How Was Your Commute Today?

[redrhodie]

Today's commute was great. Perfect tailwind for much of the way in. Then, I looked down and noticed something stuck to my front tire. I tried to wipe it off while I was riding, and it wouldn't come off. I stopped and discovered it was a thumb tack. I started to pull it out, and it started hissing, so I pushed it back in. To my surprise, it stopped hissing and didn't go flat. I continued to ride on it, to try to make it to work where there's a floor pump, so I wouldn't need to use up my CO2 cartridge (I'm a cheapo ). Well, I made it about 4 more miles, then all at once, it went flat. I was still 4 miles from work, so I ended up using my beloved CO2 .

On the evening ride, I stopped at the lbs to replace the cartridge. Back on my bike a few miles later, I passed an accident at an intersection that I probably would have been at, had I not stopped at the shop. Then, after I got to my car, another really bad accident on the bridge I drive over. When I think about "what could have been" if I had been a few minutes earlier....

Had I not flatted this morning, I may have been involved in either of those. Just goes to show, you never know when something that seems bad is actually good.

[Tri Girl]

YAY!! Finally back to commuting after the summer off (I teach). Feels good to be back on the bike, but I sure forgot how much traffic is out at 4 pm.
Glad to be back at it!!

[Groundhog]

I moved to a new office in April and at first I could see no way to commute by bike. My old commute was by bus from suburb to downtown Seattle, and prior to becoming a cyclist I drove 2-4 miles to one or another of the park-n-ride lots and took the bus to work. Starting in 2008 I used my bike to get to the park-n-ride a few days a week, and with my short ride (downhill on the way to work) I never got sweaty so I didn't need a shower. Although the rides were so short they didn't really help my fitness, I really enjoyed it and it's better than sitting on my fat a$$ driving.

My new job is in another suburb of Seattle and is 17 miles away...way too far for this rider who is lucky if she averages 11mph on the flat. Add that to no shower or changing facilities in my building or close by.

Last month I met a fellow rider in the elevator one morning and he said that he rides the bus to work and rides the bike home 20 miles. So I started researching using google bike directions and noticed that the interurban trail goes along the freeway at one point, the same portion of the freeway that the express bus takes. And, lo and behold the express stops along the trail!

So today I took my second bus/bike commute. I had my son drive me to an express stop, and then put the bike on the bus. I rode the few blocks to the office in dress pants and changed into my jacket when I arrived (I have to wear suits and/or dressy corporate clothes at work, full makeup and accessories).

On the way home, I changed into shorts and a t-shirt and rode to the bus stop. This time I got off next to the trail and rode nine miles, almost all the way home. I live on top of a big hill that I am trying to learn to love, but I didn't try it today.

This weekend I am trying a new route to the bus in the morning and I am hopeful that it will work. It's about six miles and is mostly downhill, so I will probably be ok with a "baby-wipes bath."

I'm not sure I'll be able to do it in the pouring rain and dark, but I don't mind a little cold, so I'll try it between now and when the weather gets bad.

I still wish for a short, local commute (and applied for a job today that is just that) but am so happy to be out on the trails.

Happy trails everyone!

[lph]

Back to bike commuting and loving it

Passed two accidents this morning - one on the usually quiet bike path, saw a police motorcycle, an ambulance and a womans bike leaned up against a lamppost. Bike looked fine and no bits and pieces around, so I'm guessing she just took a bang to the head or something and phoned herself.

One more amusing closer to work. There's a tricky roundabout smack in the middle of "Tour de Finance", where a zillion aggressive cyclists looking for shortcuts meet cars heading for the marina and trucks heading out from the warehouse area. One car with a befuddled young driver stepping out, his front license plate on the ground, one guilty-looking middle-aged woman without helmet standing over her bike wishing she were somewhere else, one mtb on the ground and one male 30ish mtb-owner, incandescent with rage, jumping up and down like a lemming and pouring wrath over the poor woman.

Norways biggest mtb event, Birken, is this weekend and people are going slightly insane. I just ascertained that no-one was hurt and quietly went away

[kfergos]

Last night was a most unusual commute. Here's what I saw while riding north on the Burke-Gilman from the University of Washington.

- A shirtless, well-muscled guy pushing a grill up the trail from Pend Orielle Road. Not just a little grill, either. This was a full-sized, man’s dream grill, and he was moving it along at a good clip. The guy I was riding with, Mark, and I commented to each other, “You never know what you’ll see on the trail!” I wondered what grill-man said when he passed people — “Burgers on your left”?

