Consecutive commute day #98:

Got up early this morning with the plan to put in about 10 extra miles in addition to my regular commute. Got the bike all ready to go, had my helmet gloves and backpack on and put new batteries in my blinky. I opened the garage door and felt the rush of wind that I was going to have to ride straight into, and just wasn't feeling "it". It was one of those days where the motivation wasn't there. It's hard to explain what "it" is, but you certainly can tell when it's not around.

I went as far as to take off my helmet and gloves and ponder the situation. If I went back inside the house I could have snoozed in my chair for maybe 1/2 an hour before I would have to get back up and leave for work. And odds are I wouldn't actually fall asleep, I'd just lay there hating myself for not riding. But I really, really didn't feel in the mood to fight that wind for a bunch of extra miles.

So I finally decided that as long as I was up I should just ride directly to work and get there early. Then I could leave early in the afternoon and if I felt like putting on extra miles then I could. If I didn't feel like putting on extra miles I could ride straight home and enjoy a bit more free time in the evening. As it turned out once I was rolling, I did put about 2.5 extra miles in and still got to work 1/2 hour early.

I guess I just had to make the decision that the diem wasn't going to carpe itself.

[MENTION=175954]Tundra_Man[/MENTION], good job under pressure! Only two more, and 100 in a row is a milestone to be proud of.

It helped me to realize that commute number 99 is objectively no different from number 2, except in my own mind. And those of us here, who are the only ones who really understand what your accomplishment is. It kind of takes the pressure off.

It was downright chilly this morning. I was in my usual shorts and T, and wondering why it seemed harder than usual this year to acclimate myself to cooler weather. I should have checked before leaving - it was 48°. That's arm-warmer and gloves weather for me.

[MENTION=175954]Tundra_Man[/MENTION] I'm proud you braved it out. I remember how tough it was some mornings but I knew I just wanted to keep my streak alive.

LOL. Way to carpe!

It was 51° F this morning, but apparently it had just stopped raining when I got up(I didn't hear a thing, my wife said it was pouring). Normally it's not a big deal, I just ride the Crosstown in(fenders!). But, being the big kid that I am with a new "toy," I put my new studded snow tires on it Sunday morning to see how it would ride, and never took them back off. I got wet and a little cold riding in on Libby. It's going to be just as cool again tomorrow morning, but no rain.

Rather nipply errr nippy this morning. This afternoon dang, everyone must have been having a case of the Mondays or something. The level of idiocy on the roads was high. People not using turn signals, passing with oncoming traffic. Tailgating. One old lady tapping her horn because she couldn't pass immediately. People ignoring my hand left turn hand signals and passing me anyway.

A-holes. BUT! Everyone still changed lanes to pass!

The ride to work was a nice uneventful ride this morning. They are now working on the new smooth road putting in the storm drains.

Didn't ride yesterday, wasn't feeling it and I had that little voice in the back of my head telling me "no".

consequently, getting to sleep last night was hard. I've started to take for granted, it seems, the mental benefits of riding. I get to get some energy out, some time to think.

So, today I'm back on and plan to ride the remainder of the week.

Cool again today, but a bit warmer: 52F vs 48 yesterday. Quite pleasant actually and I like getting to work dry and not sweaty.

My commute includes a neighborhood on a golf course. They are setting up for some kind of local tournament. I'll have to keep a watchful eye for golf carts and spectators.

Did the multimodal thing this morning, as the wife and I are doing a food truck rodeo this evening. Usually I can count the number of people on a bike on one hand....I completely lost count today! It wasn't all students, either. The weather has taken a turn towards terrific, at least in the mornings. It has gotten other people at the office into thinking about riding to work. We currently have bike racks enough to fit four bikes...to paraphrase Jaws..."We're gonna need a bigger rack"

I finally got the bike back on the road after destroying my rear rim. Lost a week. Probably could have cut that down to a few days had I replaced it right away, but I was lazy.

Anyway, left under the stars this morning. Running with five lights. Two on the head, three on the bike. Two pointing forward, three to my rear. I may yet end up getting me some lightweight wheel reflectors before the season of dark kicks into full swing.

Beautiful sunrise behind me as I pedaled too. Clear skies, not too cold. Perfect.

Perfect description - 51F this morning. Funny how in about 2 or 3 months that will seem downright balmy

First time wearing kneewarmers this season.

I rode to work this morning. I hadn't ridden a bike in over a week because of back and shoulder and foot pain. I'm so glad I rode. Wind is always a concern, and it seemed to be in my face at first but not in an annoying way. Then I think it shifted into my favor. I have two rides this evening, so I hope it's not too bad.

The weather has shifted drastically, because the summery weather lasted longer than usual. Then this weekend, it snapped into fall. I brought a sweater, but I didn't need it. I don't think I'll need it this evening.

On the one steep hill on my route, I came up behind two boys who looked to be about 12 years old. They were walking their bikes up. I gave them a New York, "How ya doin'!" One of them said, "How do you get up this?" I yelled back at them (as I had passed them already), "Pedal hard!"

