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I commuted today with the morning temperature at 10F. Wore ski pants, so legs and feet were warm, but hands were cold. The trip is only 2 miles. Roads are clear and ice-free, as long as you stay away from the extreme edges. Tuesday I took the bike path part way home and hit ice - falling down on ice with water puddles on top wasn't fun, though no major damage. Now I've got some studded tires on order, but think I'll stay on the roads and off the path the rest of the winter.
3.5 for me this week. The first one was below zero. Tonight was almost 40. :) I went an extra couple of miles just for the joy of Friday and freedom and being on my bike.
Deb
I've ridden exactly 0 times the past two work weeks. :( The only good part is I don't "count" most of the work days as bikeable -- had a snow day/office closed, and 3 evening/work/holiday/overnight things that made it pretty near impossible to commute. I am SO ready to get back on the bike!
Finally back on the bike today -- what joy! Not too cold, not too icy. Pretty dark both ways though. And I forgot my lunch in my lack of morning routine practice. :rolleyes:
Last commute of the year for me - I'm leaving Monday for northeastern Europe to visit family for a couple weeks. Talk about dark! Hope I'll get some skiing or snowshoeing in, because I don't think there will be a whole lot of biking going on.
First commute on the studded tires. Probably didn't need them, but wasn't sure if some of the shiny patches were water or black ice (temp 10F but roads well-salted), so happy they were there. Yesterday I did some riding practice on snow - used the plowed part of the bike path with 1/2" of packed snow plus bare spots and ice and deeper loose snow.
3 this week. My first rides in fog, and while it is actually snowing. I enjoyed them all!
Deb
I rode this morning for the first time since before christmas. Ah, it was nice! It was also C O L D and I forgot my goggles so my sinuses and froze. My balaclava can't cover my nose or I fog up anything I have over my eyes, so my nose hairs froze too... I think it was fairly cold this morning. Anyway, it was SO nice riding again. And, I figured out fenders that will work on my silly little single speed, so I ordered them this morning! YIPPEE! When they arrive, I can put them and my new green Brooks saddle on my bike (christmas pressy).... yay!
Been commuting all along - not too cold, but dang nabbit, where is the rain! I've been hoping for a wet commute before 2009 ends, probably not going to happen :(
I've been managing to ride 3 to 4 times a week. We've had a mostly snow free but cold winter, so far. Rode in this morning on about 1" of snow that fell just before I left for work. It's been sunny most of the day so I'm going to try and head home before the sun sets and the wet streets turn to ice sheets. I've had a couple of icy evening rides that were not real fun. Other than the evening ice I've enjoy some great commutes, for December! :D bikerHen
Niece/nephew/daughter wanted to go to the park yesterday. It's <1 mile and I didn't even ask about biking, figured too cold for them. But 6 yr old niece BEGGED for the trailer: my redneck lawnchair trailer (a lawn chair strapped to a flatbed). I wrapped her up in a blanket, strapped her in, and by the time I had it all set up, nephew & daughter decided they wanted to bike too. Off we went! The road I preferred involves a left turn across lanes of traffic on a busy street that the kids aren't up for, so we took unplowed residential streets, and since no one actually fell they enjoyed the excitement of the slick spots--more than I did. I knew from experience that if I happened to fall, that trailer stays resolutely upright!
I also had a grocery trip that morning. Uneventful, as I left I got some comments like "You are hardy!" and "Isn't it too cold for that?" (I was already sweating). But most interesting was when I was at a stop light.
On this particular street there is a bike lane, a bike lane designed such that you negotiate with right turners before reaching the intersection so that you stay in the bike lane through the intersection. Only the bike lane had slush & snow in it, and the roadway was clear, so I went ahead and moved into the lane a little. A truck came up beside me...a silver truck.
I risked a glance back, and sure enough, it was the silver truck with purple stripes, a camper shell and license tags I know well. It is driven by the rudest driver in town, an ugly troll of a man who indiscriminately harasses cyclists and motorists alike, whether you are in his path or not. And here I was, sharing a LANE with him. I steeled myself for his honking & swearing and hoped I'd get off lightly at that.
