How Was Your Commute Today?

[Melalvai]

Today was the most amazing commute I can remember, a special moment I'll treasure for a long time: my daughter biked to school for the first time since her Nov. 3 wreck, and I accompanied her.

Fortunately I didn't notice until after we got home again that she wore the same shirt she wore that day, the t-shirt that had to be cut off of her, that I sewed up! To be fair she didn't select it on purpose. It was her favorite t-shirt before the wreck, because all her best friends had signed it, and it has even more meaning for her because it survived the wreck.

I rode next to her, or in front of her when there was traffic. I don't want to ride behind her (that was my position when the wreck happened). We took the longer way home, because I don't do the left turn into our driveway anymore, I go past it on another street and come back up and turn right.

She was really nervous until she got on the bike. The night before she wanted to change her mind about biking. She was hoping the fog would stick because I said we wouldn't bike if it was foggy. But by morning she was ok.

I met her at school so I could also ride home with her. I felt a little silly because she's 15, she can get home by herself, but I'm not comfortable letting her ride by herself (which is ridiculous because she wasn't by herself when she got hit) and she's not comfortable either. Anyway both trips were really great mom-daughter time.

She came out of school saying how hungry she was. She was super hungry on that last bike ride too. We stopped at the gas station for a (unhealthy) snack, and ate it in a nice little park. (We'll do better next time.)

4-day weekend because of inservice days, then it'll be kind of cold again, but she's looking forward to the next time she can bike to school.

[Tri Girl]

yay, Melalvai! Glad to hear your DD rode again and it was successful!

[HillSlugger]

I was going to rearrange my training plans so that I could take advantage of the nice weather and bike to work, but then I remembered I have a doctor's appointment to go to

[Becky]

First work commute this year! It was 50 degrees this morning and is supposed to be 70 degrees for the ride home- how could I not ride?

There is some nasty road construction on my commute route- has 3 lanes down to 1. I like that particular road because 3 lanes leave plenty of room for everyone at 6am. I had no idea they were working on it until I had to sprint through it :/ If the weather stays nice, I'm going to have to find an alternate route....

[out_spokin']

Melalvai - just wanted to say that I am SO glad for you and your daughter!! If that's not the best excuse ever to eat crazy jalapeno doritos or whatEVER, I don't know what is. Way awesome for you both!!!!

[Tri Girl]

Do you know what I saw this morning on my commute to work?

Wait for it...


I saw TWO other bicycles on the road. One passed me in my neighborhood headed to the lake for a speedy ride, and the other one was a female with a messenger bag obviously headed for work or school.

In the last year and a half, I have not see ONE other bike on the road during my morning commute, let alone TWO in one day.
It started my day off on a high note! WOO HOO!

It's the little things in life that make me smile... like seeing others out on their bikes nice and early.

[7rider]

Back in January, my (empty) grocery pannier popped off my rack and landed in the road. A black SUV ran over it, crushing the frame that went around the opening, giving it it's shape. Well, a 4' strip of aluminum and one pop-rivet gun later, and DH successfully repaired my bag and it was back in action. Today, I hit the grocery store across the street from my office at lunch and picked up a few things for the weekend.

At my locker, after work, I go to un-snap the strap that holds the pannier flat against the side of the rack and stuff the grocery bag inside. I went to move the strap back over the top to re-snap it at the top, to add some small measure of "security" to the contents within it. But noooooooo... the snap busted - when I un-snapped it, it didn't separate into two, but rather the snap ripped through the strap that held the pannier in place. So now I have a useless strap and a busted snap, so the pannier can't be secured and held flat when on the bike, unused. What a P.O.S. this pannier is. I have just about had it with this stupid thing. All because I wanted a simple, flat bag to keep on the bike so I can do some shopping at lunch and keep thing simple. Grrrr.....

[redrhodie]

I had a great commute yesterday. I had tail winds both ways. The bike path is finally totally clear, but still empty of other people. Every street light was green the whole way. How cool is that?

Only bad, I dropped my bike when I was getting ready to load it into my car at the commuter lot. She's fine, no scratches or anything, but, like the scene in "A Christmas Story", I didn't say "fudge".

