tsl

One-thousand five-hundred ninety-six... and a half, if you count the ride to work. Just one week shy of seven-and-a-half years. Two-hundred five (and a half) for 2013.

So ends my string of consecutive workdays bike commuting.

The forecast for this afternoon was a 30% chance of flurries in the mid-afternoon, clearing off by five. Snow starting again overnight after 10.

So I took a chance and rode the Ribble today, instead of Mr Portland with its studded snow tires.

Three to four inches of snow fell after 5pm. It was still coming down when we closed the library at 7pm. Nary a plow or salt truck in sight. Apparently it took the city by surprise too.

Discretion being the better part of valor, I accepted the offer of a ride home. (But boy, I thought about breaking the string.) The Ribble rode home in the back of my boss's pick-up, I rode in the front. The bike collected nearly a half-inch of snow on the ride home.

It a way, it's good the string has ended. It's the sort of thing that can become a bit of a burden, and frankly, people question both my integrity and my sanity. Perhaps both have been restored.

Tomorrow starts over again at one.

(And yes, had I had Mr Portland, I'd have ridden home, and had great fun doing it.)

Giant Doofus

What a great run!

acidfast7

Rob22315

You are an inspiration to us.

mstraus

Extremely impressive, and inspirational when to think of a streak that long when I debate some made up excuse to not bike on a given day. Seems like you made right decision not to ride home given the situation.

tsl

Jeepers! Don't you ever sleep?

droy45

You did the right thing. Congratulations on the record breaking streak. I don't think there is anyone else here on the forum that has had that many consecutive days. Even on your Ribble it would have been a chore. I have a good winter setup too and this morning took me 2 hours to get to the office 15.5 miles away. I was actually tired when I got there.

scroca

That streak of yours is quite an accomplishment, whether you were sane or not while building it.

As a matter of fact, normal stuff is not impressive. Your streak is.

Now I wonder, does the next streak start tomorrow?

loky1179

Congratulations! I didn't make it home during our snow event last Wed, so tonight was my first ride home again on snow covered roads. On the ride home tonight I was actually thinking to myself "how does tsl do it?" There is no way I can do this every day in the winter.

That is really an incredible streak. Well done.

tarwheel 

I don't follow you. If you rode to work, it still counts as a commute in my book, even if you got an emergency ride home. You make your own rules, but I would certainly count that as a commute.

ThermionicScott 

Congratulations on the streak, no matter what, Bruce! Having just learned what happened to Martyn Ashton, I feared much worse news when I clicked on this thread.

Lucillle

Bruce you are awesome.

buzzman

Great run! Congrats!

jyl

So impressive! You're a tough hombre.

FBinNY 

For folks who don't know New York State geography or weather patterns, this isn't only a grand achievement, it's a spectacular achievement. Rochester is slightly east of Buffalo, which is famous for it's outlandish snowfalls. When it's cold in the northeast, it's frigid in Rochester.

So this isn't simply a great unbroken string, it's a spectacular achievement worthy of the Persian couriers about which was written--

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

Congrats.
fb

Ghost Ryder

Congrats, its was an impressive run!
An injury broke my 2 year run, its always fun to start fresh.

tsl

Round trips count. Actually, just workdays where a round trip occurred. Two (or more) round-trips in one day still counts as only one day.

Counting the directions separately is far too confusing.

bmontgomery87

impressive cycling streak you had going.
I'd say you made the right call by accepting a ride home.

Ypedal

Way to go !

Out here *( maritimes ) the first snow fall is passable, but one's it partially melts, turns to slush, then re-freezes in troffs of car tire tracks it becomes suicide....

I had to shovel this seasons first driveway yesterday... urgh.. time to buckle in for the winter... tear down the bikes and get them ready for spring...

tsl

Thanks, all!

Corrected the original post. It's 1,596, not 1,597.


FB: You forgot about lake-effect. That's exactly what got me last night.

The Great Lakes are large enough to make their own weather. Rochester is on the shore of Lake Ontario. Lake-effect snow (or rain, or even clouds) are very highly local. I can (and have) passed through two blinding snow squalls on the way to work, on an otherwise sunny day.

Last night it was actually a very strong squall coming off Lake Erie--the only squall in all of Upstate. We were at the eastern end of it. It petered out just east of the city.

BTW, I bought a bottle of your lube the other day at Bike Zone in Greece. I had a $20 coupon that had come as part of the goodie bag at the Highlander. I was as surprised to see it at a store as the owner was to have a customer know what it was. Got some tubes too.


JYL: It's not about being tough at all. In fact, it's about being too wimpy to put up with getting back into shape come March and April. I avoid all that pain and suffering by riding through the winter.

wphamilton

Well done, an impressive record! It may be the end of an unbroken streak, but it's also 99.97%

dramiscram

I have the same rule , in my book your streak is still on and so is the burden

alan s 

If you had sat in the back of the truck with your bike, you could have counted it.

FBinNY 

I didn't forget lake effect. I figured that Buffalo's snow made national news more than "lake effect" and folks would form a better mental picture of your weather.

I wouldn't feel bad about the end of the line. The record stands as it is, but the number is just that , a number. I assume you're riding the bike is because you want to. Every day you ride to work is another day that you're not driving to work, and one more boost to your condition. Riding is about riding, not counting. Anyway, you now have a number to beat, and a new goal.

BTW- thanks for the lube purchase. Let's hope it's half as durable and persistent as you are.

JPinWI

Discretion is the better part of valor.

I doff my blaze orange carhart stocking cap to you Sir!

Happy Trails!