2009-2010 Fall/Winter Commuter Challenge is on!

[DebW]

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.

[blackhillsbiker]

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

[out_spokin']

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!

[out_spokin']

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.

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.

[DebW]

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.

[blackhillsbiker]

3 this week. My first rides in fog, and while it is actually snowing. I enjoyed them all!

Deb

[ginny]

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!

[coyote]

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

[bikerHen]

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! bikerHen

[Melalvai]

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.

[Tri Girl]

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!
That's very cool about the kids wanting to ride to the park. I would like a ride on your lawnchair trailer, too, please. Sounds like fun!

[Melalvai]

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.)

[Melalvai]

I would like a ride on your lawnchair trailer, too, please.

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!

[Tri Girl]

too funny!!!

[Melalvai]

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!"