I saw one other cyclist. That's normal for this time of year. Soon enough, they will be out in droves, but there's something special about a lonely road.

[Melalvai]

I had a great commute yesterday. I had tail winds both ways. The bike path is finally totally clear, but still empty of other people. Every street light was green the whole way. How cool is that?

You must have pleased the traffic gods. And the more finicky weather god. Tail wind both ways?? Impossible!

[laura*]

Today I had my first loooong bike commute where I needed to keep to a schedule.

Distance ridden: 35.47 miles
Ride time: 3:10:09
Average speed: 11.19 mph
Max speed: 33.44 mph

I rode on busy streets, deserted streets, wide streets, narrow streets, straight streets, twisty streets, bike paths, dirt trails, flat terrain, mountainous terrain, and even had to tilt my bike under a fallen tree. I also took the bike on two buses and two trams.

Right now I'm too numb to hurt. Tomorrow I'll probably hurt ... and feel real good.

[redrhodie]

You know you have a head wind when you wonder if it would be easier to turn around and circumvent the globe to get home. But getting there in the morning was a breeze!

[Tri Girl]

today i had my first loooong bike commute where i needed to keep to a schedule.

Distance ridden: 35.47 miles
ride time: 3:10:09
average speed: 11.19 mph
max speed: 33.44 mph

i rode on busy streets, deserted streets, wide streets, narrow streets, straight streets, twisty streets, bike paths, dirt trails, flat terrain, mountainous terrain, and even had to tilt my bike under a fallen tree. I also took the bike on two buses and two trams.

Right now i'm too numb to hurt. Tomorrow i'll probably hurt ... And feel real good. :d

nice!!!

[redrhodie]

What a gorgeous day! It was near 60º, and I wore no jacket for the first time this year. I stopped by the lbs in the morning to have them check the bar alignment of my Soma, and took my Eddy, which was already in the shop getting new bars, the rest of the way to work. OOooo, the new bars are nice!

Stopped by the shop again at night to drop off the Eddy, and pick up the Soma, but it turns out it has leprechauns living in the headset, so it wasn't ready. They're making some kind of knocking in there. Not good at all. So, I rode the Eddy back to my car, and will pick up the other bike after the leprechauns have been evicted. I think I have to bring them cookies or something or they won't leave.

I was nervous riding the Eddy back to my car. The roads are full of sand and lots of glass, and since the bike had been in the shop, and I wasn't planning on riding it today, I didn't have a tube with me. I felt like I was asking for it, but I guess I got lucky. Made it back, no problem. Luck of the Irish? Not really sure if I'm Irish, but I guess everyone is on St. Patrick's Day. Hope you all had good rides, and avoided the leprechauns.

[7rider]

Welp....The new grocery pannier works (except for the busted snap!). I loaded it up with a dozen bagels, bananas, cheese, and salad for my ride home today (with DH, on his racing bike...oh...I also had 2 quarts of hazelnut creamer in my pannier and new insulated shopping bags on order so I can keep cold stuff cold this summer - yay!!).

So...me on a heavy commuter with two equally heavy panniers on the back. DH on his lightweight ti bike. Yeah, not an equal fight. It was a hard ride home...even tho' DH insists "I'm here to ride with you, so I'm going to ride WITH you...I don't have to go fast or anything."

Anyway....Spring has sprung in MD. Southern facing hills have daffodils IN BLOOM! Yeah. And the woods by our neighborhood had frogs croaking away. I don't think they were Spring peepers yet...they didn't sound right. Are there other frogs chirping at this time of year???

Yes, RedRhodie...What a great day (outside, anyway....).

[HillSlugger]

I got out for my first commute of the year; low 40's in the AM and low 60's for the ride home. Very nice.

First commute using the Light and Motion helmet lights I bought on impulse back in December. Also very nice: small, powerful front light and a rear/side blinking light; much better light, feel, and balance than the converted handlebar light I was using.

Also, first ride since getting the bike tuned up (+new chain and cassette); so very nice to have good shifting and gears that don't slip and skip.