Fall and Winter Commuter Challenge!

[Grog]

4 / 4 this week, but I did part of the way back on the bus tonight to go with a colleague for dinner... but after dinner I cycled home.

It was POURING this morning. But I have pretty good gear. Including the terribly dorky but oh so effective helmet cover. All I'm missing is "rain legs."

Dorky, you say? Mine is yellow.


But oh! so great.

[SouthernBelle]

I got in 3 days this week. I could have done 4, but on Friday I just felt like wearing a skirt and heels.

I'll have to drive Monday. So Tuesday will probably be my first post-DST commute home in the dark and full test of my lights.

[kfergos]

This week I had trouble with motivation. Partway through my Wednesday morning ride, my down low glow stopped glowing, so now I'm down to just a front and rear light -- both plenty bright enough to be safe, but I do feel much more visible with bright blue light emanating from my down tube.

Mon - 2/2
Tues - 1/2 (45 and rainy, and I had to go, not home, but to our church group [which I was leading] and sit around for hours. Recipe for being freezing? You bet. So I skipped it.)
Weds - 2/2
Thurs - 2/2
Fri - 2/2

We also had some pretty good windy days, which meant my route took much longer than usual. And I've been thinking about winter in New England, and how much I don't want to ride on ice or in snow, but it looks like I'll be doing that anyway. Oh well. I do have studded tires, but somehow they just don't help me feel that much more confident. It just wasn't a good week on so many levels.

[Grog]

I got in 3 days this week. I could have done 4, but on Friday I just felt like wearing a skirt and heels.

I'll have to drive Monday. So Tuesday will probably be my first post-DST commute home in the dark and full test of my lights.

So?
http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/




Granted, wherever you live is NOT Copenhagen. I just wanted to show off this cool blog.

[SouthernBelle]

Aware of it and read it frequently. Unfortunately, I'll have to be in 2 different counties.

[bikerHen]

Hey Grog, Love that helmet cover! It would go great with my dorky reflective vest and be much more stylish than my shower cap/helmet cover. Where can I find one? bikerHen

[Grog]

Hey Grog, Love that helmet cover! It would go great with my dorky reflective vest and be much more stylish than my shower cap/helmet cover. Where can I find one? bikerHen

Looks like REI sells similar ones:
http://www.rei.com/search?query=helm...x=0&button.y=0
(but without the visor, which I find very helpful)

MEC has them, with and without the visor + skirt at the back:
http://search.mec.ca/?N=10&Ntt=helme...=1225602483378

MEC is sort of the Canadian REI however membership is required to make a purchase (but costs about $5). I guess I could also arrange to buy one for you and get it shipped somehow. If the REI one doesn't suit your fancy and you want the MEC one, send me a PM!

[kfergos]

I forgot my bra this morning!

Thank goodness I keep an entire spare set of clothes at work just in case!

[Biciclista]

well, this morning i broke rule #1. I rode in the dark and the rain!
It was not raining when we got up, and it was still not raining when DH stuck his
head out while i was eating my breakfast. SO i got all dolled up in my
hat, longfingered gloves, raincoat and rainpants. And sure enough, less than 2 blocks from my house it was raining. A few blocks later, DH put on HIS raincoat, because he WAS getting wet.

So now i have all my gear spread out in our little locker room in hopes that it will dry by quitting time.
It's supposed to rain all week, today might be the only day i ride.

[Geonz]

I've been known to drape things near enough to the 'puter so the heat helps (no locker room, and the'puter is under my desk and out of sight). Gore-tex and its imitators *rock* when it comes to being wearable home, too... rain slows me down but doesn't stop me!

[SouthernBelle]

Kinda dumb yesterday. On a whim, I decided to ride my roadbike in rather than the commuter, Ole Blue. This is no problem in the summer. But as I got ready to leave, I realized, "Duh, no lights."

Fortunately, I ride in well-lighted areas.

[kfergos]

Today I rode in heavy drizzle with a nice strong tailwind part of the way. About four miles into my ride, a guy flagged me down. He was standing next to his pickup truck and waving a piece of paper. When I stopped*, thinking he was in trouble, I found out that he wanted to help me. He explained that he went by me every day, that he lives in my town, and asked if I wanted a ride. His reasoning: (a) The weather's going to be getting colder soon; and (b) He's afraid I'm going to get hit by a car.

It was a very nice thought, but a little strange, too. I told him I'd ridden through winter before, and that I tried to be as safe as I could. Most of all I said "I do this because I like it." Then I thanked him several times for his nice thought. I don't know if he really understood why I'd choose to voluntarily ride in 55 degree rainy weather: His offer sounded, to me, like he thought I had no other choice but to ride.

* Stopping was exciting in and of itself: the road, freshly paved, had probably not gotten really wet before. I skidded, then started to fishtail a little bit before I eased up on the brakes. The disc brakes on my new bike work great even wet, but boy do they howl!

[Biciclista]

got in two commutes this week YAHOO!

[Geonz]

I get the offers for rides, too.
Car-culture people can't imagine voluntarily riding in less than ideal conditions... or that oh, for the sake of other values, I'm willing to risk riding in traffic. (No, I don't put myself above them. These are just my choices. I just wish more people could comprehend them )

[Eden]

My husband has been riding or taking the bus. He gets people offering to drive him the block and a half to the bus stop.....

I've been doing my typical commute. Took the bus on Monday, because I had a rest day on the schedule and a team meeting after work (so coach would totally know if I was cheating ) I don't think I can actually drive to work.. I don't have a parking pass and all of the parking is off campus.