First commute of the year!

[mimitabby]

I rode to work on my bike today! first time in 2008!!!

It was not cold and it was not rainy. But it was dark and i ran over some hard thing and almost lost it...

BUT i got to work, no flat and.... no car either!

[obie]

Congrats! It's funny because it's quite cold here and I was like, wow, what a day for a first commute!

Despite the cold here (13 F) I heard a cardinal singing his spring song on the ride in! So not everyone is cold

[mimitabby]

it was/is 46 degrees. Rain is forecast, but it sure doesn't look like it!

Sorry it's so cold over there.

[indigoiis]

Ha! I had the same reaction.
I haven't commuted once this week, after commuting three times last week.
Lazy + too cold!

[Geonz]

After last week's incredible weather (six inches of snow, then completely impenetrable fog when 50 degree air wafted over the snow, then foot-deep flooding ponds when the rains melted all that snow, then winds and single-digit temps... all in the same week...) this 11 degrees in the a.m. is pretty dull!! Nice cruise in... hoping to get the Gazellephant down to the shop so they can work on the light (it's a generator light and a wire's broken somewhere), and it's nice enough so I can ride the Trek home (which lives there for the training rides in the winter), unless of course the Dahon has arrived and been assembled.
How can people stand having an off season?

[Jen-Jen]

It is still way to cold and crap-tas-tic here in Michigan Center, MI for me to commute to work. I want to so badly to get on that bike and go!

My hubby however, is a different story all together and he rides in anything! He wants to learn all the different words the Eskomos have for snow. I think he freezer burnt his brains a few years back and that's how he does it!

[Tri Girl]

Yeah Mimi!!!! Congrats on your first commute of many this year. Glad the weather held out long enough for you.

Sorry for you ladies having that incredibly cold and crazy snowy mess.

Jen-Jen- I think your hubby's certifiable.

[carpaltunnel]

I'm glad you're back at it. It feels great all day, doesn't it? I can hardly wait until the weather breaks.

We're still having 1 degree weather here in sunny (not) Nebraska but I hope to be doing my 1/2 commute in time for my 60th birthday in mid-March. I'm going to be more consistent this year. Last year it got waaay to hot for my old body on some days, other days I chickened out because my husband worried about my safety. This year I told him to worry about his cholesterol and let me worry about commuting safely.

I just bought a reflective vest that has a flashing light strip down the back, and next I need to get some long pants with padding - what are they called? Like bike shorts, only longs?

[Jen-Jen]

The weather broke here in good ol' Michigan Center, MI, the only problem is everything is under a foot of water with mini iceburgs floating in it! Hit 40* yesterday and today it's 30* and snowing.

I just can't stand it!

Going crazy with cabin fever and I need to ride. Inside the Wellness Center with 20 other sweaty people...uumm..not so much.

I gotta new bike in December and I want to ride it!!!

[mimitabby]

sorry to hear Jen Jen.

I didn't ride today there was quite a thick fog! (was/is)

I rode 2x last week, hope to do the same again this week.

[Geonz]

You know, I realized when we had an amazing thick fog that that was 'way more dangerous than rain or snow or even ice... I can go slow or walk. Fog... I'm on the road. SOme perfectly nice person is going to say, instead of "oh, look! a bicycle in front of me!" in some surprise... "Oh, crapdoodle! A bicycle underneath me!"
Fortunately the fog blew away by the time i had to leave, and the conditions for that kind of fog are rare on the prairie... you need a huge source of open water, which we had in the form of 6" snowfall followed by 50 degree temps.
And this week... it's just flurries and cold and 25-40 mph winds. We're off!

[Jen-Jen]

Jealous!

[bikerHen]

How can people stand having an off season?

I can't!

Did a short errand ride with DH on Monday. It was WONDERFUL to be out. We went to the store among other things and I got to try out my new BOB trailer too. It/he was totally awesome!

Still recovering from a cold so I kinda upset my lungs with our little outing. I'm giving the lungs a few more days but Friday I'm hoping for a triumphant return to commuting. bikerHen

[Crankin]

I have no problem with an off season! Of course my season has stretched quite a bit from when I first started riding, but not being able to ride makes me stop and think about my goals for the upcoming season. More importantly, I have found that the best way to deal with winter is to get out in it. I look forward to x country skiing, snow shoeing, and winter walking/hiking. The season for these sports is very short, so I enjoy them while I can.
I'm ready for the season to start pretty soon, but I like to ramp it up slowly. I tend to get burned out on hard riding about half way through the season (about August), usually after I've done a cycling tour or long trip. My goal is for that not to happen this year.
I lived in endless sunshine for 23 years (FL and AZ). I hated that and I wonder if I lived there now if I would ride all year round. Of course, the weather here does not compare to what people in the midwest have.

[Susan126]

I think this Monday I will commute to work. I have never ever commuted before and there's always a first time. If the weather is nice I am riding my bike to work. With the price of gas these days! And my work being only six miles one way you may be thinking why haven't you commuted before this?! No good excuse. Once I start I hope to keep it up. This will give me 12 miles each day. And I can increase my daily mileage by doing some extra miles on my way home. I get off at 2:30 and with the longer days I could easily get 30 miles in each day! Only time I will not ride is if it's raining. I HATE RIDING IN THE RAIN! So ask me on Monday night if I rode! That is if it was not raining!