2013!! How Was your Commute Today?
#901
a.k.a., Point Five Dude
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
From: Twin Cites, MN USA
Bikes: 1987 Trek Elance 400 T
Leg 1 of my first commute of the year is in the books! There's still lots of ice patches out there but I managed to stay upright for the duration. Excited for the voyage home in a few hours.
#904
just ride
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
From: North Idaho
Bikes: '15 Scott Speedster 20
As I was leaving town, I got yelled at by some old guy wearing a golf cap to "get out of the way!". He was driving a shiny black SUV and I was waiting to turn left at an intersection. After rolling up his window, he pulled up on my right to make a right turn and scowled at me. I looked at him but didn't bother to dignify him with a response.
After working until late Friday, and then starting early today, my back was hurting so I really looked forward to getting home. That and I didn't bring enough food for the day and I didn't want to spend any money, so I started out riding home on an empty stomach
Other than that the ride was great, kinda breezy, partly cloudy, warm. I took a nap as soon as I got home and put some food in my tummy.
After working until late Friday, and then starting early today, my back was hurting so I really looked forward to getting home. That and I didn't bring enough food for the day and I didn't want to spend any money, so I started out riding home on an empty stomach

Other than that the ride was great, kinda breezy, partly cloudy, warm. I took a nap as soon as I got home and put some food in my tummy.
#905
Banned.
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Bikes: 2011 Jamis Hudson 4600
Thankfuly very dry. South Jersey was supose to get rain until 11pm tonight, but the powers that be saw fit to turn off the water works around 7ish. Plus I have a new free wheel & chain on my bike. I had no idea how bad the old ones were. I litteraly cut my commute time in half & stayed one gear below my top gear the whole way in. The loss of power & drive was non exsistant!!
#906
Fitting that I work in an area of DC called "Foggy Bottom"...because foggy it was this morning. The Washington Monument was barealy poking through the mist, wished I'd had a camera handy.
Cherry blossoms are still just begining to bloom.
Very nice temps, 47F/8C. I'm shedding more of the winter layers.
Cherry blossoms are still just begining to bloom.
Very nice temps, 47F/8C. I'm shedding more of the winter layers.
#907
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
Warmest morning commute in weeks if not months today with temps in the mid-50s F. It rained yesterday and last night, and was supposed to quit by early morning, but it was still raining when I got up. The rain had trickled to very light sprinkles by the time I left for work and the roads were still very wet. That's what fenders are best for in my book, handling road spray. My legs were fresh after two days of slow, recovery paced rides over the weekend, so I had my fastest commute in months. Passed another commuter at the 12-mile point with just a wave since I was making such good time. Normally I would have tried to chat briefly since I so rarely see other bike commuters on my route, but I was on a mission at the point -- and I finished my commute in near record time.
#909
Conquer Cancer rider
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,040
Likes: 1
From: Toronto
Bikes: Fun bike, city bike, touring bike, swish new ebike, Bike Friday
Brutal, icy headwind made for a brutal icy ride in (didn't need the baby wipes today, it was too cold to break into a sweat).
I am hoping that means a tailwind for the ride home, but am not too optimistic about that. Left my Garmin on the bike in the bike room, so am hoping it will still be there when I get back.
I am hoping that means a tailwind for the ride home, but am not too optimistic about that. Left my Garmin on the bike in the bike room, so am hoping it will still be there when I get back.
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Zero gallons to the mile
Zero gallons to the mile
#910
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: Antioch, IL
Bikes: Giant Defy Advanced 0, Rivendell- Sam Hillborne, Montague folding bike.
Removed the winter lights and tires over the weekend. But was greeted with temps in the 20's this morning and a snow flury. A cruel April Fool's joke.
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"Why is there a hill after every meal, but not a meal after every hill?"
--Overheard on Grabaawr
"Why is there a hill after every meal, but not a meal after every hill?"
--Overheard on Grabaawr
#911
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis
Bikes: Fairdale Weekender Drop, Motobecane 29LTD, Cannondale H400, Basso Coral
I'm so tempted to do some lame April fool's thing but I won't... stellar ride in, 37F and rode most of the way with another commuter. This weekend I bit the bullet and took the studded tires off. Between smooth rolling and another rider I cut 10 minutes off my winter commuting times. One issue - after swapping the rear tire I forgot to re-attach the brake connector. Imagine my surprise at the first stop!
