How Was Your Commute Today?

[7rider]

Note to self: Put a small container of dry lube in the tool locker (or even, my own locker).
Was not planning to ride today. But DH had a 7:30 a.m. "date" with some riding buds to do a loop out into Howard County (yes, MDHS, he went right by Harvey - the bunny statue). So, my Metro chauffer was off on the bike early, and that left me with riding in or (gasp!) taking the truck. Of course, the bike won out.
It had rained this a.m., but stopped before I left, so the roads were wet, a few puddles, but no active rain. I admit...I am a fair weather commuter, and I was more concerned about flatting then anything (well, dirty wet spray on my new Arkel pannier was worrisome too! ).
But by the time I hit town, my chain was starting to chirp like the morning birds. It will be singing a mighty song on the ride back tonight - in 25 mph winds, with gusts to 45, oh joy. Looks like I will have some maintenance duties to take care of tonight.

[Cataboo]

I'm a wimp... I heard 50 mile an hour gusts, walked out of the house & felt the wind... and took the car.

[DebW]

I did the wet commute this morning. It was drizzle when I left home but a moderate rain when I got here. I wouldn't have done my previous 13 mile commute in these conditions, but from my new home it's only 1.5 miles to work, so why not? Actually I've been taking the bike path for a somewhat longer 3.3 mile commute, and it's quite nice to spend some time in the morning cycling through the woods. For the first time ever, I parked by bike outside the office - it was just too wet and dirty to bring inside. [My bike was parked outside the office in Zurich for 3 months, but never outside THIS office.] I too, will have some maintenance duties tonight.

[pfunk12]

It will be singing a mighty song on the ride back tonight - in 25 mph winds, with gusts to 45, oh joy.

I also decided to bike in today even though I saw the blustery forecast. It will be extremely tough the first 5 miles since I will be riding next to the Potomac River where the winds will be gusting. Should make for some nice strength training.

I struggled on the commute this morning. Even with a decent light, it was very, very, very dark. More so than usual. I felt like I was constantly trying to get my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

[ginny]

It has been cold and windy here. 20F yesterday morning... brrr! I'm not sure I'm ready for winter yet

[Tri Girl]

It has been cold and windy here. 20F yesterday morning... brrr! I'm not sure I'm ready for winter yet

HOLY DUDE! And it was only 49F this morning and I was quite cold. I'm a wimp!

[Becky]

It will be singing a mighty song on the ride back tonight - in 25 mph winds, with gusts to 45, oh joy.

You rode in that?!? Dang, you are way tougher than me! (You too, pfunk!) I was in Dagsboro for work yesterday, and just driving in that nonsense was no fun! Needless to say, I left the bike at home...

[7rider]

You rode in that?!? Dang, you are way tougher than me! (You too, pfunk!) I was in Dagsboro for work yesterday, and just driving in that nonsense was no fun! Needless to say, I left the bike at home...

Yeah, loved the headwind. NOT.
Going home last night, a guy on a Scattante came up to a light with me, and passed me going up the MUT, through the parking lot, and out into the neighborhood below ours. He stayed just ahead of me, and something looked vaguely familiar about him. He took the first left, I took the second -- a more meandering route than the road he took, through some houses that ultimately gets back out onto the main road. I realized he was a neighbor whom I had seen go by but never spoke to when I saw him zip by on that main street, ahead of me. He had a good 50 yards on me by then, and I pushed to try to bridge up to him. But...'twas not to be. He dropped me going up that last hill.
He gave me an incentive to push, but I'll blame my lack of success on the headwind. Yeah.

[Crankin]

I did a measly commute to the commuter rail today, as I had an appointment to see my advisor in Cambridge. Rain was forecast, but I decided to go on my bike anyway, since it definitely would be raining by this afternoon and I would not be getting a road ride in.
I wore an Ibex t-shirt with a wicking type hoodie, my Prana/terry knickers, and stuck my rain jacket/helmet cover in my pannier. It was not raining on the way in this morning, but when I left, I realized I would be cold, since it was 49 and breezy. My core was good, along with my feet, but my hands and neck were freezing going down the hill. I stashed my cycling shoes in pannier and changed into walking shoes after I locked up my bike (I absolutely cannot ride without being clipped in anymore!) at the bike shop and got on the train, which had the AC on . I had about a 1.5 mile walk to the new department office, which is pretty close to Harvard Square, so I allowed enough time to get a cafe mocha at LA Burdick's. My pannier has a handle to carry it, but it was really uncomfortable, slung over my shoulder, with my helmet clanging around. Oh well.
The train was warmer on the way back, and of course, as soon as I unlocked my bike, it started raining. Just a drizzle, but first, I had to stop to adjust the pannier, which was hitting my foot, and then I had to stop to put my jacket and helmet cover on. I worked up a sweat climbing the hill to my house, with the jacket on, but at least I wasn't wet.
8.75 miles and 3 miles of walking.

[redrhodie]

I also had rain today, but still commuted my 30 mile r/t route. It was fun, but it seems every time the road is wet, I flat, and tonight it was wet.

This morning, a friend called me and asked if she had just seen me riding by with a camera on my helmet. I had to explain it was not a camera, but a light. I guess it won't hurt that drivers think it's a camera....as if I'm filming them for future court proceedings. I did notice that the ones who cut me off tonight seemed to speed away a little faster than normal, rather than slowing down and veering into the bike lane like they usually do.

Oh, and the other weird thing was all the construction on the roads. I had a long mile stretch of riding on the brutal scraped pavement they do before resurfacing. It was easy to imagine what the pave' in Paris-Roubaix feels like. Boy, did flat top feel nice after that! I can't wait for new pavement!

[martinkap]

It was 9:15am in front of Presbyterian-Millstein Building. A yellow cab stopped behind a bus which could not get around a Fedex truck because there was another truck parked in the opposite lane. I decided to ride in the official BIKE PATH between the stopped yellow cab and a line of parked cars. The behavior of the yellow cab did not imply that there might be someone getting out.

Of course, as I was riding by, the guy in the cab suddenly opened a door. I managed to tilt my handlebars to avoid most of the door and unclip one of my feet as I flew off the course. The front wheel of my bike got stucked in the gap between the parked car's wheel and its bumper. I flew on the car's parked hood and then somehow bounced back towards the yellow cab. Because I was still partially clipped in and because I was (luckilly) not riding that fast, the bouncing back was more of a slow-mo weird clumsy fall.

The guy quietly stood there and stared at my performance. No sound, no movement on his part.

"Man, you have to be careful - it is dangerous to open door like that" I told him angrily when I picked myself of the pavement. He continued to quietly stand there. He kept eerily staring at me as if I was Sarah Palin wearing a pink bunnie outfit.

I took one more look at him and I could tell that he is one of the doctors working in the hospital, so I added: "And you are a doctor? Do you know you can kill people like that?" He did not even blink. He continued staring at me while I was putting the chain back on the chainring. He was still not moving while I was riding away. He just stud there and stared !

Seriously, what is wrong with the people? Not even a 'sorry' ?!

Anyway, I am fine, the bike is fine and I learned my lesson.

But maybe I should write a missed connection ad to Craigslist:
"You doored me this morning while I was riding my bike. You got out of the cab and did not say a word. You were cute but speechless - you owe me an appology. I'll take that with a cup of coffee!"

[ginny]

oh yes! Do the Craig's list thing... tee hee... Very odd that he didn't say a word...

My commute was cold this morning, but still better than a car