Got really thoroughly soaked on the way home yesterday. Once I was completely drenched I couldn't get any wetter, so I just kept pedaling. At least it wasn't hot! Just ordered a rain cover for the pannier/backpack (Arkel Ladybug).

I was headed to have dinner with some friends and had spent some time looking at Google Maps for the best route across I-20. Found one that is pretty bike friendly, and really glad I didn't try to take the one I knew would be terrible. Ate dinner dripping wet on the patio, oh well.

It's glorious weatherwise here in Northern Illinois with the exception of the wind. Today was the first day in a long time I was actually a little chilled when I left, and it's cool enough to go back to wearing a backpack instead of using the pannier.

wow I wonder if the cooler temps will reach NC sometime. It was 92.5% humidity this morning and has been this whole week. I wanted to try to ride 20miles before work and I ran out of time 19.42. I had only 5 more minutes I could have made it.

Since moving to my home office earlier this year, I have typically gone for a ride mid-morning. However, my schedule was back-to-back calls today, so I hit the road at 7:00 AM. Two things:

First, its was refreshingly cool this morning (or too cold to some people around here) at 52F... Talk about the dog-days of summer.

Second, I totally forgot how stressful rush hour riding is - it's all Mad Max Fury Road out there! I commuted at rush hour, daily, year-round for 8 years; and within 6 months I've forgotten how hateful people are.

Riding has caused me a fair bit of pain lately, so I've been scared to ride. Today was my first ride in eight days. But it went very well with little pain. I face a headwind most mornings, but today I had a tailwind most of the way. It must have been very shifty, because I occasionally got gusts in my face. But the speeds displayed by my little computer were surprisingly high, and I certainly wasn't putting in extra effort.

I'm doing well with my effort to ride more gently. I shifted way down while climbing, and my old self said, "Don't be such a wimp." My new self prevailed and said, "Shut up, this is good for me."

I guess I'll face a head wind going home, but it doesn't look too strong, and it might end up being a crosswind.

The best ride I'd ever had last night. The blue angel were doing practices and I got a up close look at them. Going slow on the bike does have it benefits. Worried about my breathing issue's with the cold air. May have to stop riding till they figure it out. Unfortunately I think it's the only thing that's keeping it at bay. Got stuck in the rain on a bike trail way back in March and all started then.

It was a pleasant ride this morning, after the cold front came through, dried out the air and gave us some much needed rain last night. I took it easy and rode slowly in a lower gear. So this makes 4 out of 5 days this week by bike. Yay.

Do I feel like going for a ride on Saturday for fun? Probably not, but my older daughter wanted to ride together to celebrate my 56th birthday (yesterday), so I may ride anyway and enjoy the time with her. My wife gave me tickets in October for Carole King's *Beautiful* musical on tour at the Kennedy Center. It sounds like something we'll really like.

Yea, what are all these low temps others are speaking of? Lowest temp here is still 70+ and humidity makes it hard to breath. The weekend looks to be the same.

I didn't ride today as I'm off for a weekend church retreat after work today. My wife brought me and my duffle bag down. A buddy will pick me up around 4 and we're off to a house on a lake in SC. It should be a fun weekend.

Rained on every commute this week, except yesterday when I had to drive. I can't remember the last time that happened. This might be just a taste of things to come, with the "super El Nino" that's supposed to bring us an exceptionally wet winter this year.

First bike commute of the week. I was off Monday, and forecasters have been calling for severe thunderstorms every day until now. We did have a lot of storms but I probably could have commuted each day and avoided the worst of it, but it's not worth the stress to me. I don't have an emergency ride home anymore like I used to, because the coworker who could take me (and my bike home) retired a few months ago. So, if a thunderstorm crops up during my afternoon commute time, I have to either ride through it, wait it out at the office, or leave my bike at work and catch a ride with someone going my way. None of those options are ideal.

We are still without hot water at work due to annual maintenance on the boilers, so I've been forced to take cold showers on days that I bike to work. I've sort of gotten used to it, although it's very painful at first, but it really does cool you down and stop the sweating.

Brrrr day 2, in the upper 50's again though less wind

Nice cool morning, but still warm enough to ride without the jacket. But, it was very chilly for about a mile.

More cars on the road now that school has begun. This causes me problems at two intersections which have green arrows for right turn lanes that I have to cross through. Worst is when SUV's and other hard to see around vehicles are stopped in the left lane while those in the right fly through the white crosswalk lines without even slowing down. I creep across those roads and force a car to stop. I hate it.

Also, saw a dog sniffing along the curb as I rode through a small neighborhood on the edge of the city. It was a pit mix of some sort. So, I took a detour to go around that pooch before it could see me. I preferred to not taking any chances on that mutt.

Cool and rainy, some cross wind, I prefer a cool rainy day. the last few days where hot and humid.

Checked the temp before I headed out the door and it was a balmy 43. Brrr. Grabbed a hi vis safety jacket which was plenty comfortable. Supposed to hit upper 70's with a southern wind this afternoon.

Started commuting in June down a highway with a narrow shoulder. It's the first four miles in the morning of my trip. I started by wearing a bright colored shirt switching to a hi vis safety shirt with reflective strips on it and have been using a blinking taillight. My start time is generally within a ten minute each ride so I tend to see the same vehicles every ride. I've noticed the regulars are giving me more room as they zip by now. A change I can live with.

It's backpack weather again this morning, but it's going to be warm on the way home.

The commute in this morning was uneventful, though the weather here is very humid with mist and fog.

After rains last night we had humidity driven fog this morning. It cleared up about halfway through my ride.

First day of school for much of the area. I noticed more traffic, but nothing too bad.

Good weather and quick short commutes this morning. Made great time on home side, driven by a late start, and my legs wanted to spin hard on work side as well. Plan on doing long commute on work and on home side tonight, if I can push to 125 for the week I'll hit 1000 for the year (I started tracking in March, didn't ride a whole lot before then).

Lower 50's temps, light winds and blue sky (once the sun came up) made for an awesome commute this morning.

Last Friday I stopped by the downtown KC airport to watch the Blue Angels run through their practice performance before the weekend airshow.

Great pic! Brrrr day 3, mid 50's

The Greenway was flooded, by several feet over the banks, so I veered off into my high-traffic alternate route. Normally I don't mind but I built this over the weekend and I didn't really plan on making the first shake-down ride in traffic.

Stealth mode activated. Just kidding; I'm going to put some reflective tape on the sides. But I'll need to make some adjustments as it's very difficult to ride as it is.

Felt like I was moving a little slow this morning; it seemed like the wind was in my face the whole way. But, all in all, I still arrived here within my normal commute time. So...no loss.

Last Friday I thought it would be totally epic to extend my commute home by about 34 miles and make it a 44 mile ride instead of 10 miles. I made this genius decision after I was nearly bonking from the get-go. Fast forward 20 miles and both of my legs would almost completely cramp up if I encountered a hill or stopped pedaling for any length of time. I was *this close* to having to make a Call of Shame from the middle-of-nowhere. Thank God for electrolytes.

Didn't ride in today, though I had planned to. My "work wife" asked me last night if I could help her jumpstart her car today, which she left at her boyfriends house (who is away) and got a ride back to her house last night. Apparently, the boyfriends moms car didn't have enough juice to jump her car, or her cables were bad. Conversely, she rode her bike to work for the first time ever! We got her car working, moved it over to her house, so I think I will ride home with her this afternoon and then back to work/my car. I also have to run to the supermarket this afternoon, so I think that will be a bike ride.

Still hurt and caging it