The light turned green and he waited until I was through the intersection before passing me. He didn't so much as lift a middle finger at me.
Now that's cause for celebration! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Melalvai
That's very cool about the kids wanting to ride to the park. I would like a ride on your lawnchair trailer, too, please. :p Sounds like fun!
I needed to go to work today and no one wanted to watch the high-maintenance 6 yr old, so I asked if she wanted to come with me. (If the answer was no they'd have had to watch her anyway.) She did want to ride on the lawn chair trailer! I bundled her up better than on Monday. When we got there I asked if she was cold, and did she want to call Uncle Mr. Mel to pick her up? She was cold, but she did not want to ride in the car. She wanted to ride on the bike trailer. We got a little more snow, but it was gone from most of the roads already.
We did the bit of work that needed done, and I asked again: are you sure you want to ride the bike? Yes, she's sure.
I have fenders, and a mud flap on the front tire, but not the rear. The mud spattered her pink coat. She kept her head down so mud wouldn't spatter the tiny bit of her face and eyes that were the only exposed bit of her. The blanket I wrapped around her is filthy! When we got out of the mud, she waved at EVERYONE who passed us, and was so excited when some of them waved back! And she sang Rudolph all the way home. (I asked her to sing something other than Jingle Bells on Day 1 of her visit.)
When I first made the trailer, my daughter pulled ME around the block. I've a great picture of my husband in the trailer. It belongs in one of those "World's Best Husbands" messages that go around...that one that has the guy & his bike in a tent with the wife sleeping outside? But to be fair, I had to beg him to ride in the trailer for the picture!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tri Girl
too funny!!!:D
Oh yeah, every time I got to a hill she said "Why are we going so slow?"
A couple years ago it was "Faster, Aunt Wachel, faster!"
2.5 out of 4 for me this week. Sunday night we stayed with friends just outside of town because our sewer backed up so I got a late start on Monday. Too late to bike to work. Today my bike went out to our friends' house so I could work on it tomorrow. They have a bike stand. She could use a good cleaning/chain lube/adjustments.
Happy New Year All!
Deb
This was just for fun. You could make paper dolls out of me...
http://www.kemenel.org/gallery/main....serialNumber=1
http://www.kemenel.org/gallery/main....serialNumber=1
http://www.kemenel.org/gallery/main....serialNumber=1
http://www.kemenel.org/gallery/main....serialNumber=1
I found out today that at -15° when my goggles fog up because of the balaclava, the fog freezes. So I took the goggles off, and my eyelashes froze. That's a weird experience! I had to stop a couple of times to wipe off the ice crystals. Other than that, it was a beautiful morning and I'm glad I rode. Abbie is awesome rolling over ruts and drifts with her huge fat tires. I think when it warms up and I'm back on my Kona it'll feel like I sprouted wings.:D
Deb
I love the "Dress Me Melalvai" doll! :)
4 during the week and one this weekend (I rode to the church for practice, which is one block further than where I work, so I'm going to count it:rolleyes:)
Deb
I like the visual layering pictures. People tell me what to wear, but I'm such a visual person it's nice to see it. Thanks! :D
3 for 3 this week. Enjoyed every single day - both to and from work. Beautiful and peaceful. Already looking forward to next week's commute.:)
5 for 5! :D Tomorrow the bikes are getting a much-needed bath! The weather is supposed to be gorgeous for the next few days.
Deb
0 out of 25 for me. :( I'm doing terribly at this commuting thing this winter. :mad:
Between surgery and recovery and then the unusually bitter cold, I just haven't done it since the first week of December...
Let's face it- I'm a winter wimp. Ice, snow and below freezing temps just isn't my idea of "fun." I thought I'd be tougher, but I'm not...
I'm hoping to ride this week. Temps should be in the 50's and nice again. I'll get back out there, ladies. I promise!!! And when it's spring and much warmer- my butt will be out there every day!!! ;)
This is your week because as you mentioned it's good weather for about a week. It almost makes one forget about winter. I hope you get to ride as often as you want this week!
You, too, twin!
I vowed to be car-free this week. It's a short week, so it's definitely doable!
Should have done a longer ride since the weather was so fine and sunny after a high windy night and early morning with rain.
