By car.

Today's commute was the same as the prior 3 months since a layoff and subsequent move - barefooted, with a mug of coffee in hand to sit outside and take in the early morning air.
Though I despised my job (the layoff was a tremendous blessing), I really do miss the routine of the daily commute all year round. The past few months have been really busy, with a move and numerous trips, but now that I'm finally settling in, I plan to get back on the bike, even if recreationally, until I begin working again (in a job doing something I actually enjoy).
I knew that I would be ultimately bringing my "corporate phase" to a close, and my wife and I have spent the past year shedding debt and lightening the load so we can live well on very small incomes. It feels good, as it should after nearly 25 years of being a square peg in a round hole (or the other way around).

I glued up a new tubular on one of my race wheels over the weekend. Seemed like the commute was as good a chance as any for a test ride. Tire stayed on, no lumps, nice and round. Good job, me.

I encountered a few nutballs out today. It rained, and I wore my booties. I saw quite a few lightning bolts. Good thing I didn’t get caught in the really bad stuff.

Some middle aged and somewhat overweight woman riding a bike just mind-boggingly pulls out on the road from the left out from around the curb without even looking. There are two lanes—one each going in the opposite direction. I told her that she needs to watch where she’s going. She goes “woah, woah, woah” and says sorry. For her own safety, I told her again this time louder that she needs to watch she’s going. Then, she said that she was watching where she was going (no, she wasn’t) in a rather annoyed way. Being a bit ticked off, I just sped off. I have it all on tape, and she did not look at all to her right unless she looks at the corner of her eye or something, and I have 4 full seconds of that. She only began looking to her right after I was yelling. She proceeded to leave or push off after the last motorist ahead of me, and it was late timing at that on her part. I was already braking before she even crossed the yellow line and even started pedaling. Instead she pushed off from the ground with her foot while seated, an amateurish maneuver. I don’t know—either she was stupid or didn’t see me behind the last motorist assuming traffic was clear as it passed her.

Some ass behind the wheel tries to turn left when I approach an intersection. I’m at the center of the lane, and I have the right-of-way. I started braking well in advance before he did. I had my eye on him the whole time. We both stop. He tells me to go, and I’m yelling at him that he doesn’t have the right-of-way. If he hit me, he would be paying for it.

It started out OK, but about halfway into the commute a tremendous headwind kicked up in advance of a storm. I dropped into the easiest gear I had and was still barely making headway. I watched a guy across the street going the other way get pushed along by the wind. He was barely pedaling and was moving at a pretty good clip.

Then came the rain. It came down in buckets. I was soaked through in seconds. I wasn't really bothered by being wet, but it was raining so hard I couldn't see so I pulled into a school (school is out of session in the US) and took shelter under an awning. When the rain let up a bit I took to the road again. I arrived a half an hour late.

My shoes squished when I walked. Most of my coworkers thought it was pretty comical. Thank goodness I had an extra set of clothing at work to change into (and a towel to dry off with).

Also some hot girl was asking how I was doing and smiling. Then, I asked her how she was doing.

Very windy! (except no tailwind...) One never realizes just how many hand positions the modern drop bars offer until you are forced to use so many of them. Passed a couple of other cyclists and accidentally went through a freshly crack-sealed parking lot LoL good day though. I crashed into a 2 hour nap when I got home. Been going through a lot of fluids these last several very hot days.

+1. I bring one with me every day rain or shine. Works for buckets of rain and my buckets of sweat.

It was a a very nice commute into work this morning. The temp was very cool at 50f degrees so I needed a long sleeved shirt. The temps will warm up to about 80f degrees this afternoon which will make for a very nice ride home. I hope to add in some extra miles on the way home.

Ride home yesterday was in the low 90s, but low humidity, very nice ride home. I would have not realized it was that warm if I had not seen it on the news. this morning was very pleasant too, some actual cool spots in low lying areas.

I never get that!

Very nice ride today with the heat wave over, dry, temps in the 70s coming in.

Finally a break in the heat wave that had our high temps over 100 for 9 out of 10 days and broke numerous records, but I ended up driving yesterday due to forecasts for severe thunderstorms. The storms were around but not during my morning or afternoon commutes, so I could have ridden after all. My legs needed a break anyway and it would have been stressful riding yesterday even if I didn't get caught in the rain because there was a lot of thunder, dark clouds and storms throughout the area.

Rolled the dice and decided to ride today, however, despite forecasts for more storms. There was no rain showing in the radar when I got up, and the temperature was relatively cool. Had a great ride with light winds and logged one of my fastest morning commutes ever. Might need to snag a ride home with a coworker this afternoon if the storms end up hitting our area as we have been having really intense thunderstorms lately with high winds, hail and lots of lightning.

