Fall and Winter Commuter Challenge!

[Geonz]

I got to ride in the long way to day :-) Short way is 6.7 miles, but going out the South end of town I can make it 18.

[Grog]

'twas Canadian Thanksgiving today and I actually did not go outside at all today.

I shall be commuting on all other days this week.

[Aggie_Ama]

I have been carpooling. Today it was pouring this morning and I am sorry but 2" of rain in an hour is not riding weather. I am not sure I can keep up the challenge, I am finding with the long commute it is really fatiguing to try.

[ms pepperpot]

I'm back finally. Should have been back on Sunday, but due to unforeseen circumstances I was back on tuesday night. I didn't get home then until 9pm so didn't ccyle today. I don't think i'll get to this week, becasuse of other complications.

So it's back to cycling on monday. I think I need some encouragement. I haven't cycled for 2 plus weeks, I've been in a considerably warmer climate for the past 2 weeks and now am back to drizzle and dark nights( including dimness in the morning already). I need need need to keep going, otherwise i'm scared that i'll have fizzled out completely by the time i get my LHT. Help pleeeese!!!!!

[Geonz]

You can do it, you can do it

YES YOU CAN! YES YOU CAN!

Get on the bike! Get on the bike!

Get yourself some reflective waterproof pants like the ones I scored (and I got them for 7.95 - two pairs came to under 20 bucks including shipping!!!) ... damp still feels GOOD!

[SouthernBelle]

Get yourself some reflective waterproof pants like the ones I scored (and I got them for 7.95 - two pairs came to under 20 bucks including shipping!!!) ... damp still feels GOOD!

How did you get them for 7.95? It shows 49.95.

[Biciclista]

I'm back too. I rode yesterday, to surprisingly fresh cold weather! It felt really good to be on the bike. But today I drove, had to take son to airport (and it's raining)

[Grog]

I had to take the bus today to accompany a friend with lots of luggage halfway to the airport.

Watching all the people with ipods on the bus, I started thinking that maybe I should have a dedicated one-day a week where I take the bus only to listen to podcasts and radio shows that I otherwise would never have the time to listen to. I won't wear an ipod on the bike and I really don't go anywhere far walking these days.

I feel a bit confused about this. I love to ride to work - a lot - but I feel that I'm missing on a type of downtime that I love, too. :S

[kfergos]

I tell you ladies what, my legs are pooped. I've ridden every day since October 6, at least 25 miles each day. That feels like a lot of days in a row of riding. I just have tonight's commute home -- it's another gorgeous fall day here in New England -- and then I'm calling it quits for the weekend. I have a hankering to go for a walk with my camera and catch some of this fall foliage while it's still glorious.

Maybe this is counting my chickens, but this week:

Mon - No commute; 90-mile Tour de Landry's
Tues - 2/2
Wed - 2/2
Thurs - 2/2
Fri - 2/2

Edit to add: Yep, rode home on Friday. That gives me 8/8, since I took Monday "off" (only in the commuting sense, of course!).

[Geonz]

I got 'em, I got 'em

Yea, the online price was $50, which - had I been sure they were what they are - I might have gone for anyway, but the "deal of the day e-mail" had them at $7.95.

Apparently (according to somebody who used to work there) this happens now and again... a boo-boo. Maybe a number crossed so that the price was pulled in from another product?

At any rate, I have two of them now Wore one today.

Rode in the short way today 'cause I have to be early and there's a to do list a mile long of stuff to try to squeeze in, and I should ahve gotten it doen earlier this week, so I'm trying what doesn't *really* work and trying to motivate with the "reward" of riding longer if I get the list done.

However, maybe it is working because I *did* actually write the list down this morning. (I'm more than a tad absent-minded.)

The guy in WKG 44 who passed me closely so he could get to the red light faster? Welp, that happened twice on my 9:00 arrival days... but today I was out earlier and welp, I reckon I know where he lives now. His little car was parked on that street... I've mentally composed a "let's be friends" note, keeping in mind that he's prob'ly somewhere on a continuum of completely psychotic and a potential health hazard to a young driver who simply didn't *think* of actually moving the car over a little (it's a two-lane, one-way street and the other lane was empty) because young male drivers sometimes don't *think* period.

But that's purty far down on the todo list, which I am going to STOP being distracted from right nOW

10 commuting trips for 100 commuting miles this week

Today was first morning that I really *did* need to be wearing those gloves and the hat.

[indigoiis]

This week I didn't do as much as I would have liked, but I had a visit from Aunt F.

Mon: 3 miles
Tue: 0 - Thurs - 0
Fri: 30 miles home.

[Grog]

This morning should have counted double. It was POURING rain. I mean, really really raining HARD. I didn't think about finding proper booties (actually I thought about it but by then it was too late and I couldn't waste time looking) so within 5 minutes I could feel 2 inches of water slushing around in my shoes. I remembered that feeling all day as I stood in wet shoes. (thankfully I had wool socks and was never cold)

I know exactly what I have to do, I just need to make the time.

6 / 8 this week for me (Monday was a holiday).

[kfergos]

This morning should have counted double. It was POURING rain. I mean, really really raining HARD. I didn't think about finding proper booties (actually I thought about it but by then it was too late and I couldn't waste time looking) so within 5 minutes I could feel 2 inches of water slushing around in my shoes. I remembered that feeling all day as I stood in wet shoes. (thankfully I had wool socks and was never cold)

Oh man, I know that feeling. Where your feet go "squelch, squelch" every time you take a step, and you can literally pour water out of your shoes at the end of the ride? I don't know if you've found this, but I find that if I resign myself to wet feet, it actually isn't that awful. If you try to fight the foot wetness, though, you're doomed to misery the whole time. Good for you riding anyway!

Yay for wool socks! I'll have to try some this winter. Last winter I did lots of synthetic, but really wasn't pleased with the result.

[out_spokin']

As planned, took Monday off to help recover from my cold, so 2/3 last week. No other supplemental riding, but got some reflective sidewall tires to up the safety quotient for the dark morning rides for now, and soon to be evening ones too. Gotta install those tomorrow and get back in the swing!

[bikerHen]

Another week done and I'm still 5 for 5! AM rides are getting colder, PM rides are getting darker. I guess I have to face it, winter is just around the corner. bikerHen