How Was Your Commute Today?

[pfunk12]

Well, then...I'm hoping for some serious cold weather in DC so that I can get my bad-a$$ status back. Yes, that is ridiculously cold. Blackhillsbiker - wow. I'm not sure what my limit is yet since I haven't reached it. The 15 degree wind chill this morning wasn't that bad but it's nowhere near -12 degrees. Yikes.

Sorry, Pfunk12. In my eyes, you have lost your lead as the baddest of the bad-a$$ bike commuters out there!
(of course...I've gone skiing in it!)

[girlsubobscura]

Today was my tenth commute of the year. It was snowing and the back streets were rutted and bumpy, making this the first day I wished I had sprung for studded tires. The sun is shining and the plows have been out though, so the ride home should be better.

[Atlas]

I had been commuting 2-3 days a week on my Cross Check but it pained me to see it get all mucky and dirty. We had a Gary Fisher frame that we got from a neighbor but it was a bit too small for me so we traded with a co-worker at the shop who had a mountain bike frame that was a bit too big. Win-win. Now I have an older Diamondback with fenders and lots of lights to get me through the rest of this winter. Downside is that it's really heavy compared to my other bikes and the 'morning hill' is a lot bigger it seems.

This morning was my coldest commute yet at about 4ºF. I need something more than a scarf around my face, that's for sure.

[redrhodie]

I commuted yesterday. The forecast was for snow starting after 4 pm with light flurries to start. Plenty of time for me to get back to the park and ride, where I keep my car, if I went in a little early. Well, imagine my surprise when at 11 am there were already a couple of inches, and it was falling hard. I was thinking it would lighten up, and I'd still be able to ride, assuming the main roads were probably clear. I called my lbs for a pep talk, figuring they'd tell me it's cool, mellow out, you'll be fine. Instead, what I heard was concern about the plows, and nothing he said made me feel better, telling me the roads already looked bad. For the next few hours, I waffled about whether I would ride or take the car ride my friend was insisting on giving me. Finally, at 3:30, I decided to wimp out.

I realized I made the right decision after we were stuck in a several mile long traffic jam, on unplowed main roads, in heavily falling, slippery, heavy snow. I was glad to not be on my bike in that.

[kmehrzad]

I commuted yesterday. The forecast was for snow starting after 4 pm with light flurries to start. Plenty of time for me to get back to the park and ride, where I keep my car, if I went in a little early. Well, imagine my surprise when at 11 am there were already a couple of inches, and it was falling hard. I was thinking it would lighten up, and I'd still be able to ride, assuming the main roads were probably clear. I called my lbs for a pep talk, figuring they'd tell me it's cool, mellow out, you'll be fine. Instead, what I heard was concern about the plows, and nothing he said made me feel better, telling me the roads already looked bad. For the next few hours, I waffled about whether I would ride or take the car ride my friend was insisting on giving me. Finally, at 3:30, I decided to wimp out.

I realized I made the right decision after we were stuck in a several mile long traffic jam, on unplowed main roads, in heavily falling, slippery, heavy snow. I was glad to not be on my bike in that.

Wise choice you made. The DC area was in total gridlock yesterday. There were so many horror stories about traffic and the length of people's commutes - amazing. Car Mageddon for sure.

[laura*]

I was riding to the grocery store and waiting to make a left from a side street onto the main street. Right-of-way giver-uppers stopped in both directions even though there was a lot of traffic behind them. And then one of them honked at me!

The car on the far side was even indicating a left turn, seemingly for the side street where I was. This made it even more dangerous. Just who was giving up their right of way to whom?

[Tri Girl]

if I walked to work yesterday?
I can't ride- the streets are barely passable for cars. I don't want to drive on it- it simply terrifies me to my core. The only other option is walking. So that's what I did. Put on my yak trax, got my hiking poles out, bundled up and walked the 3 miles to work.

cheater alert: I did, however, snag a ride home because it was snowing pretty good when I left work and after an 11 hour day I was exhausted!