- A fistfight. Seriously. Here’s what I saw happen. Mark and I are riding along behind a couple of slightly faster cyclists just past 40th Ave NE. Then one of the faster riders moves over onto the graveled pedestrian path that parallels the paved path at that point. The next thing I know, the guy on the gravel path (Cyclist A) has stopped and is standing there, shouting. The other guy, Cyclist B, slams on his brakes and skids to a halt perpendicular to the trail, which brings me and Mark to quick stops. Cyclist B picks up his bike off the trail and heaves it into the bushes — and hurls himself at Cyclist A. Or maybe A rushed him. I didn’t see clearly. The next thing I know, they’re literally punching each other in the face, yelling, calling one another filthy names; then they’re on the ground, rolling around in the gravel, pummeling each other, gouging eyes, all-round attacking each other. Mark and a couple other guy bicyclists hurl themselves into the fray and pull the two fighters apart, with no small difficulty. The guys continue yelling at each other until Mark’s repeated shouting “Break it up! This isn’t worth it!” penetrates their skulls. Cyclist B says, “Let me just ask you one question,” but Mark says, “No. Just keep riding or I’ll call the cops.” One of the cyclists says, “This is a free trail!” and Mark overrides their protests, very firmly repeating, “Keep riding or I’ll call the cops” a couple more times. Cyclist A and B exchange parting insults (“Put some ice on that, b*tch!” “See if you can catch me, old man!”); Cyclist B rides off and we take off after him.

The kicker: They were fighting about Cyclist B’s riding through stop signs and Cyclist A’s chastising him for it. They yelled “Red means stop!” and “I stopped at every f*ing stop sign!” “You did not!” etc. Both were well over 30 years old.

I'm kind of hoping tonight's commute will be a little bit less exciting.

[DebW]

Last fall I moved to an apartment 1.5 miles from work. I was previously 13 miles away and I only commuted by bike 2-3 times/wk in good weather. Now I can commute every day even in bad weather and all winter. Still get in some of those 13 mile commutes when I work at the bike shop a couple days/wk though. Today I experienced advantages of the super-short commute. Started making bread in the morning. Went to work. Went home for lunch to put the bread in pans and bake it. While it was baking, I rode to the farm market about 2 miles away to buy fresh eggs and vegetables. Then back to work.

[Melalvai]

You all are seeing much more interesting things than me, I think I am glad of that! Groundhog, way to go on the commute, and with dress clothes to deal with too. I'm trying to dress slightly more nicely than I used to, and finding that a challenge. DebW, I want to come over to your place for lunch!

[e.e.cummings]

What a great commute today - beautiful weather, no wind, and close to my work, they are re-paving the bike path! It was so nice to ride on the return. I have riden that bike path so much that I know every little crack and bump in it and would ride accordingly - now, having a beautifully new paved surface is like heaven.

Seeing TONS of runners out there now. Two big events coming up in Montreal - Oasis, the marathon, and Esprit, the triathlon, coming up in September. I have never shared the path with so many runners before.

[redrhodie]

I gave myself permission to ride slow tonight, and it was great! Fridays are very busy with traffic coming to the area for the weekend, and lowering my speed just a little made a huge difference in my stress level. I felt prepared for every potential obstacle, and for some reason, there were none. It was really mellow and relaxing, and although I didn't check the clock right when I left work, I'm sure I wasn't even 5 minutes slower over my 15 mile route.

[tulip]

Today I commuted by bike to a meeting. It was only three miles away, so I went in my nice clothes with plenty of time to go slowly and not get sweaty. I stuck to the bike path, which turns into a canal path, which...ends at a stairway??

So I lugged my heavy panniered bike up the stairway to...an empty enclosed lot?? With no way out except back down the stairs...grrrr

Then I noticed a dirt path through some trees, so I pushed my (heavy) bike up the bank and ended up in an empty parking lot, roped off, and isolated and a bit scary underneath an elevated expressway.

By this time I was huffing and puffing from carrying my bike so much, and more than a little bit sweaty! I made my way out of the parking lot through the roped off entrance and found myself only 2 blocks from my destination.

So much for not arriving all sweaty. Next time I'll stick to the streets.

[blackhillsbiker]

They've "resurfaced" (oil & pea-gravel) all the streets I need to take to get home. I decided to take the MTB since it handles loose gravel much better than the commuter. I've been tweaking the fit on that bike. The last modification was shortening the bars a bit. I think it's just about perfect. I'm not wild about buzzy tires all the way to work, but I like the traction on the gravel, and I love the front shock since they haven't repaired any of the major cracks in the bike path.

Glad to be back on the bike,
Deb

[malkin]

Oh--sorry---The garage door was closed after all.
I've been a little bit more mindful about it for the last week.

[blackhillsbiker]

Lovely! I couldn't bring myself to end the ride so I went for an hour-long ride around the lake.

Deb

[Groundhog]

Great commute today. Was too rushed in the a.m., so I had my teenager drive me to the express stop with the bike. On the way home, I took the bus to the early stop, then had a 10 mile ride to where I get my hair cut. I was worried I'd be late, so I really went fast (for me). Got there with 20 minutes to spare, but I was dripping in sweat. Cooled off and changed back into work clothes so that I wasn't messy for the haircut. Fun ride.

[Melalvai]

Cooled off and changed back into work clothes so that I wasn't messy for the haircut. Fun ride.

That IS one place I hate to show up sweaty. I always feel bad for making them mess with my gross sweaty smelly hair.

By this time I was huffing and puffing from carrying my bike so much, and more than a little bit sweaty! I made my way out of the parking lot through the roped off entrance and found myself only 2 blocks from my destination.

So much for not arriving all sweaty. Next time I'll stick to the streets.

Did anyone notice? No one noticed Thistle...