dramiscram

I forgot to mention that it's the first week of 2014 that the weather and road conditions allowed me to take the bike for the whole week.
I know it's only thursday but I only work 4 days/week
Have a nice week end everyone!!!

PatrickGSR94

Phooey! First week I haven't commuted all week since the last week of January!

After Tuesday morning of not feeling up to it, I was determined to get stuff done last night, get everything ready, and get to bed at a decent hour, which I did. Woke up this morning feeling pretty good. I knew I would have a pretty bad headwind coming in, but thought I would slog my way through it anyway. Chance of scattered t-storms this afternoon meant I would just leave my trunk bag at work and ride home. Temps were pretty good, 51 this morning and should be upper 60's this afternoon. Put the fenders on the bike, trunk bag with fold out panniers packed and all ready to go.

Got down the road from the house and man, the wind was rough. 20+ MPH gusting headwind, but I figured the ride home would be great. But then it started raining more than I expected it to this morning, and I didn't want to risk getting my bag contents soaked. Plus I forgot to charge my headlight and it was nearly dead.

So after 1.5 miles I turned around and went home. Took a shower, got dressed, and left earlier than I usually do when driving the car.

Oh well, maybe next week. Looks like some sunny days in the 70's ahead, with morning temps in the 50's. Now that's my kind of commuting weather!

mgw4jc

Still cold this morning at 30F, but supposed to be 60 for the ride home and mid 40s tomorrow morning.

I think yesterday was the first day I felt like I don't need the headlight to see when I first leave the house at 7:0X. The days are getting longer.

I enjoy watching the sunrise. I wish I could get a picture of my own shadow where the very low sun projects it onto evergreen trees showing helmet to bottom of tires.

dcb23

Back in the saddle...feels good after four days of training for work. 46F / 8C, crosswinds but definitely warmer than the last few weeks.

Ky_Rider

I love reading about your commutes. I have not been able to ride the last couple of weeks due to weather and my second job. Ordered a new handlebar two weeks ago and it still isn't here. Half marathon tomorrow and then hopefully I'll be able to get back on the bike. Have a great weekend everyone!

tarwheel 

I keep thinking the weather is gonna break and we'll have some nice sunny, warm days but it hasn't happened yet. Today was one of those days where I hated to drive but I couldn't stomach the prospect of riding home in cold drizzle again. It was warm and clear when I got up, but the clouds are supposed to start rolling in soon with rain increasing throughout the afternoon. We can't seem to get more than one or two days in a row with nice weather, so I bike commuted only twice this week. Next week I'll be on vacation and it will be April by the time I am commuting again. Incredibly, the weather forecast is looking nice during my week off, so I might just be able to pull off the bike tour I've been planning. I will not be touring in cold rainy weather because I do this for fun not torture.

mgw4jc

I took a bit of different route on the way home yesterday due to an errand for the wife. Only about 1.5 additional miles, but I picked road with some extra hills. After connecting back to my regular road I found a nice tail wind and wished I had been on it as I normally am.

This morning was overcast so a bit darker. I saw a deer carcass in the middle of the road; somebody had a bad night. Like tarwheel, I am expecting rain for the afternoon. The severity of it will dictate if I ride or call in a rescue from the wife.

The cold mornings mean tights under my cycling shorts, but it was 50F when I left this morning!. Shorts only! Oh yea!

jrickards

Under? I wear them over.

mgw4jc

My tights are actually running tights. The cycling shorts have the padding and just jive (less bunching) better over than under.

jdswitters

I carry tool kits in all of my bikes when I am further than a mile from the house, except this morning. Last night I gave a bones multi tool to a friend because I was going to get a new one today with my REI dividend. Naturally as soon as I left the GFs house this morning the seat came loose. A couple of miles in the pedals on the fat bike is not how I wanted to start the day.

I know where I am riding at lunch.

enigmaT120

Is the Showers Pass jacket not enough? We're only 4 days into a two or more week of forecasted crud, and I'm bummed already. I'm not desperate to dust off my wife's trainer yet, but I had to make myself run for about an hour yesterday up on the logging roads in the rain.

