How Was Your Commute Today?

[pfunk12]

Like you, lph...first commute since December 17th. Loooong time to be away from work. I was very excited about the commute...not so excited about going back to work. It was about 23 degrees with a wind chill of about 15 degrees so I dressed appropriately. I felt great the entire ride - never cold. But...the ice!!! A running friend had warned me that there would be patches of ice on the Capital Crescent Trail. Initially, it wasn't bad. The ice was in the middle of the trail so I could easily get by. I had decided early on that I was going to be careful - ride slowly - and if I was late for work...so be it. I saw lights in front of me and knew it was my buddy, Chip. I yelled to him when I caught up to him and he immediately warned me about the ice ahead. He said that we would eventually have to get off and walk the bikes. There were a few stretches where there were so many patches of ice - with only about an inch to get by - so as soon as I heard him unclip, I would unclip one shoe and we would walk with one shoe unclipped (glide...slide...skate!!) through. But when we got to that really icy stretch...OH MY! It was about 100 yards of very thick, choppy ice. We had to get off the bikes and slide for 100 yards. But wow...what a beautiful, wonderful commute!!! The Potomac is frozen and absolutely gorgeous. Snow flakes started to fall. Can you tell I'm happy? Slightly crazy but oh so happy! I love my winter commute, too, lph. Oh...and we were the only 2 bike commuters out there. I felt special.

[7rider]

Jealous.
I'm pondering how hard it would be to carry my bike over the dozen or so 6 foot (1.8 m) blocks of ice on the side path I need to get down at the start of my ride. There really isn't a work-around that's safe...so it's over the top, or wait until spring.

[pfunk12]

Hmmm...have you been there recently to check it out? Can you go there and actually walk on it to check it out to see how safe/unsafe it is? To be honest, if I had been by myself this morning, when I saw that icy stretch, I might have turned around and gone home. Definitely don't want you to do anything that is going to cause injury to you but with this cold weather that we are having, this stuff might not melt until March (like you said the other day). So IF you can do get by safely, I say go for it!

[7rider]

Hmmm...have you been there recently to check it out? Can you go there and actually walk on it to check it out to see how safe/unsafe it is?
So IF you can do get by safely, I say go for it!

DH and I drove up the hill today, alongside the path I use to get out of my neighborhood. We counted (actually, HE counted..I gave up) 35 distinct and significant mounds of ice that were impassible except to go out into traffic (against traffic)... and that's just in the first block. By the church and houses, there were even more. Across the street (a 6 lane major thoro-fare full of crazy drivers and no shoulder....I tried riding it...once...and was nearly killed by crazy people. And I'm not hugely skittish of riding near cars.) was just as bad. Wahhhh....

[blackhillsbiker]

Our city leaves lovely ice berms on both sides of every road. All winter. Getting across streets is so much fun... not. The rest of the commute is lovely, though. I would like a change from the "freezing fog" but I'm afraid the change will be heavy snowfall so I don't want to complain too loudly.

Deb

[pfunk12]

Okay, so I have two brilliant ideas. DH wakes up bright and early and drives you just beyond the icy stretch. You get out of the car, get on your bike and ride to work and DH goes home. You do the opposite at the end of the day. OR...DH gets out there tomorrow with an ice chopper and the loving DH that he is...he works all day chopping away at that ice so that your path is clear and you are, once again, a very happy commuter!

DH and I drove up the hill today, alongside the path I use to get out of my neighborhood. We counted (actually, HE counted..I gave up) 35 distinct and significant mounds of ice that were impassible except to go out into traffic (against traffic)... and that's just in the first block. By the church and houses, there were even more. Across the street (a 6 lane major thoro-fare full of crazy drivers and no shoulder....I tried riding it...once...and was nearly killed by crazy people. And I'm not hugely skittish of riding near cars.) was just as bad. Wahhhh....

[7rider]

Okay, so I have two brilliant ideas. DH wakes up bright and early and drives you just beyond the icy stretch. You get out of the car, get on your bike and ride to work and DH goes home. You do the opposite at the end of the day. OR...DH gets out there tomorrow with an ice chopper and the loving DH that he is...he works all day chopping away at that ice so that your path is clear and you are, once again, a very happy commuter!

DH begs to differ. He thinks that is NOT a brilliant idea!

Were you riding up the hill towards your place at 5:25 p.m.? DH and I were pulling into the lot by the shop to get the trainer and saw a cyclist heading up the hill. Thought it might be you.

[pfunk12]

Yes, that was me! I left work 30 minutes early and still got home at the same time. But I'm not complaining because at least I am on the bike.

DH begs to differ. He thinks that is NOT a brilliant idea!

Were you riding up the hill towards your place at 5:25 p.m.? DH and I were pulling into the lot by the shop to get the trainer and saw a cyclist heading up the hill. Thought it might be you.

[Melalvai]

The Potomac is frozen and absolutely gorgeous.

Can you skip the bridge and skate across the river? Talk about no traffic!

[pfunk12]

I think skating across the Potomac would have been easier than what I did! I left work a half hour early so I could see the ice.

Can you skip the bridge and skate across the river? Talk about no traffic!