How Was Your Commute Today?

[Melalvai]

There is another branch that DOES allow bicyclists. Depending on where I'm going, it might be more or less convenient than the downtown branch, but it's on my husband's way home from work so it's usually more convenient for him (in his car). I don't know if I feel incensed enough to change banks-- I don't have enough money to matter to the bank-- but at least I won't patronize that branch.

So, my recent commutes, well, I can't really use the term "commute" anymore since I work from home, can I? oh well, unless the "commute police" tell me to post elsewhere I still identify with this community the most. Anyway despite my lack of commute, I want to get some daily exercise like I used to, back when I had an actual commute. Only since I don't commute I have to make an actual effort for it now.

I can run errands by bike (and no access to a car during the day so that makes it even easier). Usually if I'm just going to the grocery store I walk, or if I want to go to the bigger grocery store I bike with my trailer. The other day, I was picking up a 1/4 pork that I had ordered, and I strapped the coolers to my trailer! That was fun.

After the cold snap, I wanted to take advantage of the nice weather while it lasted. Columbia has built a lot of trails in the 3 years that we've been gone. I've been wanting to investigate those.

The nice thing about working from home is that my schedule is extremely flexible. I can go for a long ride in the nicest part of the day, the sunny afternoons. I might miss that when I get a "real" job! I went 11 miles one day and 16 miles the next. The majority of miles was on streets to get to the trails, but I did discover the closest access point from which theoretically I can access the majority of Columbia's trails (by which I mean the Katy Trail and all of its branches & connections). The new trails are nice-- 12 foot wide, concrete, winding along creeks, lots of trees. Even with the leaves mostly fallen it's lovely.

[Sky King]

You shall always be a commuter I always say I take my bike out the front door and come in the back door with some miles in between and that counts as my commute for the day

[carlotta]

You're still a commuter..... you make this commuter jealous with your mid-day rides though (plus you can take a day off when the weather's crappy and not have to deal with transit/car either!)

Unseasonably warm here this morning, shorts/knee warmers/long sleeve jersey and I was a little warm, probably could've ridden shorts/long sleeves which is weird for mid-November. Wind is kicking up now so I'll have a cross/tail wind on the way home, with gusts above 30.... good times!

[carlotta]

Last full commute on the crosscheck today, new frame is here tomorrow (!!!!!!!) and I'll ride the crosscheck in tomorrow to drop it a the shop, but need to pull the rack/fenders/bottle cage/bell/etc tonight so there's less extra stuff on there when they swap the parts over.

Not a terribly notable commute. Dark. Cold. Got to work and none of the four elevators was working, so hauled the bike up 7 flights of stairs since I didn't have a lock with me so that was good times...

[carlotta]

Last full commute on the crosscheck today, new frame is here tomorrow (!!!!!!!) and I'll ride the crosscheck in tomorrow to drop it a the shop, but need to pull the rack/fenders/bottle cage/bell/etc tonight so there's less extra stuff on there when they swap the parts over.

Not a terribly notable commute.

Spoke too soon on that...... my rear brake cable broke (inside the lever, old-school brake only lever) on the way home tonight. Luckily a) only half or so of the strands broke so I had a little power still, b) I was rolling to a slow stop and could compensate w/ the front, and c) I was 3 miles or so from home (out of an 11 mile trip) and the remaining part was fairly flat... I walked down the last hill before home, but other than that was able to take it slow and just use the front brake w/ the remaining bit of the rear for possible emergency stops.

Now I have the dilemma of how to get the bike to the shop so they can swap parts onto my new frame. I could wait until Saturday and take it into the city on the train (and then the bus, not going to ride the mile or two from the train to the shop in city traffic with one brake...). Or I have a new set of cables for my single speed, thinking about pulling the old rear one from that bike and tossing it onto the crosscheck for tomorrow. It'll work (if it's long enough) and putting a new cable on for one ride seems kind of wasteful (although riding with questionable brakes doesn't seem like a good idea either). Guess I should figure that out...

[lph]

Cold! First day that really felt wintry, -6 C. Layered on the lobster gloves, winter boots, yadda yadda, and trundled off on the mtb turned tractor with 300 studs and fit-inducing lights front and back. I'd forgotten what it was like to be warm all over except for a freezing butt, or how to brake downhill to keep from getting too cold, or shift gently because the derailleur is slower below freezing. And how much d*** work it is to ride with studs.

But the roads are snow-free and dry, the air is still and clear, the morning colours are lovely and I actually get to see daylight, both ways if I'm lucky. Compared to what's to come this is a doddle. Summer is a long long way away...

[malkin]

I miss my old commute!

New job makes it impossible for the present. I have an itinerant position 4 schools, another location for where I don't have an office, but I can access supplies, and several "oh--do you have time to go see a kid at this other place?"