[azfiddle]

I am a wimp and won't even consider commuting (and then only about once a week) unless my morning start temps are 40 or above (and not too windy). But my DH has decided to go for the "perfect commute year" and so far is doing it. He has all kinds of wool sweaters, and gloves but rides in mountain bike shorts w/o any other leg coverings. No snow, but Tucson got hit with record-breaking cold temps this week (In the teens plus wind chill on Thurs and Friday). He was determined to ride. It was like pulling teeth to get him to wear sweat pants over his shorts on Weds at 30 degrees, and one more extra layer for the real cold on Thurs and Friday... He said he wasn't cold. (But I don't know if he would admit it if he was...

[Melalvai]

Tri Girl, I count it as a commute if it's active transportation. Walk, bike, scooter, roller blade, skateboard, wheelchair, however you move!

I've been walking the past few days, and the roads seemed mostly clear yesterday, so today I biked. No problem. It was unbelievably warm, by comparison--almost up to freezing temperature!

[redrhodie]

I also think that commute counts, Tri Girl.

The roads are still narrow because of snow banks, but I had plenty of room, even some shoulder most of the way. No one had any difficulty passing me, but a couple of kids in a car did slow down next to me on a road that was otherwise empty right then, and the boy said something out the window (which, as you know, you can never hear since sound doesn't carry that way). I kept my eyes on the road, ignoring him. No idea what he said, but he looked like a jerk. I felt sorry for the girl passenger, and wanted to tell her she could do better. They then slowed in front of me, probably wanting a reaction, which they didn't get. Ignoring them worked, and they sped off.

Evening commute was fun. It was twilight, and I used my new Bell Arella helmet with the attached Blackburn Flea lights. I seemed to get plenty of room by cars, so I think the tail light was effective, and I only used one (it has 3). It wasn't quite dark enough for the front light until I got home, but it lit up the driveway really well. It will definitely be enough light for my commute.

[Tri Girl]

Evening commute was fun. It was twilight, and I used my new Bell Arella helmet with the attached Blackburn Flea lights. I seemed to get plenty of room by cars, so I think the tail light was effective, and I only used one (it has 3). It wasn't quite dark enough for the front light until I got home, but it lit up the driveway really well. It will definitely be enough light for my commute.

Very cool!! I need to check out that helmet!


I got to ride today. With the blizzard from last week finally melted enough to ride, and another 12" predicted for tonight, I thought I better jump on it! It was beautiful. I rode as slowly as possible to savor every moment of the clean pavement and the wind in my hair. I won't be riding outside again for at least 4 more days...

[radacrider]

Beautiful day in Portland, OR, after morning fog the sun came out. Temps were in the 30's (super balmy compared to many, I know). I've been able to commute every work day so far (thunk, thunk, knockin' on wood).

I feel fortunate as lately I've had some hip and left leg issues due to a totally out of whack pelvis. I'm working with my chiro doc to get things back in line. Currently, still cannot sit for very long periods, actually cannot sit for short periods either as the muscle gets super tight and pinches my nerve messing with my leg.

She says I can still ride and I've been using the SUB with panniers to minimize any havoc with the low back/hip area.

I've joked with friends at work I just need to get a bike seat office chair, as I can sit on a bike seat without much negative impact on the hip -- which I think is because I'm not sitting directly on that muscle so it cannot pinch on my nerve.

[Melalvai]

I've been looking forward to this promised "heat wave" for days. It's the only thing that's gotten me through the latest cold snap which had me riding in -4F, a new record for me. (Vaseline on my face, hiking boots, the rest of my clothes are good, except I still haven't got my hands quite right. Will try some new things next winter.)

Today the heat wave hit. It started off 14F, comparatively warm for early morning, and it got into the 30's, so I could ride home with most of my cold weather gear in my basket.

Tomorrow I hope I can just leave the cold weather gear at home.

[WindingRoad]

My first commute of the new year!

[redrhodie]

This morning's commute was a tuffy. I had a brutal headwind for the first 10 miles. I named it Jillian after the trainer on the Biggest Loser. I was in my easiest gear much of the way. Jillian was a byatch. Then, I decided to take the bike path, which would bypass some hills and be more sheltered, and the wind would be from the side. Good plan, but it was still chunky with ice, some were like speed bumps, about 4" high. I was a little scared going over those, but I did okay. The switchback was totally not plowed, so I had to back out to streets for a bit to bypass that section. It took me 15 minutes longer than usual for the 15 miles.

Luckily, the wind didn't shift during the day, and I had wicked tailwinds back. Big fast fun. I felt like I'd paid my dues for that.