How Was Your Commute Today?

[ginny]

Yesterday we got that predicted cold front: I rode in yesterday, but it was snowing so heavily that i had to ride home at lunch and switch bike for car. Bummer. Today, it was -16 (again!) and still snowy (not really packed down by cars enough yet for me to ride on), so I bummed a ride to campus from my dbf and I may walk home at lunch and bring the bike back with me. Lousy weather!

[lph]

Ai, so Tuesday I was Queen of the Universe, then the temperature dropped even more... It's been -20C (-4F) for the past 2 days, so yesterday I took the bus to work, bringing ski things, then went for a short ski trip right after work instead. Then today I had a couple of errands in town, so decided to bike commute. New temperature record for me, w00t! I went for the same stuff as for -15 C, but added a wind vest underneath my jacket, and my homemade "rain shorts" just to keep the wind off the my butt.

I had no trouble keeping warm, actually, but ohhh. It is a bit of a hassle riding when it's that cold. My bike did NOT want to shift in front at all. I just left it. In back it would just shift slowly and hesitantly. So basically I just coasted down the hills, and stood up and pedalled my *ss off uphill. And they still hadn't scraped the bike paths, so I was still skidding around in a thin layer of grungy potato flour snow, which made everything go even slower. Everybody else was all wrapped up in layers and paying no attention to anything, so I had to squeeze and sidle past any pedestrian, no matter which way they were heading. And the city has most definitely not bothered with plowing the bike lanes, so once on the road you just have to suck it up and get in the way of the cars.

Nothing terrible, I just felt slow, clumsy and in the way. But slightly vindicated hearing how everyone else had either had trouble starting their cars, or froze to death waiting for a delayed train, or whatever. It struck me that biking (or walking briskly), is actually one of the best and most guaranteed way to actually keep warm "during transport", rather than the opposite.

[pfunk12]

Not sure if any of you have been experiencing the same things as I have been this week. As I mentioned the other day, this is my first day commuting since before the holidays so it's much colder than it was a few weeks ago and there is also (still) quite a bit of ice out there. Because of the possibility of hitting patches of ice, I am forced to be more alert than usual. I also feel as if my body is more tense. After my roundtrip commute on Tuesday, my biceps were actually sore. Believe me when I say that I am not complaining about the commute......but when I get to the office in the morning and when I return home in the evening, I am physically and mentally drained and I am also very, very hungry. It's also been very windy so I feel like I am working twice as hard as I did a few weeks ago. Again, no complaints though.

[lph]

Oh yeah, I'm expending much more energy. And eating a lot more chocolate to compensate

[pfunk12]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one indulging in chocolate!

Oh yeah, I'm expending much more energy. And eating a lot more chocolate to compensate

[Melalvai]

I didn't really have anywhere to go today, but we don't often get this much snow and I wanted to try it out. So I headed to the grocery store to pick up a few things that we could probably live without.

I could do left turns ok, but not right turns. The road was just too messy, so I walked through the right turns. The bike lanes actually did get plowed but I stuck to the tire track which was clear all the way to pavement.

Last time I biked in snow I learned that it is important not to look down. I see all these chunks of snow and I start trying to avoid them. It works much better to keep my attention off the road immediately in front of me, because mostly I just go through it easily if I don't let it intimidate me.

It wasn't the most pleasant ride. The wind was pretty stiff. I didn't get awfully cold but I didn't stay too warm either. When I got home, I was feeling pretty negative about it. Then I realized I was feeling negative about everything, so I got some food. That helped briefly. Then the negativity came back, so more food. I might be eating all night long. I guess I burned a lot of calories in 6 miles!

[pfunk12]

Join me and lph and have some chocolate, Melalvai! In fact, I'm eating Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips in her honor right now!

It wasn't the most pleasant ride. The wind was pretty stiff. I didn't get awfully cold but I didn't stay too warm either. When I got home, I was feeling pretty negative about it. Then I realized I was feeling negative about everything, so I got some food. That helped briefly. Then the negativity came back, so more food. I might be eating all night long. I guess I burned a lot of calories in 6 miles!

[blackhillsbiker]

Last time I biked in snow I learned that it is important not to look down. I see all these chunks of snow and I start trying to avoid them. It works much better to keep my attention off the road immediately in front of me, because mostly I just go through it easily if I don't let it intimidate me.

That's where the goggles come in handy for me. I can't really see directly down so I have to focus further down the path. I'm learning a whole new way of riding. I think it will help my riding when the weather is good.

Deb

[blackhillsbiker]

-10° this morning and -5° this evening. I've had about enough of this cold snap. I overheated on the way to work. I sent some layers home with DH for the commute home. I'm on the MTB which is much more work than my Kona. Smaller fat tires. It stretches me out more, too. My shoulders are sore. But I rode. Take that, winter!

Deb

[pfunk12]

Love your attitude!

[QUOTE=blackhillsbiker;485914 Take that, winter![/QUOTE]

[kmehrzad]

-10° this morning and -5° this evening. I've had about enough of this cold snap. I overheated on the way to work. I sent some layers home with DH for the commute home. I'm on the MTB which is much more work than my Kona. Smaller fat tires. It stretches me out more, too. My shoulders are sore. But I rode. Take that, winter!

Deb

You go girl!

[Biciclista]

Ai, so Tuesday I was Queen of the Universe, then the temperature dropped even more... It's been -20C (-4F) for the past 2 days, so yesterday I took the bus to work, bringing ski things, then went for a short ski trip right after work instead. Then today I had a couple of errands in town, so decided to bike commute. New temperature record for me, w00t! I went for the same stuff as for -15 C, but added a wind vest underneath my jacket, and my homemade "rain shorts" just to keep the wind off the my butt.

I had no trouble keeping warm, actually, but ohhh. It is a bit of a hassle riding when it's that cold. My bike did NOT want to shift in front at all. I just left it. In back it would just shift slowly and hesitantly. So basically I just coasted down the hills, and stood up and pedalled my *ss off uphill. And they still hadn't scraped the bike paths, so I was still skidding around in a thin layer of grungy potato flour snow, which made everything go even slower. Everybody else was all wrapped up in layers and paying no attention to anything, so I had to squeeze and sidle past any pedestrian, no matter which way they were heading. And the city has most definitely not bothered with plowing the bike lanes, so once on the road you just have to suck it up and get in the way of the cars.

Nothing terrible, I just felt slow, clumsy and in the way. But slightly vindicated hearing how everyone else had either had trouble starting their cars, or froze to death waiting for a delayed train, or whatever. It struck me that biking (or walking briskly), is actually one of the best and most guaranteed way to actually keep warm "during transport", rather than the opposite.

wow. great ride report. BRAVA! you rock!