How Was Your Commute Today?

[Tri Girl]

FINALLY dragged my butt outta bed this morning to commute. Don't know why, but I've really been needing that extra hour of sleep the last couple weeks. Today was International Bike and Walk to School Day in the USA so we had a big thing at our school with the kids. Over 200 walked or rode their bikes to school (FAR more than the 20 or so that do it daily). Was exciting and gave away some gift cards, reflective backpacks and blinky lights in a raffle.

[Melalvai]

Today was International Bike and Walk to School Day in the USA so we had a big thing at our school with the kids.

I didn't realize that was today. I'm glad my daughter happened to bike to school today! It was beautiful weather for it. Maybe next year I'll suggest that the school observe the day.

My new basket came today. It is ENORMOUS. I gave my old one to my daughter (her backpack is so heavy, it was uncomfortable to wear it on the bike). My old one, when I got the packing slip, was labeled "basket, huge". If it was huge, the new one is IMMENSE! It's actually designed to hang from the front handlebar, but I took a chance that I'd be able to attach it to my rear rack when I ordered it. I had no problems attaching it.

It is pretty heavy, but I've got it attached with bungies, so I can swap it out for the little trunk when I want a lightweight ride on the weekend.

I'll have no trouble getting my swim bag, work clothes, and lunch to work. If I want to bring an extra book, or run as well as swim, I can do that too, no problem! I think there's room for a small family in there. Anyone want a ride to work?

[HillSlugger]

I dropped my car at U-Haul to get a hitch installed and then biked it from there to work. Didn't bother with a bike computer or anything but it was only around 2 miles round trip.

[Tri Girl]

I didn't realize that was today. I'm glad my daughter happened to bike to school today! It was beautiful weather for it. Maybe next year I'll suggest that the school observe the day.

I had to beg and barter and practically get on my knees to get my principal to let me do it with the kids. Sadly, we are such a litigious society, she was terribly afraid that someone would get hit or hurt and sue the school. 97% of our kids are dropped off by parents (we are a Parochial so no buses for the kids). Most kids don't live close enough to walk or bike, but we had a TON whose parents dropped them off at the end of the block and they walked the block to school. I was thrilled. One kiddo rode his bike 5 miles by himself (a 3rd grader). I was SOOOO pleased with him! Yippee!!

Good job to your daughter (she bikes most days, doesn't she?).

[redrhodie]

The weathermen were so wrong today. They said sun, and it rained the whole way to work. It was also really windy, and I should have had on a visor to keep the rain off my glasses, but since I was dressed for sun...I still did my long route.

Met up with Indigoiis and Maidei this evening. Maidei's with me now. She seems a little tired from her commute to Prov this morning. Good thing we have tomorrow off.

[girlsubobscura]

Today was a gorgoeus Indian Summer day, so I invented errands to do on the other side of town so I could add an extra 5 miles to the commute home. Unfortunately, the drivers on the other side of town seem to be bigger jerks, and for the first time ever, someone tried to run me off the road, pulling up right next to me and then laying on the horn as they drove further to the right into my space. I honestly would have reported them to the police if the sun hadn't prevented me from noting their full license plate before they sped off. The rest of the drive was unevetful, but I was glad of teh newly striped bike lanes on the route home with a gallon of milk and various other sundries.

[7rider]

Why are school bus drivers complete idiots?
Just about every morning now that school is open (we must have the same schedule), this same ding dong insists on passing me - across a double yellow line on a curve with oncoming traffic. This, mind you, is while I am doing 20 mph on a road that has a speed limit of 25 mph, with speed humps, to boot.
Ya know...I don't mind that most insist on passing me so they can exceed the speed limit (b/c it's pretty obvious that the speed at which most pass me, they're going well above 25). But can you please do me the courtesy of waiting until (a) the road straightens out a bit, or (b) opposing traffic is clear?
Geez, Louise.

[malkin]

Nice cool ride both ways in sprinkles.
Since we'll be cycling in Germany this spring, I'd better get used to it.

New mantra: must not quit job (at least until after Germany) must not quit job

[colorisnt]

7,

I almost was hit by a bus today, too. Left around 8 to go to teach. Got to the end of the drive and turn because no one is coming. Bus BLOWS through a stop sign. I avoided it by using my breaks (extra weight in the panniers helped thanks to both a paper I am writing and a stats book).

