How Was Your Commute Today?

**Fredwina** · 03-15-2010, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by pfunk12

Okay, Fredwina...why are you stuffing 2 lbs of Danish butter cookies in your panniers?

I went and did the Solvang century (ok, I attempted to a century at Solvang, I wound with 75 before packing it due to the winds)
Solvang is a danish theme-ed town.I bought the cookies there (http://olsensdanishvillagebakery.com/) to bribe my co-workers with

I think they last all of 15 minutes. I was supposed to bring some Æbelskivers back too, but that didn't work out.

**divingbiker** · 03-16-2010, 03:13 AM

Originally Posted by divingbiker

Ok, commuters, I have a question about rain pants. I wore a pair for the first time today, and I didn't like them at all. They kept me dry, and I wasn't hot, but they pulled at my knees so much that my legs started to hurt.

The ones I have are the cheapest that REI sells, so maybe that's the problem. I just feel like they need to have a bit of give in the knees.

Does anyone have rain pants that are comfortable? Guess I'll go window shopping at TE.

I'm going to move this to its own thread so I don't hijack this one. Sorry.

**ginny** · 03-16-2010, 06:31 AM

I totally ate it around an icy corner this morning. I stopped traffic and everything. How is it that I made it all winter without really wiping out, and here I was going SUPER slowly and just going straight over this ice and I ate it hard. I also managed to wipe out hard off my skateboard last night. I'm not sure my right hip will ever be the same. Poor me!

**pfunk12** · 03-16-2010, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by ginny

I totally ate it around an icy corner this morning. I stopped traffic and everything. How is it that I made it all winter without really wiping out, and here I was going SUPER slowly and just going straight over this ice and I ate it hard. I also managed to wipe out hard off my skateboard last night. I'm not sure my right hip will ever be the same. Poor me!

Hope you're okay, ginny!

**7rider** · 03-16-2010, 08:12 AM

Bummer. Feel better, Ginny.

This a.m., with the change of the clocks - it's back to full-on headlights for the ride in. Heading down the Parkway this a.m., i saw something HUGELY bright coming towards me (and this was after sun-up, so I turned down my own light to "low"). It was a guy on a bike (never saw him before) with an incredibly bright light on his handlebars and a second, almost equally bright light on his helmet!

He gave a wave as he went by. I dinged my bell. It was like watching a flying saucer pass by me....very surreal.

But, other than that....normal ride in (thankfully). Snow on my cursed sidewalk is completely gone, leaving behind enough sand to qualify the sidewalk as "a dirt road" and the bamboo has been completely cleaned up from the MUT. Yay.

**Fredwina** · 03-16-2010, 07:01 PM

Did my first ride back in the semi -dark I used the rail trail which wasn't bad.

**DebW** · 03-17-2010, 05:07 AM

Just started back at the part-time bike shop job, and with gorgeous 55 degree weather I enjoyed the ride. But after our 3 days of rain (10 inches total), I had to modify my route from 13 miles to 16 miles to avoid the roads that were closed by floods.

**tulip** · 03-17-2010, 10:22 AM

It's beautiful out there! I had to run errands for work, so I did it all by bike. I consider that my commute. 7.5 miles.

**7rider** · 03-18-2010, 08:47 AM

So last night...I go out to the garage to top off the air in the tires on the commuter. It's about 10 at night, I'm exhausted, and I really just wanted to go to bed. My front tire was flat.

No problem...I'll just ignore it and take DH's bike in the a.m. It's not like he'll be using that bike tomorrow. I'll fix the flat tomorrow.
So, I go into the laundry room, where his bike is. Pump up the tires. Easy peasy. Done in a flash and I'm ready to go.
Oh, wait. It doesn't have a saddle bag. Need a saddle bag. I'll transfer the one over from my bike.
Oh, wait. It has a clip for it's own quick release bag on the saddle rails. Look for the bag. Can't find it. I'll remove the bracket.
(sound of clock ticking.....)
Finally! My saddle bag is on!
Oh, wait. I need a light. It's still dark in the a.m. I know. I'll just transfer the lights over from my bike onto this bike. Take the lights off. Arrrrgghh!!! Too tight on the handlebars. The cables from the brakes, the shifters, and who knows what else means I can't set this light up on this bike. It just beams up into space.
Grrrrr.... Well, I'll use DH's lights. He won't be using 'em tomorrow and they should have a charge.
Find lights. Put lights on. Sound of clock ticking.
There. Ready to go.
Arrrrrgghh!!!! DH has Crank Bros. pedals on this bike!!! I use SPD's!

Ferget it. I am NOT swapping pedals. I could have changed the stupid tire on my own bike 3 times in the amount of time I just spent futzing around with his bike.
Fortunately, DH heard my meltdown in the basement and came and changed my flat front tire for me. I put my own lights, and my own saddle bag back on MY bike, and that's what I rode this a.m.

e.t.a.: This is why people don't like bike commuting. Sometimes, it can be such a p.i.a. to get ready. Sigh.

**Biciclista** · 03-18-2010, 08:50 AM

yikes, 7rider, what a story!

I rode for the first time since DST too a nice but DARK morning. I feel reallly crappy though, like i'm not getting enough sleep.

**tangentgirl** · 03-18-2010, 11:22 AM

Very proud of myself. Rode to work by bike every time I could this week.

Monday - Jury Duty - biked in pm tho
Tuesday - Drove to client (client far), brought bike to work, rode home
Wednesday - Rode to work, drove to class after work (class far)
Thursday - Rode to work, riding home this pm
Friday - working from home - woohoo!

Ideally, this is the plan all the time. Except the jury duty thing. Bike on Mondays too.

And it's freaking beautiful out there.

**Melalvai** · 03-18-2010, 11:25 AM

Well, it's easier for me to ride the bike than the car. Often I'll turn down a ride from my husband because the thought of removing the basket and a couple other things, and loading it on the car, and then unloading it at home and putting the basket and things back on, just seems too much work. Even if it takes me longer to bike than it would have to do all that.

Plus then maybe he'll have time to start supper before I get home...

**Melalvai** · 03-18-2010, 11:35 AM

I share the lane right up to the roundabout, then I check and take the lane. Some people are more gracious about letting me take the lane than others. Today I got one of the less gracious, who nosed up close trying to intimidate me into letting him pass.

After the roundabout he zoomed past me and waved his arms in a frustrated manner. He sped all the way up to the stop light where I stopped behind him--so sad I slowed him down so much on his fast trip to the stop light! lol

That gave me a chance to get to know make & model & licence number--and notice the Pickleman's sign on top of his car, he is one of their drivers. So I gave them a call and reported him.

The manager gave me a free meal and told me their driver's get 3 strikes and then are fired and this counts as one strike. "It wasn't that big a deal," I protested. "I just want drivers to know that bicyclists have a right to the road and we can share the road."

He disagreed with me. "I walk and bike to work every day too," he explained.

**lph** · 03-18-2010, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by 7rider

e.t.a.: This is why people don't like bike commuting. Sometimes, it can be such a p.i.a. to get ready. Sigh.

Story of my life.

Beautifully said, 7!

**redrhodie** · 03-18-2010, 12:55 PM

Excellent commute today. I took the bike path this morning, and couldn't make myself get off it and head to work. I rode almost to the end, which is a only a couple of extra miles. I've been alone at work for the past couple of weeks, so no one noticed I was late.

Had a tailwind most of the way back tonight. Big fast ride! If there wasn't so much crud on the roads, I'd have nothing to complain about.

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