I wore long trousers and got hot, and I decided to do my trick of many years ago. I folded them up to just below my knee. Wow, I don't know why I ever stopped doing that.

45° F this morning! I wore shorts anyways. I was cold when I got to the bottom of my hill, but warmed up nicely midway through my ride. I started using the Spokelit Disco wheel lights I got for Christmas yesterday, and it seems like people are giving me a little more room when they pass me in the morning. Anyways, nice ride in today, and the ride home was pretty good, too. Looking forward to tomorrow!

Morning:

Got a little careless turning right from Pendleton to get on MVT in Oronoco Bay Park - missed the path altogether and got on the grass/dirt to the left of the path, and wiped out when I tried to roll onto the path, because of the steep rise of the path in relation to the grass dirt. Bruised my right knee, but didn't realize it was bleeding quite a bit until I arrived at work.

Tried my Papal Visit Alternate Route #1 as posted on the other thread - turned left onto E. Basin Dr. instead of right after crossing 14th St. Bridge, then rode on Ohio Dr. Got a little lost looking for the Park Police parking lot, found it, cut through it, earning a stare from a cop, took the Case Bridge MUP to L'Enfant Plaza. I started to regret my route choice on the other side of the Case Bridge MUP when I had trouble descending into the park due to the sharp curves. By the time I was riding on Maine Dr. I was in full regret mode. I think there might have been a bike lane but it was obliterated by construction. Fair amount of traffic, but no worse than what I regularly deal with on N. Capitol St.

Leaning strongly towards taking my chances with Madison for my morning commute during the Papal visit, since they're not supposed to seal off the area entirely until 10AM. Other than the road rashes and bloody knee, it was a glorious morning ride. 60F to start, gradually warming up.

Evening:

Got the knee looked at by a nurse, got it treated and wrapped up in gauze. Pleasant evening ride once I got out of downtown and the excitement of street riding there.

A very nice ride in this morning, with the temp at 54f degrees and a dark sky. I did see another rider this morning other than that it was uneventful.

Nice ride in today. Low 50s again. I've been wearing a jacket, but it is too warm by the end of the ride. Suppose to be warmer the next couple of days.

Going through the neighborhood on a golf course this morning, I saw a maintenance type four-wheeler pull onto the road carrying 3 people and some stuff. They weren't going very fast and I caught up to them. One of the passengers says, "You're gettin' passed by a guy on a bicycle! That's pitiful!" A lady passenger said, "This is embarrassing!" I just gave them a smile and a thumbs up as I continued on.

Well, I made it. Had to ride through some rain and a strong head wind, but today was consecutive bicycle commute number 100 assuming I successfully ride home this evening.

I'm going to see how long I can keep this streak going. Number 150 would happen right around Thanksgiving, which is about the time I got stuffed last year with our first heavy snowfall.

50's in the morning, 80's in the evening, must be Fall in the midwest

Congrats on 100!

Haven't commuted all week. Took Monday off after doing a 45 mile route for the Jesse James Ride on Saturday and cruising around Minneapolis on Sunday. Figured I could ride Tuesday. Bailed when the forecast was calling for steady 15-20 mph winds with gusts to 30. yeah, the weather terrorists got their forecast wrong, the winds were nowhere close to that. Decided to try my first mountain bike ride last night instead. Had a blast. Today I play hockey at lunch and no way to carry my goalie bag or to get into Duluth from here so no bike again today.

Now my ride home is after sunset. The season has definitely changed. The equinox is near, and at this point in the year, the lengths of the days changes more from day to day than it does around the solstices. I have dynamo powered lights on my bike, and they work very well, and I'm grateful for them. They are so reliable that I wish I had started using dynamo lights sooner. I suspect that most people who try them will end up preferring them, though I know of some exceptions.

I was struck last night at how many people still don't have lights on their bikes. Usage of lights has increased a lot, and it is still increasing. I think we are almost at the point where most cyclists will realize it makes a lot of sense to have lights and it's pretty foolish not to. At the same time, I am bothered by unthinking cyclists who use excessively powered lights which cause pain and temporary blindness to others on the path or who aim their lights too high. I guess I'm hard to please, since I'm complaining about opposite ends of a spectrum. I think about this harder than most people do.

Wasn't raining, but rode the rain bike because it rained all day yesterday and the streets were still really wet. I haven't ridden that bike since July, so I squeezed the tires and thought, yeah, they need a bit of air. Took a few pumps in each tire for the pressure gauge needle to go above 0! Yeah, I guess they needed air. Uneventful commute otherwise.

47F Monday in the morning, 52F Tuesday 53F Today! Cool. Knee warmers the days in the 50. Bib tights on the 47F morning. Arm warmers every morning so far plus a vest. End up taking the vest off about half way through. So weird to have to think about what I want to wear to ride. it has been so long just bib shorts and jersey then go!

The rides home have been hard because I have been pushing hard to get home quickly.

Life has been pretty frustrating lately and really would like to get a nice long ride in. I am not sure if it is going to happen!