How Was Your Commute Today?

[Crankin]

GLC, that is hysterical and gross at the same time.

[colorisnt]

GLC, that's awesome haha. But yuck. At least you didn't get hit!

I braved the AWFUL weather riding to/from class today and it was WORTH IT. I got hit in the face with icy rain (ouch!), would have been nailed by cars by the fire station had I not been more alert but avoided catastrophe, and made it work in 35* weather with my rain gear. The new bike worked GREAT and I much prefer these brakes to my others. I sat at Starbuck's with a book pre-lecture and enjoyed my morning an ran into my dept. chair and dir. of grad studies who were both getting coffee there. The Chair told me I met rule nine of cyclocross code by riding today and I'm a bada&& for riding in this weather. I told him about the new ride and he congratulated me on finally pulling the trigger. I have a feeling he will be seeing more of me at the cyclocross series in town this year like he's been encouraging me to do for a couple of years.

[azfiddle]

Wow Colorisnt - that is some serious commuting commitment. Yes, rule #9.

[colorisnt]

I loved it. It feels great to be flying around on a bike when everyone else has battened down the hatches. There's something empowering about it. I hate the rain usually but on a bike it doesn't bother me. That said, I never would have done that on my road bike. The minute the brakes get all squeaky is the minute I get nervous about riding in the rain. And I worry about falling. On this bike, I really don't have to worry much, though.

Since the only riding I did yesterday was as a demo on the bike I was selling and sold I am still at 11/14 days because I rode today!

[Catrin]

I loved it. It feels great to be flying around on a bike when everyone else has battened down the hatches.

Where is the LOVE button?

[colorisnt]

Haha. I was going to try to re-create it on a beautiful morning today. Rode about .75 mi from the BF's place on the new bike and then "pop". Popped the tube on a piece of glass bottle. Blargh. Walked it home because I found out I grabbed the wrong tube at the store (a Schrader not a Presta but the right "size"). FML. Back to the bike shop which I have been at every day minus yesterday since Thursday.

[DebW]

I've been battling winds on my commutes yesterday and today. Yesterday I was on the Belmont bike path heading towards Alewife when a side-wind was so strong it moved me sideways 4 feet and made me lean 20 degrees just to stay upright. Glad it wasn't a road with cars. I've been staying away from Huron St. where the top of the hill by Fresh Pond can have nasty side-winds. Today I was biking to work at 1 pm (tax day crunch) and the winds were almost as bad, plus some light rain. We're supposed to get 30 degree temps for the next couple of morning, so waiting til later in the week to change out my studded tires (though I've felt a little silly riding around on them when it's been 60 and 70 degrees).

Funny story: I was biking through Waverly Square a few mornings ago, and who should stop next to me at a stop light but Peter Mooney, the frame-maker who built my custom road bike about 10 years ago. Of course I said "You built me a bike". He looked down at the Bridgestone MTB frame I was riding, and I had to assure him that my custom Mooney was safely at home and not being parked in Harvard Square every day.