Other than that, my commute was AWESOME. The only thing that pisses me off if the fact that they put in a concrete divider in the road I am used to crossing. Grrrr. I now have to do the sidewalk thing and cross through a parking lot, but I am okay with that if it means I cut 10 minutes off my commute. Two panniers again was AWESOME!

My ride home with my added lights was AWESOME. The Serfas headlight makes me feel much safer and I can just clip it off to take it with me so no one on campus steals it. same with the gummy light on the back. Plus, the trunk bag makes a great lunch bag!

[Melalvai]

I almost was hit by a bus today, too. Left around 8 to go to teach. Got to the end of the drive and turn because no one is coming. Bus BLOWS through a stop sign. I avoided it by using my breaks (extra weight in the panniers helped thanks to both a paper I am writing and a stats book).

Exciting! A great opportunity to use that quick-stop they teach us, where you stand up slightly and push your butt back over your seat, to put more weight on your back wheel. That's funny that your paper & stats book helped.

Other than that, my commute was AWESOME. The only thing that pisses me off if the fact that they put in a concrete divider in the road I am used to crossing. Grrrr. I now have to do the sidewalk thing and cross through a parking lot, but I am okay with that if it means I cut 10 minutes off my commute. Two panniers again was AWESOME!

What road is that?

On my commute home tonight, I learned something interesting. I started a new job this summer at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and I heard that osteopathic treatment can help TMJ. (I saw a lot of research posters on it too and it was pretty convincing.) I got manipulated this afternoon. My jaw feels so much looser. But the funny thing was, when I was biking home, I looked down for a moment and something was different. After a moment I figured out--it didn't hurt my neck to look down. I could even touch my chin to my chest and it didn't hurt. What was even funnier is I had never realized that that hurt, until it didn't.

I'm sold!

[radacrider]

Pretty good commute, (#6 for the year ). Dry which was good, kinda rained all weekend so was hoping for some dry. Cool, though, left without my fleece gloves so hands were a little chilled. Used my SUB and felt stronger in general than previous ones, did not have to go into my granny gear as much.

{30 miles round trip, 1-1/4 hrs each way, much prefer the 7 mile downhill going home, than the 7 mile climb going to work}

[Melalvai]

I've been commuting long enough that it's been a while since I had a challenging commute. Today was a challenging commute. Yesterday I developed a UTI, and I couldn't get the antibiotics until today. In the meantime I used pyridiate (the stuff that turns your pee orange). This morning when I got up super early to go do the rats, I forgot that taking pyridiate on an empty stomach makes me nauseous.

It was a real struggle to bike to work without throwing up.

And then the nausea cleared up and an uber migraine hit which won't go away. This is the longest and 2nd worst migraine I've ever had. My migraines come with an aura, meaning I lose my vision. So I did not bike home but called for a ride. While it's fun to close my eyes and ride a little ways, I did not want to truly take on the challenge of riding blind!

[redrhodie]

I've been commuting long enough that it's been a while since I had a challenging commute. Today was a challenging commute. Yesterday I developed a UTI, and I couldn't get the antibiotics until today. In the meantime I used pyridiate (the stuff that turns your pee orange). This morning when I got up super early to go do the rats, I forgot that taking pyridiate on an empty stomach makes me nauseous.

It was a real struggle to bike to work without throwing up.

And then the nausea cleared up and an uber migraine hit which won't go away. This is the longest and 2nd worst migraine I've ever had. My migraines come with an aura, meaning I lose my vision. So I did not bike home but called for a ride. While it's fun to close my eyes and ride a little ways, I did not want to truly take on the challenge of riding blind!

That sounds like an awful commute! My worst bike ride ever was when I had a migraine, and it was a really, really low level one. I can't imagine riding with an aura. Hugs to you, and I hope you feel better already!

[malkin]

oooh ow. Sorry about the migraine.
One time (and only one time) I rode as stoker on the tandem while coming on to a migraine. I felt nauseous and kept dodging imaginary things that were flying at me. Horrible.

Today's commute was cold, pleasant, uneventful. Work was even ok. All the cats were away and it was pretty nice for us mice.

[lph]

Oicks. I've planned a detour commute today, riding in the wrong direction for half an hour before joining up with two colleagues to follow the river down towards town. So I'm up early - it's pitch black out and I have no front lights. Baaad planning. Gotta go find a blinky.