Mid-50s and foggy (so 100%RH). Means that no matter what I wear I'm soaked inside and out.

This morning was nice but still windy. I did flip the bird to a woman. I was passing another cyclist on the bike street and a car honked since she could not pass. So I threw my left arm out with the bird and a f off glance.

Last night I caught up with a guy I have before who rides a giant MTB with slicks. The guy is damn fast and make me work to keep up or catch up. He said he was off the bike a while and didn't pass when I was letting him. I said no worries and that I would pull him. But he made me work.

Went out to celebrate with some friends last night. The food was good, the service was meh but what I don't get is why in a mainly eating establishment is the music so loud. I normally would complain but just didn't feel like it. So I instead sat drank my little drink and listened and participated in the conversion when I could hear. I also have a very difficult time hearing any conversion over ambient or background noise, so I know it is partly me.

Today was far better than yesterday, despite the higher winds. You see, yesterday someone decided to steal my rear light when I locked my bike up for a quick stop. My bike was within sight the whole time but obviously I wasn't paying enough attention so yeah, shame on me for not taking it with me in the first place.

Anyway, in addition to that, we are having some unusually high tides today so seeing the higher than normal waterlines was a lot of fun.

Yeah when I came over the Fraser today it was lapping at the banks.

My wife has had her lights stolen several times. It is annoying and rude. Scoundrels. It was more upsetting when they had my good rechargeable batteries in them.

The downtown Sac pedal-powered beer bus has recast itself by touring the Christmas lights in east Sac.

[MENTION=117453]iTripped[/MENTION], that sucks eggs, what a punkish thing to do!

I've had good luck with this one by Sparse (so far); thief would have to remove the saddle-post to get it (not that some thieves would stop at that).

That probably would have helped in this situation. What I had stolen was a Lezyne Zecto rear light that is very easy to remove without tools. I chose it because I would swap it between bikes, depending on the weather. In the meantime I decided to downgrade to something cheaper - I installed a Lezyne Femto rear - just as susceptible to theft but half the price. I like the form factor but I miss how bright the Zecto light was in comparison.

Comes in purple anodized, woo-hoo!

Hit a big bump on Tuesday near the cemetary on Fraser St; enough to send my PDW Danger Zone tail light flying into the street. Lost one of my Imedion AAA rechargeables... worth about $4. Fortunately that battery had been well used, and it could've been worse.

Rest day today due to my having to drive down to the USA early this morning to pick up a package at our PO Box. Looking forward to tomorrow morning's ride.

Shame on the thief.

I think they're the same spandex-clad, fair weather bicycle riders that don't wave... ooh that was mean. No ride today because of work stuff. Supposed to get over 40 tomorrow, woohoo!

Due to our fiber optic cable being cut around lunch time yesterday, I left work early. It was a treat to ride home in full daylight. Although there was an ugly head wind most of the way.

This morning was cold: 27F. I bundled up accordingly and was fine though.

However my rear brake is either frozen or broken. It happened on my way in this morning. At first the lever wouldn't budge with normal pressure. I was already just about stopped so got off to check it out. I squeezed harder and it kind of popped but now has no tension and I had to "open" the brakes like when you need to take the wheel off to keep them from rubbing. I don't think the cable is completely broken though because I can still squeeze the lever and they move a bit.

I rode most of the way in without it. I didn't really troubleshoot it properly yet as it was too cold and it was already making me late to work. I'll try to see what's up at lunch when it is warmer out.

I know too many 'cyclists' that hang it all up once the temps get below 45F, psssssh, WHATever. ... On the other hand, you'll find me in spandex on my road bike in the summer from time-to-time; but that bike and outfit are put away for the next 4-5 months (actually bike is on the indoor trainer for those -25F days).

Changing subjects, my whine of the day:

In bad weather (like dark, snowy, winter commutes) I use a trail crossing to navigate the intersection of two busy county roads, one severs as an exit for an interstate. Two days in a row, some d-bag honks at me while crossing with the crossing signal. Irony; I get honked at me in the summer months while riding on these county roads instead of the sidepath (likely the same drivers). Can't make some people happy.

It's a little shocking (or not at all) that people fail to understand that the cross signal gives right of way to the person in the crossing (cars must yield to them).

Got to ride home in some light snow last night. Drove in this morning due to an inch on the ground and gusty conditions. I really need to get a snow bike.

I decided to drive today because I've got a couple of holiday gatherings to attend after work. Didn't feel like riding home after 8 pm in the freezing cold after drinking and eating. This has been a tough commuting week so far, and I don't mind taking a break. Tuesday I got soaked in the Nor'Easter and Wednesday I battled stiff headwinds both ways.

