They worked very well. I had done the chain first not realizing the cassette was bad but it was certainly obvious went to leave as it was skipping like mad. I found a few less used gears to get me to work, then the bike store and back.

A tale of two rides is likely to be today's theme. Rainy ride in, but not really cold... temps in the 40s. Supposed to be sunny and 60 this afternoon before the cool down sets in starting tomorrow. Today is the last day for me before classes start, but I only have classes twice a week this semester.

Rain and 45--50f, with a pretty strong headwind on the way in today. High wind warning for this afternoon--if they're from the south I'll be thrilled! If it's a cross wind from the west--:eek:

Shorts and t-shirt weather in the ATX today. Winter? What winter? Beautiful sunny day, great ride in.

34F, foggy, precipitating globules of ... stuff... 4-6" of snow/slush. Took me about an hour to get in vs the usual 25-30 min...

and I'm the only person here!

back to the top with 2012, down to the bottom with 2011.

and my commute was just fine, if a bit cold. I did get in a 5mi rt to get a haircut at 3:30 this afternoon.

Did not have to ride uphill both ways but did ride into a south wind on the way into work and then into a north wind on the way home. Wore short sleeves and shorts on the way in, tights, long underwear, jacket and hat on the way home. Gotta love the ever changing Texas weather.

Today couldn't have been a better day for commuting - The pre-sunrise morning ride was 51 degrees, and the afternoon was 60 degrees with a 15 mph tailwind. Wow, what a day!

It wound up taking me about an hour and a quarter each way rather than the usual 25 min. Slow and steady wins the race!

But ALL of the parking lots I tried to string together as a low-traffic route home were occupied by yokels working on their donut/roostertail skillz.

Today could have been titled "The Ice Bike Cometh" or "A Bike For All Seasons".

Last night as I was heading to bed I looked out to see a heavy snow storm underway, I checked the weather and the forecast was for a slushy, icy commute in the morning. I pumped up the tires on my "Ice Bike"- an old Specialized Rockhopper (Ice Breaker) I got for $200 and set up with studded tires, nice fat fenders, a rack and lights.

It performed like a champ as I slogged through two inches of wet snow. It was like riding with the brakes rubbing for the ten mile commute but it was good work out and I got there in good time.

A windy ride in, with a head wind pushing me backwards. The temp is not too bad 44f (7C), but with a nasty wind chill. Hopefully, the wind dies down a bit before the end of the day, but days that start out this way, usually end the same way.

The temperature was 51 F and it was raining when I got up, but a cold front was passing through so I figured it might clear up by the time I normally leave (6 am). However, it started raining even harder when I got ready to leave, although the radar was showing that the showers were almost passed, so I hung around and did some work on my computer. The front took longer to pass than I expected, so it was 7:15 by the time I finally left, but it was worth the wait. The rain had largely ended, the wind had shifted to the north and the temperature had dropped 5 degrees. So, what started out as a potentially soggy commute or driving day, turned into a fantastic ride with perfect temperatures, a nice tailwind and my first morning commute in daylight in many weeks.

26 F when I started out this morning. Ice covered several portions of the bike path, with patches here and there all along the path. The studded tires worked as advertised.

39 Deg.F when I started out, hit 35 at the lowest temp point. Otherwise nothing out of the ordinary . . . except there was a bike car on the Metro train! Didn't have to fold up my folder!

Rick / OCRR

Commute home last night was plenty warm, but the 20 mph headwind was less than welcome.

The winds reversed themselves overnight, of course, so I got a good workout coming in to work this morning. I came I in earlier than usual since I start my Wednesday class this afternoon (a transportation planning class that focuses on bicycles for the first several weeks from the looks of the syllabus, so I'm excited about that). That meant I actually ride in with the sunrise this morning. Quite pretty.

Looking like I'll finally catch a break though and the winds will be strongly at my back as I rode to class. 20 mph tailwind... WOOHOO!

The ride was sweet. I am finding out the more I commute, the more savvy I get.. ;) I am running ample lights now, and that makes a difference. Not nothing high end, but enough to be seen. Also, I am making sure when I merge into traffic on a shoulderless road, the first thing I do is to seek control of the car in back of me. Once I do that, there is no "hope they see me, or good Lawd don't let them hit me". They be coming at 50+mph on a 30mph road with no shoulder. I have to take the full lane for a hellish 3/4 mile. However, the more I am doing it, the better I get at handling it, therefore, make the ride more enjoyable and safer.. I am riding my 88 Centurion Ironman Expert this morning. It is outfitted with a brand new computer which I was fighting myself to stop looking at it too.. ;)

The Ironman just glided along the road at a swift pace. I was overdress to, not uncomfortable. After my breakfast stop, I shedded some clothes..

Good first half of the commute, the return leg home is going to be even better!! ;)