Mr. Hairy Legs

Not really a commuting story for me today, but this morning I looked out the front window of my house and saw a bunch of flashing red lights and a bent bicycle wheel sticking up in the air. One of the local bottle collectors had lost control going down the hill and smashed hard into my neighbor's car. His bike and trailer were destroyed, the car was damaged, and the poor guy wasn't looking so well either as they loaded him onto a stretcher.

Keep your brakes in good condition guys.

tarwheel 

I admit it, I'm a wuss. I hate riding in the rain. The Showers Pass jacket is good insurance for days when the forecast is wrong, but not incentive enough for me to ride when I know it's gonna rain. However, I will ride in the rain sometimes when I can't help it or going stir crazy from too many days of rain.

dcb23

Interesting to read about views on rain and riding...I like it every now and then.

44F / 7C and one hell of a headwind. It actually snowed for a bit yesterday after tow straight days of rain. No rain today and temps will be rising all week.

In my haste I put on a hat and forgot my helmet...felt naked without it.

jrickards

I almost got on my Kona Sutra and rode in today but I messed up yesterday, I forgot to take a drive along my commuting route to see what the road conditions are like. I'll see if I can do that after work today so that I can start regular commuting on April 1 (no, I'm not fooling you!! LOL).

DogBoy

Windy and rainy this morning. I got a mile from my house and realized I'd forgotten my socks and sundries so I went back, making the commute this morning 7 miles instead of 5. Still had a nice ride in the rain. There is something somewhat hypnotic and relaxing about riding in rain. I'm ready for a good day.

jrickards

+1 if it is a cold rain but a warm, summer rain (as long it is not torrential and we don't get too many of those here) is not so bad. I haven't ridden to camp during or after a rainy day on 28km (17mi) of dirt road, that would require me to ride right into the lake to clean both myself and my bike of all the mud (actually, that sounds like it might be fun, I might try it).

dramiscram

Gray morning but a lot warmer compare to last week: 1° celcius. Big big head Wind steady at 30-35 kmh and gusting at 50-55 kmh. Lets say it was a good workout!

arsprod 

tarwheel, we should all be as wussy! The number of miles you ride makes you immune from wussiness. Personally, I love riding in the rain - it's all about gear. Saturday's ride in was pouring with a little snow mixed in. Today was beautiful - 36F this morning and supposed to get to 60 this afternoon. I only worked 2 days last week so glad to be back on schedule and on the bike

ItsJustMe

Woo, first day of the year on the road bike. On the winter bike (Giant Seek 0 2014, Alfine 8 IGH, W240 studded tires), my 10.5 mile route took 52 to 60 minutes depending on wind and road conditions. The longer route (smoother, because of the skinny tires) is 12 miles and took 42 minutes.

oasis3270

First day riding my 2014 Kona Paddy Wagon into work today. My last bike was stripped of most of it's parts, so I had get a new bike. (bike getting locked indoors from her on out) Roads were pretty bumpy, upper 40s, 13 mph winds)

enigmaT120

I'm not calling Tarwheel a wuss, either, even though I finally passed up 200 miles for the year. I hate rain, but if I never rode in it I might as well get rid of my bike. Same with motorcycles. It was 32 degrees F this morning with wet roads, but they hadn't iced up and it was blessedly rain-free. It's supposed to rain tonight though so I brought my rain jacket. Whether I wear it will depend on how hard it rains and how cold it is.

RidingMatthew

one of the first real commutes of the new year. 108 miles so far this year. weather looks like it will cooperate to hopefully ride 4 days this week. Have to DJ and transport gear so Mazda6 Wagon to the rescue.

AlTheKiller

Cool and cloudy on the way in. It's pouring buckets now, and probably will continue for a few hours until I leave.

WestMass

Oh man,

Today I went out in the rain, all geared up, only to find at about mile 4 of my 7 mile commute, the rain turned into sleet/hail. it piled up on my raincape, but luckily I got to school before things got too dicey. Everyone at work was saying how they saw multiple accidents, as their was ice-ball accumulation in the road!

Ride home was windy as anything - was worried I was going to get blown straight into the CT river!!