Rode yesterday 34degrees and wind gusts to 25 mph. I did not find many of these gusts but I did find myself experiencing a tailwind for a brief second on the way home. It pushed me down the road. It was a cool experience. Riding on the greenway was slightly creepy. I was not sure if it was easier to see with my headlight off, on low or high. No one was out there but with the light on it felt like riding in a tunnel.

rode this morning 28 degrees. I have to confess I bought some of these and my feet have been super toasty the past few rides. Today I bumped up to thicker smartwool socks and was so comfortable on my feet. (this usually has been a weak spot in my riding clothes, always cold toes)

Pretty cold for me, 30°F this morning. Light wind but in my favor.

Tuesday morning my nose and mouth got super cold and numb. I had on my balaclava but it was pulled down. I don't like covering my nose/mouth with it because my glasses fog up. So today I tried using my ear warmer headband around my nose, leaving my mouth barely exposed. It worked okay, nose didn't run nearly as much. But I paid for it with a sore nose when I took it off at work. Imagine having your finger pressed on the end of your nose for 80 solid minutes, that was me. I might look for a balaclava with built-in nose and mouth openings for ventilation - something that will direct my exhaled breath down/out instead of up towards my glasses.

I had hoped to ride yesterday, but yet again it was one of those mornings where I just couldn't drag myself out of bed at 5 AM.

*edit* on another note I brought all my clothes for all riding days this week (as much as 3) in a small suitcase on Monday. I've been liking that a LOT as my clothes aren't cold when I put them on at work, and the load on the bike is MUCH lighter.

First bicycle commute in over a month. It's been too easy to take the bus on the few days that I actually go to the office. We had a ton of snow fall a couple weeks back, but nothing much since. By now, the main roads and trails are all plowed (is "plowed" not a word? Chrome is telling me it's not a word), and the residential areas are mostly packed (some soft spots though).

It was 5C/41F this morning, so I didn't really have an excuse temperature-wise. Ride was decent, but I might try some better-travelled roads for the trip home to avoid the soft snow in the quieter residential areas.

While riding through some soft snow this morning, I contemplated the value of a fat bike, but I figure I don't ride enough in the winter to justify the cost, and getting a fat bike wouldn't necessarily make me ride more often. But then, lo and behold, in the rack where I park my bike, there was a nice Trek fat bike that didn't even look like it was locked up. A gift for me, perhaps?

had a beautiful ride in to work today; getting out of bed was hard, but I'm glad I did it. It seems that there's a storm a brewin' up North, so I packed a rain jacket for the ride home. It's supposed to be ugly here tomorrow, so I'll plan on a day off, and perhaps I'll get racy with some of the roadies on my way home.

[MENTION=188444]groovestew[/MENTION]. I figure they want you to use plough. But to me plowed is a word and it came up while swipe typing on my Android phone.

[MENTION=301784]PatrickGSR94[/MENTION]. That ear band is a smart idea.


My commute of late has been rainy and windy and I am so happy. I make myself hyper visible and drivers have been giving me a lot of space it has been great. I did get a close-ish pass by a truck but I realized he was trying not to sideswipe the Honda fit that was creeping towards him in the left lane.

I notice at least one cyclist a night with wholly inadequate lights. And usually along a dark stretch where cars drive faster than they should. I have seen one guy whom I have told several times his light is useless and he is almost invisible. Last night a guy has a backpack on that was blocking the tiny light near his left ear on his helmet. His helmet was high visible yellow but I didn't see it until I was even with him due to his pack.

They are always surprised when I tell them they are invisible and I am looking for them specifically as cyclist, so imagine a distracted driver.

The ear band seemed a good idea, but man it hurt when I took it off. I need it to be just slightly bigger, I guess.

I just went back and looked through the last few pages of the 2013 thread. I only got in 3 commutes plus 1 other ride the entire month of December last year (only had 2 commutes at this point last year for December). This month so far I'm already up to 5 commutes plus 1 other ride. Should get in a couple more rides this weekend. I love the commuting improvements I've made in the past year!

*edit* ohhh yeah, Tuesday evening and then this morning were my first times using my first ever bibs, which came in Tuesday - Nashbar Mansfield 2 bib tights with chamois. So far so good, so much better than shorts! They were on sale for only 35 bucks and had over 100 4- and 5-star reviews.

Wasn't feeling great this morning; contemplated working from home, but decided I'd feel better if I rode in to work. Took a different route to switch it up a bit; nice view of False Creek in Vancouver from the Seawall this morning at high tide:

Wow that is a high tide. The water is so blue with the high tide also. Did the ride make you feel better?

That reminds me of my trip to Eastern Europe in 2005, when there was flooding in other areas along the Danube river. This is in Budapest taken from the Chain Bridge river crossing: