How Was Your Commute Today?

[lph]

My commute today was just terrific. It was supposed to just be a standard transport run, but one thing led to another and I ended up winning the yellow jersey in this mornings Tour de Bureaucrat.* Four wheelsuckers, and not one could pass!

*The last half of my new commute goes along a wide and popular bike path along the ocean, and in the opposite direction leads from the wealthy suburbs out west and in to well-paid financial jobs in the city centre. The hordes of toned, tanned, ambitious men in their 40's "not competing at all" on very expensive bikes here every morning has been dubbed the "Tour de Finance". So I guess those of us riding from the not so wealthy suburbs in the east, to the not so well paid government jobs outside the city centre. might as well be the Tour de Bureaucrat.*

Then I got to the kayak club right opposite my workplace, figured I had just enough time to go paddle, hopped in a purty white and black glassfibre kayak and slid out into the sun. Half an hour on water like silk, flooded with morning sun, a few gulls bobbing about, and a view out the fjord with a light rising fog, and I can't stop grinning

[indigoiis]

My commute today was awesome. The weather is perfect!

[tulip]

Then I got to the kayak club right opposite my workplace, figured I had just enough time to go paddle, hopped in a purty white and black glassfibre kayak and slid out into the sun. Half an hour on water like silk, flooded with morning sun, a few gulls bobbing about, and a view out the fjord with a light rising fog, and I can't stop grinning

I wanna move to Norway!

[out_spokin']

Me too! A pre-work bike ride AND a kayak trip! And my niece is there in Oslo...wow I wish I had a few extra bucks in the travel account...

[Biciclista]

My commute was quite lovely... and dark. It was 60 degs F when I left the house with my beloved DH, and we made the first light which is VERY rare so I took off on my big chain ring and crossed the intersection and flew down the hill. As we approached my office, I pointed out the 1954 Supercontinental that they are reassembling in the yard outside my office, you can just see it because it's getting light out. Then the silliest part of the commute, I ride an extra 3/4 of a mile so I can ride ALONG the fence of the compound (much like being a prisoner, I guess) with DH on the other side, racing me. Then I saunter into our building and check out how many other people rode bikes today. ZERO. ha. I'm the only one.
Lovely commute, thanks for asking.

[Cataboo]

I wanna move to Norway!

Me too. Kayaking's so relaxing, it'd be a great start to the morning.

Last night after commuting home (I think the stem switch is good, fixed my issues).. I went out for a bike ride. About 5 miles from my house, there's a little table on a corner that always has vegetables and a donation can. I always see kids in the backyard playing/working in the garden. They had a couple butternut squash and some ears of corn, and I decided I want corn and I want to make butternut squash soup. So I put some money in, and stuff 2 squash & an ear of corn in my camelbak which probably already has 2-3 liters of water in it. They usually take the stand down before I'm finished with my bike ride, so I can't go on my way back home.

Then I rode another 15 miles. Could not get my back/shoulders comfortable with the pack, I was trying to get the weight to rest on the hipbelt, but wasn't too successful.

It was somewhat achy, but not terrible... After I got home, I had to take my kayak off the roof of my car & carry it behind the house from using it this weekend. 50-60 lbs on my already irked shoulders. Came in, took ibuprofen and sat the rest of the night with a really sore neck.

This morning, more ibuprofen, staying in the hot shower for a long time, and rubbing arnica & ibuprofen gel on my neck when I got to the point I could get my arms behind my head.

Decided I was gonna be miserable whether or not I drove or rode to work, so rode my bike.

All for some butternut squash.

[lph]

I wanna move to Norway!

Yup

[lph]

But it's not all woods and glossy water. Here from the final stretch home today, I'm documenting why a bike is a great way to travel. (A road sign had fallen down right in the middle of rush hour = backed up road for miles.)

[Biciclista]

hey, that looks just like a photo i took a couple months ago!
(the traffic, not the sublime water experience)

[Deborajen]

OK, so - I was a little jealous seeing this thread and reading about commuting. We're having great fall weather and the building I work at is like Swiss cheese right now - with plastic wrappers. We had major exterior wall leakage and a big chunk of outer wall rotted and fell into the parking lot a few months ago. It's a four-story building - It was quite a sight. Now they're finding mold, wet insulation, more mess - and they're tearing off more bad stuff and rebuilding. It's a mess - I don't want to ride my bike around it and have no place to park a bike right now, so I'm parking my car across the street and walking.

Then I saw the picture of the kayak in Norway - ooooh! Beautiful!

(**More jealous now - and thinking about moving to another country! )

[deanywalker21]

Today was my 2nd commute ever. I am regretting having not tried this sooner. I am more focused at work and seem to have more energy (without any caffeine). This morning's ride was cool but pleasant. This evening I experienced the pleasure of having a high visibility jacket with removable sleeves as the temps really warmed up. Only oops was finding two half-finger gloves that were for the same hand and having to wear the full finger ones from this morning home...a tad warm.

[Melalvai]

Dressing right for the day is a challenge when conditions can be quite a bit different riding in than riding home. Glad you are enjoying it!

[lovelygamer]

I was rained on this morning for 2 miles and beautifully shone on by the sun this afternoon for 4 miles. It's all about balance right?

[deanywalker21]

I decided to take the "hilly" route this morning. As I am coming up one of the long hills I see red flashing school bus lights.....and more driveways with kids...I thought I was safe, it was like 6:30 and I did not think buses picked anyone up before 7 am...guess times have changed. Anyway the bus driver finished picking up the first group of kids, slowed way down and did not put the lights on again until I was just passed her...she made my day...that hill was something and I really do not think I would have had enought steam left to get the bike going again. After having been doing this for only two weeks my co-workers are expecting me to bike in everyday. I got to buck 14 mph winds in 84 degree temps on my ride home. It made me very glad that my route is full of twists and turns so that I got a break from the wind. I almost forgot my car keys when I left work at the end of the day, put my wallet in my bike bag and left the keys laying on my desk. Lucky for me I got a phone call just before leaving and spotted the keys...makes me think I should seperate my work keys from my car key and keep the car key in the bag. That would have just not made for a good Friday night...tripple the traffic, the miles and that wind.

[ak2outside]

I woke up exhilarated to ride to work, a very light mist, warmer weather (high 60's). Half way through the skies opened up and let me have it.

I still have dirt in my hair from all the muck my tires threw at me. With an average rainfall of 10.3" annually, I thought I was safe. I thought wrong!