#912
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Southern Wisconsin US
Bikes: Schwinn DBX, Trek 820
Back on the bike after a 4 month break...First commute of 2013 greeted me with a 10 mph headwind.....Ahh well, at least it was a dry wind. One thing I noticed the hills got steeper and taller over the winter. :-) 28 degrees. Ride ON!
Last edited by JPinWI; 04-01-13 at 09:22 AM. Reason: removed bold
#913
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Bethesda, MD
Bikes: All-City Space Horse, Trek 5000 WSD
Agree with dcb23 - very foggy this morning, and quite beautiful. I wear amber lens on my glasses in the morning and they work great in the fog. As I approached Georgetown (from the Capital Crescent Trail), I could barely make out the Key Bridge. However when I took my glasses off, I couldn't see the bridge at all. So the amber lens really help. Slow ride this morning - still not up to speed after elbow surgery last November.
#914
Senior Member


Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,486
Likes: 4,563
From: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
95 vehicle pileup in VA yesterday due to fog. even thogh riding in the fog might be fun, it might be a good reason to take a day off.
#917
just ride
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
From: North Idaho
Bikes: '15 Scott Speedster 20
Had another screamer tell me to "get the **** off the road" as I was making a right turn to get out of town. Starting to wonder if the ******bags have come out of hibernation.
I took the long way and went slow today, 15.4mi in 54 min. Sunny, 65F, light crosswinds, too warm for arm/leg warmers!
I took the long way and went slow today, 15.4mi in 54 min. Sunny, 65F, light crosswinds, too warm for arm/leg warmers!
#918
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 6
From: Falls City, OR
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Fargo 2, Rocky Mountain Fusion, circa '93
Beautiful this morning. The sun was nowhere near up yet at 5:00 but the half moon was up in the middle of the sky illuminating the clouds and some of the scenery. I even saw another cyclist for the first time, or at least his headlight and various reflectors, as he came up to the road I was on. He (I don't know the rider's gender so I'm using "he" in the neuter sense.) turned after me and headed out of town. I made a left about a half mile later and he didn't, so I don't know where he was going. I didn't hear an answer to my surprised "Good morning!" but it doesn't matter.
There are so many trees and other flowers in bloom lately that it's like the air itself is perfumed.
There are so many trees and other flowers in bloom lately that it's like the air itself is perfumed.
#920
I don't know whether to call it a clothes-line or a land-mine, but I was riding by a driver waiting to open his door and get in his car. He totally farted something awful, like he had eaten something unholy and was now paying the price. I rode through it and it felt like I had been punched in my olfactory...
#921
Banned.
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Bikes: 2011 Jamis Hudson 4600
Spooky. I hit the bike path after watching The Walking Dead season finally. Going thru all thoes deep woods had me on edge. I was just happy to get to work. I felt like Ickabob Crane raceing to get to the bridge before the headless horseman gets me LOL
#922
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,647
Likes: 6
From: Sudbury, ON, CA
Bikes: 2012 Kona Sutra, 2002 Look AL 384, 2018 Moose Fat bike
Day off yesterday, cold -11C (windchill -19C) today so I'm kind of glad that I have to go away today and tomorrow so I can't tell everyone that I'm wimping out. However, Thursday is forecast to be much more seasonal with temps hovering around freezing so I'll be back out on the bike for the last 2 days of the week.
#924
It was right around 60 degrees when I left, bibs and jerseys don't offer much in the way of protection from slight chills. Humid and chilly is a terrible feeling, so I rode hard until I got warm. 36 minute / 10 miles, I was happy with that.
#925
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
Another fast commute this morning after fast rides coming and going yesterday. It was much colder this morning (about 15 degrees) and I had planned to take it easy, but ended up riding fast just to stay warm. The temperature dropped about 5 degrees from the time I got up until the time I left for work, so I was a little under-dressed. I'm surprised that my legs had it in them for my third fast commute in a row, but sometimes you gotta ride fast just to stay warm.




