Fall/ Winter 2011 Commuters

[Thorn]

Temperatures are dropping here. Today I implemented the LPH Nose Buff (don't know what to call it, but I'm pretty sure it was on lph's avatar pic for quite some time). Worked really well (thanks lph!).

So I'm still holding and still riding to and from work. Looking forward to going for another week. One week at a time....

[lph]

Temperatures are dropping here. Today I implemented the LPH Nose Buff (don't know what to call it, but I'm pretty sure it was on lph's avatar pic for quite some time). Worked really well (thanks lph!).

Ooo, you're making me proud!

I've already worn it once this winter, and it does work.

[WindingRoad]

18 degrees today for my 20 mile commute. It was pretty dang nippy. Tried out my new shoes, it was better but still I got darn cold toward the end :-(

[Catrin]

18 degrees today for my 20 mile commute. It was pretty dang nippy. Tried out my new shoes, it was better but still I got darn cold toward the end :-(

Awesome that you rode this morning, I wondered if you would. Did you try chemical warmers with the new shoes?

[kcmpls]

I've been biking this winter and so far so good. I have an old mountain bike, converted to a single speed, with a studded tire in front and a regular mountain bike tire in back. I've been biking from my house to Minneapolis, about 3.5 miles, then putting my bike on the bus and busing to St. Paul. It has been working pretty well.

But now it has rained and it is warm, so I'm going to look silly with my studded tire and balaclava tomorrow. I wish it would just snow and stick.

[7rider]

For the second time in 2 commutes, I've had a cyclist/commuter come up behind me, pass me, and remark about how visible I was as we rode in the dark.

I think I take lighting to a ridiculous degree. I have a road worker's day-glow reflective vest on over my winter jacket. I have a headlight, a flashing light on the back - and front - of my helmet, a light on my rack, and a light hanging from my pannier. That's 3 tail lights and 2 headlights. I have reflective trim or tape on the pannier itself, on the rack, on the rear fender, and on various spots on the frame and wheels.

So a guy came up and passed me on the MUT tonight and said "Wow. No one can ever say they didn't see you!"
"Good," I replied. "Then I know it's working, cuz that's my intent."
I also know it's working when car after car crosses the double line to give me w-i-d-e berth when passing me on the road.

[Melalvai]

So a guy came up and passed me on the MUT tonight and said "Wow. No one can ever say they didn't see you!"

And if you were to get hit in spite of your excellent lights, the insurance company would be much more likely to cough up without a fight. If they did put up a fight, your lights would be a major point in your favor.

Sadly that is something we have to think about. That's another reason I stop at every single stop sign and light: to establish a pattern of behavior that can't be questioned. And signaling. Etc.

It was so warm today! It was in the 50's I think. There was a thunderstorm in the middle of the night. It was raining when I left. My overshoes, which never worked that well anyway, won't go over my new shoes. I tried grocery sacks. It worked fine on my left foot. The one on the right foot got caught in the gears.

I'll have to ask my husband to save a bread sack (I eat my own homemade bread, he sometimes eats store bought bread), to use on my right foot. That might work better.