But just 15 kms. to and from for a health assessment for a research project. Today there were lots of people scheduled to participate. We're all volunteer participants. :)
One for me! I can still make it up the hill and down!
And I could breathe; BONUS!
AND my health ins. sent me a check for an overcharge from when I went to the ER after I crashed in September. *eye roll* but who can argue?
4 for 4 this week. I was taking a risk today because they were calling for a chance of a wintry mix this afternoon if the temperature dropped a few degrees. Turned out that it was in the low 40s with sunshine - nicest ride home all week.
3 for 3 this week and 1 for 1 last week after a break for the holidays....SO nice to be back on the bike! Big challenge coming up though -- my commuter bus isn't surviving the recession. After Feb 12th I have no idea how I'm going to make it to work. :eek: Lots of thinking and research to do...
Well, I opted to take today off the bike, expecting that wintery mix in the a.m. But it never happened. But, that's okay. Two days for me this week is two more than I've gotten in a loooong time!Quote:
Originally Posted by pfunk12
And, the continued temps above freezing mean those blasted icebergs are getting smaller each day.
Yesterday, riding home, I decided to cut the corner off where the worse 'bergs are by riding an abandoned roadbed. I drop down a muddy hillside off a sidewalk, across a patch of dirt, to get to the old road. On my flat bar road bike. With skinny tires. In January thaw bog. :eek: The rear end of the bike bogged down in the mud and then skidded and fish-tailed all over the place. :eek::eek: I felt like I buried the rear wheel up to its axle (I REALLY need to lose some weight! :rolleyes:), but I got through, up to the gate, around and home. Whew!
4.5 for 5. We took my bike to the shop at lunchtime to get the brake fixed. It's still leaking.:( The day turned very nasty and wet so I was glad of a ride in the car tonight.
Deb
Wow, 7...sounds like an interesting ride yesterday! :eek: Glad you made it home okay. The ice on my route is all melted. And two commutes this week is great. Sounds like everyonen who is posting is doing well with the commuting. :)
I've attached a photo of the icy stretch that I had to deal with for almost 2 weeks. A 1/4 mile of the trail. I never thought it would melt!
That's one ugly ice patch. There were several patches similar to that (not quite as bad) on the W&OD, riding NW. I'd have a very narrow path of pavement to ride on which required a lot of concentration -- I suppose this is where roller training would come in handy.Quote:
Originally Posted by pfunk12
I've been really glad of the studded tires lately. Lots of ice in the mornings.
Deb
Melting snow revealed a lot of broken glass on the sidewalk on which I must ride 1/2 mile (.8 km) from our house. DH is heading there now with a pushbroom to sweep it away from me. Whatta guy! :D
Awwwwwww...that is sweet! :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by 7rider
I'm clicking the "like" button here! I just wrote an article for our newsletter about how advocacy sometimes means writing a letter, or donating to the Bike League, or even picking up a snow shovel...or a broom!
I like snow. I really do. I grew up in New England. Snow is a part of winter.
But last winter, we got next to NO snow...and I was able to bike ride all season long. This winter, it seems it's snowing TONS...and the level of whining and griping from the radio hosts, the co-workers, and just about everybody else, has reached a fever pitch.
And my bikes sit unused in the basement.
And my LBS lent me a set of handlebars to try on my commuter to approximate the Seven Tiberius bars, knowing that I'm really jonesing for a Seven commuter (yeah...when the money tree bears fruit!) but I'm unsure about these new fangled handlebars they're making. So....I have these new bars - which I'm sort of dubious about - that my DH put on my commuter yesterday. Gads, the bike looks funny! But, who knows WHEN I'll actually be able to ride the blasted thing again???
Dang snow. Best left on the mountains and xc trails.....
I hear ya, 7. I grew up in northeastern PA and we would get tons of snow. Can't say that I like it so much now that I'm old! We got spoiled these past few years with the mild winters so we're paying the price this year. Snow this past Saturday, last night and another major storm on Friday??:eek: I've been commuting much more than you - probably because you have more common sense than me. :D But it's still rough. I hope that all of the snow melts next week so you can try out your new handlebars.:)
Quote:
Originally Posted by 7rider