The end of an era
 

My commute is hard to beat. It's a little over 20 miles one way and it includes a stretch where you get to go 19 miles with only traffic control signal that rarely slows me down.

I have two worksites, and I only get to ride this three times a week. My other two days is almost 70 miles one way, so biking there is not practical (though I have done it on rare occasion). I've had my current job since April 2007.

I ride in anything, including conditions that are stupid to be in even in a car. I hate ice, but I can't resist a wind storm. Sometimes when it's particularly bad, motorists try to talk me off the road and give me a ride. I thank them for the sentiment, but I don't accept.

Today I did something I've never done before -- I drove to my primary site. I always figured I'd have a good reason to miss my first day, but I don't.

My wife bugged me to drive because the fog was thick and I have a century tomorrow. I don't listen to her because if I did, I'd probably drive twice a month. The weather was fine in my eyes, and I don't need the rest. What put me over the top is that I woke up late. I could still make it in on time, but only if I cut the dog's walk in half and treated the commute like a Fred TT.

I prefer not riding hard the day before a century, but I will. However, ripping off the dog was a too much. We had a full length walk and even stopped for a minute to watch the nutria along our route.

As I drove in and saw what how poor visibility was, I thought anyone would be crazy to ride out there. Unless it's me. Sitting in a warm car with music on the stereo really didn't feel right. I don't regret what I did because the dog walk is sacred and I can use a little time to set up my bike for tomorrow, but there's no way I'm making a practice of this.

You're living on the edge. There's a lot of that going around these days.

People always talk how riding flood your body with endophins. I suspect it's actually nicotine.

No cycling fix = cranky BJ

You sir, are a beast.

I'm......shattered.

Oh come on HTFU!

Fog????

Woke up late????

Had to walk the dog????

WTF!

You are getting very fred like!

:)

I was actually looking forward to riding in the fog. It suppresses the highway noise considerably, and the beam my HID light throws looks cool in the dark. Too bad I still can't see a damn thing.

My fog setup is especially Fredly -- I actually wear glasses with the lenses punched out so I can still mount my Take-A-Look on them. The motorists can't see so they tend to hug the line at the side of the road so I need to keep an eye on them.

Fixed for accuracy.

So what era is ending? Doesn't sound like you're giving up cyclo-commute. I don't get it. What fillet mignon did you eat last night?!

Zero days driven on that route in 43 consecutive months.

I didn't even know where I was allowed to park and had to call facilities services to ask when I arrived.

Fixed for accuracy.

That's impressive. I bet you do feel kinda crappy missing 40 miles of riding...

Get rid of the dog, it's enabling your weekness.

Don't beat yourself up over it. It's a single day. Just don't make it a habit if you don't want it to become one.

To me what you have done is very impressive, 40 miles a day, 3 x a week in any weather, for 43 months. Oregon isn't exactly known for having sunny skies much of the time.

subtle bragging thread

It's a passive aggressive type of bragging.

But it was my wife who convinced me to drive. Plus, I want more dogs, not fewer.

In other circles called a "drive by gloat". Or just, "meep! meep!"

What's the limit on nutria in Oregon?

Nutria, the other white meat (after possum, of course)

Feed 'em on nutria.

This particular dog acts like she wants to play with them. She also has a thing for skunks.

Actually, it sounds like he's lost his edge and gone soft on us. It's the beginning of the end I tell ya.:D

Your dog probably walks further than I ride per week.

are you crazy?