I broke my record time and no tail wind to help me this time so I quite happy with myself
30.6 kms in 59min.
Perfect weather also.

Despite the somewhat cooler temps (as compared to last week) I felt slow and fat this morning, but my overall time didn't suffer appreciably. It just meant I felt like I was really pushing to make it up each hill, and to sprint between some of the regular traffic lights.

On the more newsworthy front: I encountered something I've never seen before while commuting; this other cyclist on a nice old 80s road bike had his seat so loose that it moved freely from side to side. He also committed some of the worst passing fouls I've seen lately (passing in the face of oncoming bike traffic, causing them to have to get out of his way).

In late due to a dental appt. It is a beautiful morning out there, 84f (29C). I am on my MTB for a couple weeks until I get a seat issue straightened out. I bought an ergonomic seat online and it broke the first ride out. It was expensive as far as seats go. I had one similar for 3 years, but it didn't stand up to the daily grind of commuting, but this one did not even last a full day. Time to look a new solution.

Yesterday:
About a mile away from work I was jamming to some music (I right with a right head phone loud enough I can still hear traffic) and really pushing it for a morning commute. I think i was also singing or close to it when I heard a *tick tick tick* and thought for a second, jebus when did my bike get so loud! I saw the shadow of the cyclist behind me and as we both pulled up to the red light he said "Man you were hard to catch!" I responded with "its been a good morning!" (note for those that play the SCR, I'm a 4 and this guy was a 3 or 2). He then promptly switched to using the cross walk, jumped off the curb and over 5+ lanes of traffic all so he didnt have to wait for the light I was sitting at. *shrugs* I didnt mind waiting... But it was nice to hear that I was hard to catch

Today:
I was going at a good clip and then Interpol's The Heinrick Manuver came on and I just clicked it up a gear and upped the pace. After last nights velodrome class I found that 1) my legs hurt and also that 2) my middle ring (which I've named my commuting ring) is LOTS easier to turn. So I upped the speed and cadence and enjoyed jamming out.

Its mornings like these two that I wonder why I didnt start commuting by bike sooner. I mean I get a little morning work out, I get to spend time outside, listen to good music, chat with other cyclists and enjoy my commute.

It's my Friday. My legs are feelin' a bit tired. I was six minutes off my average time.

On the good side:

1. IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! (for me)
2. It was cool out. A bit wet, but I'll trade wet for hot any day of the week.
3. IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Found some roadside swag! There was a 2' aluminum carpenter's level laying in the bike path as I rode by. All the glass is still in it.
5. IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!




























Did I mention it's Friday for me?

16km into 30, gusting to 40 km/h wind. Ugh. average speed was 22.x km/h. Added 10 minutes to the ride!

It was still warm out but I hit several patches of cool fog rolling in off the water.
Quite exhilarating.

the past few days my back has been aching.
translates to short rides and guilt.
regained about 5 pounds in the gut.
leave nutella alone.

Got clobbered by a rain strom riding home from dinner last night.

This morning was humid but not as hot as lately.

Another nice morning. 56F/13C, no wind, sunny. Exchanged ogles with an attractive woman riding the other way. Or maybe she was just watching me to make sure the creepy dude didn't turn around and start following her.

Yesterday I saw a guy standing next to a bicycle along with a motorcycle cop. The cyclist didn't look happy. The police have started a crackdown on the poor behavior of road users, including jaywalking pedestrians, bicyclists doing the usual light & sign-running, riding the wrong way, speeding motorists, etc. From the looks of it, yesterday's cyclist was riding the wrong way, on the sidewalk, in the center of the city where bicycles aren't allowed on the sidewalk.

Got lucky yesterday and had a rain-free commute despite showers all over the place. It rained real hard at my office about 2 hours before I leave in the afternoon, but was cooler and rain free by the time I left. When I got up this morning, the radar showed a large band of showers heading our way, so I went back to sleep and figured I would drive today. However, by the time I got up the showers had dissipated, so I ended up riding after all. Humidity levels were incredible and I got just as wet from sweating as I would have riding in the rain.

Our weather has done a complete 180 from last week, when temperatures topped 100 F every day with blazing sun. The high temps are about 20 degrees cooler this week with cloudy skies and lots of rain.

A small storm was parked over the end of my home commute, 2-3 inches per hour. It was warm and only for the last mile or so, so I didn't mind. There wasn't as much debris as I expected this morning, and no flooding. Just one smaller tree to hop over, which had smashed part of the boardwalk. That's bad news though - the city will probably close it off for a week or two and I'll have to climb over locked gates or take an alternate route.

Perfect sunny and cool morning (17-18 celcius) no wind. I took my sunny sunday ride ( my nice vintage bianchi) and rode my 30.6 kms in 1h02!