Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Commuter Challenge!

[blackhillsbiker]

Colder this morning than I expected. Warmer this evening. Only one more commuting day until the holidays. We're going to Colorado for a visit. I haven't had more than 3 days off in a row (except for leg surgeries) in a long time. I'm excited! I'll miss my bikes. With 3 almost grown kids and a big dog, we'll have to take the van, which doesn't currently have bike-carrying capabilities. Oh well.

Happy Holidays!
Deb

[blackhillsbiker]

Sleet. Glare ice. I guess I'll catch a ride with DH today.

Deb

[pfunk12]

Last commute of the year for me. Since there is still packed snow and ice on the bikepath that I normally use, I decided to commute through Washington, DC this week. It is an intense, invigorating and somewhat stressful ride. Metro buses, crazy taxi drivers, jaywalking pedestrians, noise, etc. but I would rather be out there on my bike than in a car or on the metro.

Happy holidays, everyone!

[kmehrzad]

Way to go PFunk. Just be careful out there and stay safe!

Happy Holidays my TE friend. We've got to get together for a ride sometime in 2011.

[pfunk12]

On the afternoon commute home, I got blown over 2 lanes of traffic and into the median. Wow...those gusts were intense.

We will definitely get together for a ride!

Way to go PFunk. Just be careful out there and stay safe!

Happy Holidays my TE friend. We've got to get together for a ride sometime in 2011.

[radacrider]

Lovin' my new short commute (now 5 miles one way versus use to be 15 miles one way)!

Raining in portland, OR this week. Rained all day, fortunately not too cold. This was actually my first official commute ride to work and I tested just wearing my work clothes, except for shoes, under my rain gear. Love it! No having to change clothes once at work was so nice.

Lights worked great, rain gear was just right. The clean up, while a PITA, is not too bad and I would rather do that than sit in traffic way longer than is necessary during rush hour.

Certainly seem to see a lot less riders out there in this rain.

[radacrider]

2 for 2 so far this week, should hit my 3 for 3 target.

A little damp this morning, and a bit cooler. Fortunately totally missed the big showers, wind and snow/rain mix that occured early afternoon.

Did get in a couple extra miles because I biked up to my doctor appointment this afternoon. Argh, my weight went up again,

The ride home was dry, so my rain gear left me a bit overheated. Gonna have to work on the ideal layering so I stay warm, but don't sweat creating a moving sauna.

Definitely seems to be a lot fewer bike commuters or my work schedule is totally off from their work schedules.

[Atlas]

After a long break (vacation then illness) I'm finally back on my bike for my first winter commuting. It's really fun so far. I don't have a long commute and it's 90% residential streets. I actually wish it would snow more. It's 40ºF here today and that's just too hot for the end of December. I love winter riding, it's so quiet and peaceful where I am.

[out_spokin']

Welcome back, Atlas, and Happy New Year everyone!!

I'm 1 for 1 for the week -- today ended up as a telecommute day and we're off til next year.

Good thing I believed the forecasts for once -- when I started working it was sunny but right now there's several inches of snow and times with almost white out conditions. Winter! The biking might have been fun but the big bus ride in the middle woulda been yucky. A safe holiday to all!

[radacrider]

Met my goal of commuting all work days this week = 3 for 3. Mother Nature and Ol' Man Winter blessed us in PDX with dry weather. Moderately cool this morning, much cooler - 30 degrees - this afternoon.

Just so nice being out on the bike, just enjoyable.

My only wish or change? They made capris that were thicker from knee to upper thigh. Thighs were a bit chillled. Calfs fine with my SmartWool cross-country ski socks - love 'em.

Wore a work skirt over my capris, that was fun, just had to change shoes when I got to work. Then I discovered the skirt is not colorfast and had black marks on the front part of my white Specialized Ruby Lot's of scrubbing got 95% of it out. Lessened learned, stick to colorfast materials.

Happy new year all.

[kfergos]

I never thought I'd say this but -- *Sigh* I'm missing commuting! I joined the commuter challenge, but my internship ended on November 19, and ever since, it's been all recreational riding, with a few errands thrown in. I miss the consistency of riding day in and day out, rain or shine, no questions asked. Even when I go out for a good recreational ride, it just isn't the same as a commute. Guess I'm just a commuter at heart.

[Melalvai]

My last report was before the holidays. Other than traveling, and that the gym was closed, I kept to my training schedule pretty well. Even when we were traveling I was glad to go for walks.

I'm back at the gym and I have information about how to work out without injuring my shoulder. It is the rowing machine that does it, and the solution is to a) keep my elbows in tight and b) go with the very lightest weight (25 pds) for several weeks before trying the next highest (40 pds) again.

I'm really enjoying spin class-- but my knee kept threatening to rebel. My spin instructor said to ride knock-kneed during the sprints! It looks funny but he says it stabilizes the joint. Since it felt the same way it did on my ride to Omaha (744 miles in 10 days), this is useful advice for more than just spin class. I'm riding around town knock-kneed now.

I've been riding my bike this week. I'm still going to spin class anyway, I tried it since I wasn't riding my bike for a while because of the anxiety, and I liked it, so I'll keep going. It feels silly to ride my bike to spin class but it feels even sillier to drive to spin class.

[radacrider]

Sticking to my goal of bike commuting as my primary way to get to work since our move (6 for 6, 3 for 3 for 2011). Today was the first time my son joined me on the ride home from his school (school to our house is a bit over 4 miles). Have to say, it was nice to have some company.

Today was warmer than it has been, though here in Portland, OR, it meant rain, too. Light rain for the commute in and commute home, thankfully missed the few showers during the middle of the day.

Riding in to work and when I was almost there came by another cyclist walking his bike. I asked if everything was okay. He said, yes, he just had a crash - fortunately slow speed one on the Eastbank Esplanade, I suspect he rode across a metal cover that may have had some residual ice.

Tomorrow will be testing my new Ortlieb Front Roller Classics (on the rear). They are narrower than my single (reduce my heel contact) and allow me to balance the left to right weight distribution.

Happy commuting everyone!

[7rider]

Since today was commute #4 of a 5-day work week, I've run out of wool cycling socks. They're all in the laundry and we haven't done a load yet this week of bike stuff.
So, I pulled out an old pair of thick, wool ski socks that I no longer wear, because they're too thick for my ski boots. Boy, did they work great! And, I was toasty warm all the way up to my knees!
I think those old socks just found a new life.

[radacrider]

Nice, 7rider. I've been using the SmartWool cross-country/ski socks in the colder temps, love 'em.