How Was Your Commute Today?

[7rider]

Anyhow- I was so excited I wanted to wave and yell hello. But I refrained.

Why? I often wave or ding my bell or give the "head bob" to other commuters. We're a small fraternity.

Some, I know by sight. I've assigned them names, as most I don't know (but a few, I've chatted with enough at stop lights to actually get a name). There is
"Guy with the really bright lights."
"Old Guy on the Older Schwinn Who Always Dusts Me." (saw him this morning in his bright shiny blue tights - true to form...he dusted me.).
"Mountain Bike Dude"
"Lady on the Cool Electra Bike". (she's the only other woman I've seen).
A few others I haven't seen in a few years. I suspect their job situations have changed.....

[Tri Girl]

Why? I often wave or ding my bell or give the "head bob" to other commuters. We're a small fraternity.

I should have- although I imagine with my excitement I might have wound up looking like a loon (arms flailing, ringing my bell). Plus, he was a half a block away on a street perpendicular to mine. I did see another one yesterday as I was leaving my driveway. He rolled right past and we exhanged niceties. Is it bad that I love that gas is going up? Last time it went sky high there were more bikers for transportation than I'd ever seen before.

I love that you name the commuters you see. If I start seeing them with any frequency I might just do the same.

My ride to work today was into a strong southerly headwind- blowing at 30 mph, gusting into the 40 mph range. It was rough, but it was kinda fun because it's trash day so I had the added obstacle of slaloming around trash cans in the road (I actually enjoyed that part). It took me twice as long as usual, but I'm looking forward to the SAWEET tailwind I should have going home. I'm hoping to not have to pedal at all on the way home. Wind- you better not change directions. You hear me???

[Deborajen]

TriGirl, do you think maybe he saw you commuting and that inspired him to give it a try? How cool would that be?

I had to look at this thread to get inspired. My commute is a whole 4.5 miles, and I put gas in my car only once in every 3 weeks, but still - why waste the money? (and the gas?)

Hmmm -

[Crankin]

OK, I "commuted" for the first time in 4 years. I rode 5.5 miles to a client's house and prayed that their driveway was clear of the ice they didn't plow from last week's storm, which was covering the driveway on Monday. It was, and the parents didn't think it was weird at all that I arrived for couple's counseling on my bike.
I plan to schedule more sessions with the parents, without the kid, since my regular visit to work with their son is at the end of the day and I am coming from a distance in my car. I have another client that is 9 miles away and as soon as it's a little nicer out, I will start riding there, too.

[Melalvai]

I took my studded tires off tonight. It took a couple hours to get it all switched and I ripped up a tube in the process.

If the entire nation is blanketed in an inch of ice tomorrow morning, it's my fault.

I also changed the battery in my cateye and re-set it. I guessed at the mileage but I think I'm pretty close. It quit letting me cycle through the readings 200 miles ago (3 weeks) so I estimated my mileage based on what I remembered plus calculated from the last time I wrote it down (October). I came up with 8550 +/- 50. Close enough.

[Tri Girl]

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I came up with 8550 +/- 50. Close enough.

WHOA! How long did that take you to accumulate that many miles? Impressive!



The start of the week and the end of the week couldn't be any more polar opposite than they were for commuting. Monday I was riding to work in short sleeves and capris and today I was bundled up in my wool winter coat, winter boots and heavy duty mittens. Go figure...

[Melalvai]

How long did that take you to accumulate that many miles?

I got my bike in Oct 2008. So ~3.5 years? A little over 2000 miles a year.