Quote Originally Posted by pfunk12 View Post
Not as fun but I'm sure you got a good workout! I really love the peace and quiet of the morning commute. The cold and darkness really keeps people (runners, walkers, and most cyclists) inside so I feel like I have the roads and trail to myself. And I love seeing the regular commuters everyday. Two mornings this week, I rode in with my buddy, Chip - a guy I randomly met a few months ago since we're headed to the same area in DC. On Tuesday evening, I met a guy on the way home. We cycled together for several miles and talked the whole time. The time flew by. And a few miles into my commute this evening, I saw 2 guys to my left on the sidewalk. One of them yelled..."Patty!!" It was Travis - the guy I met on Tuesday evening. And the other guy was Chris - a regular from the weekend group rides. 7rider knows him. He was the one who sort of caused a big crash back in August - a crash that sent 3 of us to the ER in ambulances (including me and him ). I managed to keep myself in front of him this evening to avoid any incidents. And yesterday morning, a guy rode behind me for several miles. He thanked me because he forgot to recharge his light and it went out on him so he stayed behind me so he could see. I know it sounds silly but the cyclists that I've been meeting recently during my rides seem to be really happy. Like I said, even though it's been fairly cold and windy, everyone seems to be happy. Okay...I'm getting sappy so it's time to stop.
I know exactly what you mean about 'picking up people' as you ride. I'd be riding to DC and meet up with usually guys who are going the same way. We'll ride and talk for awhile. When I rode a lot in the summer after work, I'd always see the same commuters and we'd wave and say hello. It's like a biking family out there if you're riding the same direction day after day. I don't think I've ever seen anyone on a bike that doesn't look happy and has a smile on their face. You can't help being happy when you're outdoors riding and enjoying the beauty of your surroundings.
Sorry to hear about your accident in August. What happened that caused the crash? Some people are not careful. I've ridden with people who liked to ride side by side on a narrow trail. Once I locked handlebars with one of these bikers while going a fairly nice clip and we both managed to stay upright and unlock but it scared me silly.
I'll bet the guy behind you yesterday morning was thankful he could hook up with someone who had lights. That's a bummer when you lose your lights. It's happened to me before but fortunately someone lent me a very dim light that was doable.
I've got tomorrow off myself. In fact, Fridays are my day off. Am looking forward to picking up my new single speed that I ordered last week. I've got 'new bike' fever.