Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Commuter Challenge!

[girlsubobscura]

Oh and I forgot to update, today the temps were betwee 15-30 degrees, and it seems like its been about the same all week. After the 2 day work week due to the holiday, I'm back to 5 a week commuting. I'm kind of enjoying peeking in at everyones brightly lit christmas trees in the windows as i ride home in the dark.

[blackhillsbiker]

I like looking at the Christmas lights also! The snowman that plays carols at me as I ride by sometimes startles me.

None of my winter gear (except helmet) is bike-specific. The key is layers. I'm always unzipping or zipping something as I get further into my ride. A parka just doesn't allow for temperature adjustment.

Good lights are also a must! My L&M Stella batteries have been incredibly unreliable after a very short time. I'm waiting for the arrival of a different lighting system.

Deb

[malkin]

I did it! Twice!!

I've stoked a couple tandem rides, but had not been on my bike since I got sick before halloween. But I rode yesterday and today. Both were beautiful, early, cold--high 30s is my guess.

I was flirting with applying for my old job (from 8 years ago) but the travel is yucky (itinerant, and not a feasible bike commute) so as of this week, my current job wins.

[hilaryclaire]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys!

[out_spokin']

Finally a little momentum! I've got 3 in a "row", which for me with my nutty schedule lately is over the past two weeks. Still, it's helping bring my percentage much closer to my goal. A wild mix - one morning it was 15, the next day it was above freezing which is quite rare.

I'm also loving the Christmas lights and am starting to take slightly different routes to take in new ones. I'm not so fond of the singing ones either -- I love basking in the nighttime dark & quiet!

I had my favorite giant orange crescent moon setting over the black silhouette of the mountains the other night, and have been playing the game of "which animal is it behind the eyes reflecting back my headlight??" (usually cats, but last time a raccoon.) I'm almost sorry that solstice is around the corner, because once I get into this winter commuting rhythm there's nothing quite like it to frame my work days.

[Melalvai]

Training: not a complete success, or not a complete failure, depends on if you're a half-full or half-empty person. I'm ok with it. I did get a long run (long for me = 4 miles) this weekend. It was sort of a good run. I was had just gotten some upsetting news and thought the run might make me feel better. Not sure if it did that. It made me feel like I had accomplished something anyway and it was better than banging around the house cleaning.

The upsetting news was not anything earth shattering. Mainly it came at a bad time at the end of a bad week. MoDOT did their traffic study and decided that the speed limit of 55 mph is perfectly ok. Well, I'm not done yet. I still really want to move and if we do, this speed limit issue won't affect us as directly.

Going home when I'm unwell: Again I'm not sure if this is a partial success or partial failure. It was a bad week for me which ENDED with the upsetting news, and this week I'm discovering a few mistakes and omissions I made last week, and I know I spent too much time attempting to accomplish something when I should have given up and gone home. I think my state of mind was mainly hormonal, but it wasn't pretty. This is why I don't eat sugar, which makes that sort of thing worse, and I ate too much sugar last month.

Bike commuting: Once again I'm faced with this challenge when I'm a diehard commuter who shouldn't be struggling with it. I finally made the connection--the flashbacks & anxiety attacks are happening when I'm on my bike. Maybe if I get off my bike for a couple weeks they'll stop. (And I finally called for an appointment with a counselor, as you all have been encouraging me to do. But they have a month-long wait. Eh.) I don't like being off my bike and I don't like being in the car. Even in this weather, or especially in this weather.

[out_spokin']

@ Melavai - hang in there and be gentle with yourself. You're doing great to stay active whether or not you're on the bike. Yay for calling the counselor, hope maybe something opens up before it's expected. And in this season just doing one's best to stay away from sugar takes a LOT of energy! Again, just give yourself time and space and gentleness!!!

As for the week -- I'm psyched to get 3 for 3 this week. I've been super-tired and almost talked myself out of it for the end of the week, but luckily we lent our 2nd car to our car-free friends and partner needed the other so I just made it a priority to plug along, get my food/clothes/bike ready early each evening, and get to bed as soon as possible. This morning I was annoyed by losing sleep to my cat, who's generally a reliable one-time snooze alarm to get in a little purrfest before I head out the door. Last night she thought maybe 11pm was the time....then 1am...then 4am?!! When I dragged outta bed at 5:35 I went to find her and she yawned at me and when back to sleep. Wha???

Luckily there was about a half inch of super dry snow on the ground and light flakes still falling, one of my favorite winter riding conditions. Got all cheerful as I quietly rolled across town in the pre-dawn light...looks like I'll have similar conditions for the ride home, though definitely darker! Yay winter, and yet I'm looking forward to solstice Tuesday!

[blackhillsbiker]

5 for 5 this week. 2 on my new road bike! Today she got a new stem and I put the WTB Deva saddle from my MTB on her. Much comfier!

Deb

[Melalvai]

My last report was before the holidays. Other than traveling, and that the gym was closed, I kept to my training schedule pretty well. Even when we were traveling I was glad to go for walks.

I'm back at the gym and I have information about how to work out without injuring my shoulder. It is the rowing machine that does it, and the solution is to a) keep my elbows in tight and b) go with the very lightest weight (25 pds) for several weeks before trying the next highest (40 pds) again.

I'm really enjoying spin class-- but my knee kept threatening to rebel. My spin instructor said to ride knock-kneed during the sprints! It looks funny but he says it stabilizes the joint. Since it felt the same way it did on my ride to Omaha (744 miles in 10 days), this is useful advice for more than just spin class. I'm riding around town knock-kneed now.

I've been riding my bike this week. I'm still going to spin class anyway, I tried it since I wasn't riding my bike for a while because of the anxiety, and I liked it, so I'll keep going. It feels silly to ride my bike to spin class but it feels even sillier to drive to spin class.

[radacrider]

Sticking to my goal of bike commuting as my primary way to get to work since our move (6 for 6, 3 for 3 for 2011). Today was the first time my son joined me on the ride home from his school (school to our house is a bit over 4 miles). Have to say, it was nice to have some company.

Today was warmer than it has been, though here in Portland, OR, it meant rain, too. Light rain for the commute in and commute home, thankfully missed the few showers during the middle of the day.

Riding in to work and when I was almost there came by another cyclist walking his bike. I asked if everything was okay. He said, yes, he just had a crash - fortunately slow speed one on the Eastbank Esplanade, I suspect he rode across a metal cover that may have had some residual ice.

Tomorrow will be testing my new Ortlieb Front Roller Classics (on the rear). They are narrower than my single (reduce my heel contact) and allow me to balance the left to right weight distribution.

Happy commuting everyone!

[7rider]

Since today was commute #4 of a 5-day work week, I've run out of wool cycling socks. They're all in the laundry and we haven't done a load yet this week of bike stuff.
So, I pulled out an old pair of thick, wool ski socks that I no longer wear, because they're too thick for my ski boots. Boy, did they work great! And, I was toasty warm all the way up to my knees!
I think those old socks just found a new life.

[radacrider]

Nice, 7rider. I've been using the SmartWool cross-country/ski socks in the colder temps, love 'em.