Follow Up on Commute

[Crankin]

I rode to work today; second time of the season. I was able to find an alternate route that that cut about about 3.5 miles off of the route and more importantly, eliminated the 1.5 mile climb that was not particularly pleasant at 6 AM. By the time I arrived at the point where I cross the highway at a light, I had only ridden 5 miles or so from my house. The rest is very familiar roads that I ride on all of the time. My boss passed me in her car and I felt particularly good to not be wasting gas in mine!
I got here in a good mood and looking forward to ride home when it will be 80 degrees. Only in New England of course... it was 47 when I left at 5:45 AM and I was wearing tights, a fleece jersey, and a wind jacket. Sleeveless this afternoon, for the first time this year!
14.01 miles
58 minutes
No, I did not push myself and that was fine

[SheFly]

Yay for you! Sounds like you have this commute thing worked out. Going to be VERY nice tonight four our women's ride - you need to pick a different day for your commutes!

SheFly

[Kimmyt]

Sounds very nice! It was cold here this morning, too, about mid-40s. I wore shorts and a light longsleeve jersey with full-fingered gloves. The first 10 minutes was pretty much miserable but I tried to make up for it by riding faster. Once my legs warmed up and the sun peeked over the trees, it was very nice! I, too, love when I pass someone I work with and I'm on my bike and they're in my car. I have such a feeling of accomplishment (and, yes, sorry to say it, but superiority).

K.

[Crankin]

I thought about not commuting today because of the women's rides, but Tues./Thurs. does work out better, because I can bring my things in on Monday and be able to bring a lot papers, etc. home on Friday. I will try Wed./Fri. next week. I'm still a bit nervous about that paceline... I know I should push myself out of my comfort level.
SheFly, I am going to come by the TT tomorrow, if you think you will be there. I have some errands to do on my commuter bike after work or I might do an easy ride with my husband who has some sort of calf injury. Let me know if you'll be there/what time.

KimmyT, I don't know how you could ride in shorts and just a jersey with temps in the 40s. I have to have my knees covered up to about 60. I probably could have worn a lighter jersey under my jacket, but I was still cool for the first 3-4 miles, which is all downhill. I am not into being miserable.

Robyn

[mimitabby]

brrr! no kidding. Must have legs covered until it is close to 60 degrees!
glad you managed to cut a hill out. How do you do that when you live on a hill? (I live on a hill )

[7rider]

Great news on the commute.
It was 38 (!) here in Maryland when I left this a.m.
I wore my DH's knee warmers (mine are in the dirty laundry pile) and my winter jacket and long fingered gloves.
I probably could have gone for the tights, but I didn't want to carry them home It's bad enough I'll have to cart the jacket home. I figured wearing only warmers would give me an incentive to pedal lots to keep warm!

[SheFly]

I thought about not commuting today because of the women's rides, but Tues./Thurs. does work out better, because I can bring my things in on Monday and be able to bring a lot papers, etc. home on Friday. I will try Wed./Fri. next week. I'm still a bit nervous about that paceline... I know I should push myself out of my comfort level.
SheFly, I am going to come by the TT tomorrow, if you think you will be there. I have some errands to do on my commuter bike after work or I might do an easy ride with my husband who has some sort of calf injury. Let me know if you'll be there/what time.

PLEASE don't worry about working in a paceline as being a pre-req for our rides - we will help coach you through this! Last week we had a number of folks who had never been in a paceline, or were nervous about it.

I will definitely be at the TT tomorrow - forecast is for perfect conditions! I should be there around 5:30, will warm up and start , and will be back at the start/finish between 6:30 and 6:45. Do be sure to introduce yourself - full TT dork gear for me, pink saddle and bar tape.

Looking forward to meeting you!

SheFly

[Geonz]

ONly in New England, eh?
Yesterday it was 48 when I started, 85 on the ride home.
Today, though, it was 67 with the dew point at 63, and a more stressful than average commute

[Crankin]

Mimi, I do live on a hill... a hill with a 10% grade and a driveway that hits 15% at one point. I can't avoid it then, but I was able to cut out the longish gradual climb that I encountered on my commute last week.

[Kimmyt]

Like Regina said, it made me pedal faster to keep warm!

Actually, I think there's a difference between that cold-morning/warm-afternoon cold and the cold-everything cold, so I could stand a bit of the lower temps until the sun peaked up. By the time I was halfway through the commut it warmed up, so all told I only had to suffer for about 20 minutes...

K.

[CycleChic06]

Yay, I'm glad you rode to work Robyn. 14 miles is a nice ride, I hope it's not into town so it's a pleasant ride.

I rode into work again yesterday and want to tomorrow, but I think I heard it might rain. It all depends.

Love this bike commuting thing, esp. since gas is $3/gallon!

[Crankin]

No, my commute is not into town. It's from Concord to Hudson, right on the Stow/Bolton border. I am not enthralled with city riding. I did one ride in Newton last summer and I was in a cold sweat the whole time.That's not even the real city, but the drivers are so much worse than around here. The only cool thing was riding in my old neighborhood, past my elementary school where I grew up. But, I never thought I'd be riding up the Hammond Pond Parkway .
I am planning on riding in tomorrow, but there is a heavy fog warning out for the morning. I think it may just be for the south shore, so I guess I have to wait until I get up to see. If I do ride in, my husband is going to work at home and ride out to meet me for my commute home.

[CycleChic06]

Yeah, I'm not really a big fan of city riding either. Cambridge streets are scary and full of potholes big enough to swallow a car. I rode in today and managed to find a good route home that's either on bike path or on a road with a big huge bike lane.

I just love riding on the bike path down fresh pond parkway looking at the line of cars stretching for 2 miles that is completely stopped in both directions that I'd normally be sitting in in my car. I just fly past them...suckers!

I rode in again today, thought it was gonna rain on the way home, but the storms went West. I love this commute!

[Crankin]

I've seen people zooming by on that path on Fresh Pond. I'm not a fan of bike paths, but if I lived in an area like Arlington or Cambridge, I would most certainly use one to commute. My son's car died yesterday and while he is in the process of getting a new one, his boss gave him a bike to use. I am scared to death; he lives in JP and works in Cleveland Circle. He is not a cyclist, although my husband did give him a lesson on the rules of the road for riding a couple of years ago when he commuted to a summer job during college. I reminded him to buy a helmet.
I did commute yesterday. My times are getting faster, even though it was so hot and humid yesterday. On my ride in, I had a shrug over my sleeveless jersey and a wind jacket. I had to stop half way and take the shrug off. It was like I was in a sauna. My husband did come and meet me in the afternoon (it sent some of my students off the deep edge to see a man in spandex). I lead him back for the first half of the ride, but I got tired of pulling and let him lead before we started going up Pope Rd. in Acton.
AM commute: 14.3 miles, average 15.01 (it's a false flat the whole way, with one climb)
PM commute: 14.7 miles, average 15.8 , small downhills, with 2 big climbs at the end