How Was Your Commute Today?

[lph]

oo-er - cold. It was just around freezing, which isn't bad because it's dry as a bone everywhere and no ice, so no studded tires, but I managed to entice a couple of friends with me on a detour ride to work which got a bit cold. We rode down to the bottom of the valley and tried to follow the river all the way down to the fjord, partly path, partly gravel road, part detour onto the road. Fun, but riding fairly slowly and evenly downhill in a slight breeze for an hour gets your feet chilly!

[redrhodie]

Ugh, I overslept this morning! I never do that. Too late to ride. I think I let myself sleep because the forecast was rain, and I usually drive if it's raining. Of course, no rain fell while I woulda-coulda-shoulda been riding.

Pumping my tires and laying out my clothes tonight so this won't happen again tomorrow, the last day of work for me this week.

[7rider]

Windy this p.m.
But...my new Hincapie jacket arrived from Bonktown. I am a total Imelda Marcos when it comes to jackets....I can't get enough of them! It's supposed to be cold(er) tomorrow. Yay! I think I'm going to wear my new jacket in....

[Biciclista]

lol I stayed home today. Then i needed to go downtown and walked a mile to the light rail and rode IT down town and then walked the mile back up the hill.

[blackhillsbiker]

First full commute today in a long time. It started out misty and wet, but it was glorious this evening. The sun came out, no wind, and the trail was dry. I stretched my 4 miles out to 10 miles, then I began to run out of daylight. I still don't have very good lights, so no dark rides yet. I've been scoping out studded snow tires, but I hope this nice weather will hold for a couple more paychecks.

Happy Deb

The only problem is that I keep my bike in the same room as I work in. I could swear she whimpers all day to go outside and play. Makes it hard to get much done!

[redrhodie]

On last night's commute, I came within inches of hitting a car. The car had just passed me and was stopping at a stop sign. Even though I had plenty of time and wasn't going that fast, I couldn't brake hard enough to stop. I had to put a foot down while still moving so I didn't hit its bumper.

I turned around and went to the lbs, which was a couple of blocks away. Jim adjusted my brakes, but they still don't seem quite right. I'm cleaning the rims in a few minutes to see if that helps. I think they might be dirty from my last ride on this bike, which was wet. Or, they could be greasy from lubing the chain. Hopefully, that's all it is. It's scary not to be able to stop in time!

Edit, It's a few hours later...I cleaned my rims, went for a ride, and still couldn't stop. Came home, took off the wheels, and filed down the brake pads. Ah hah! Micro chips of glass were imbedded in the pads. Took her out again, and could stop on a dime. Yay!

[kfergos]

Well, ladies, I've been haunting the commuting section of this forum pretty consistently for the last few years. That may change: Yesterday I was laid off. This is actually excellent news, because I was planning giving my 2 weeks' notice Tuesday (I have an internship in Seattle), but by waiting a day I get severance pay and unemployment benefits. It still feels really strange, though, and I already miss the routine of commuting, even if it IS below freezing and supposed to rain this afternoon. I guess I'll go out in an hour or so and just...ride. No destination. Odd.

My last commute was really quite nice, though. It was 31°F and sunny; I rode the Xtracycle so I could bring home my personal stuff from work. It seemed fitting, too, because that bike (pre-Xtracycle, of course) and I started this whole commuting thing together; it was right that we end this phase together. I walked across the wooden bridge because the wood, still wet from the previous day's rain, had frozen into a solid ice sheet with frost on top, and I have regular slicks. It took me an hour to ride the 13 miles. Even on the Xtracycle that's slow for me, but I think I was unconsciously trying to drag it out because I knew what was coming when I got to work. Then I got to ride back again less than 2 hours later, and it was even more beautiful: The sun was up but not high, so it lit up the trees and their colored leaves brilliantly. There wasn't much traffic at 9:00 compared to 7:15. It felt like I was saying goodbye to everything as I went. I'm glad I got to bike commute my last day at work. It seemed right somehow.

Today, though, and until January, I won't have any official commute. Now I have to get enough motivation to ride when I don't have to. This is really an odd feeling.

[Becky]

Windy this p.m.
But...my new Hincapie jacket arrived from Bonktown. I am a total Imelda Marcos when it comes to jackets....I can't get enough of them! It's supposed to be cold(er) tomorrow. Yay! I think I'm going to wear my new jacket in....

How do you like that jacket? I've been eyeing it on Bonktown whenever it comes up, but haven't been able to convince myself that I need another cycling softshell...

[7rider]

How do you like that jacket? I've been eyeing it on Bonktown whenever it comes up, but haven't been able to convince myself that I need another cycling softshell...

It was great. Nice long arms, which I love, and a snug fit, but not constricting. Great pockets. Cons are: no lined sleeves, so things were a little sticky sliding my arms in. However, a silk baselayer and the jacket were perfect for my 40 degree (4 C) commute in the a.m. With a warmer baselayer, it'd probably be fine for mid-30's or so. I think (or rather, I'll rationalize) it will fit in nicely b/t my Descente and Castelli heavier jackets, and my Descente wind shell. Yeah.

Unfortunately, it was raining by the afternoon, so I totally wimped out and took Metro home. DH plans to swing by at noon today with the truck so we can go out for lunch (maybe) and he can get the bike out of the locker and bring it home, as it's supposed to be 40's and raining for the rest of the week (and weekend). Blech.

[divingbiker]

it's supposed to be 40's and raining for the rest of the week (and weekend). Blech.

Yeah, I rode in today in that mess. Didn't see another bike on the road until I got to my building, and there were about 5 of us who had ridden in.

Cold, wet, but not quite as miserable as I thought it would be. I need to drag out my winter clothes, I guess.

I might have to hitch a ride home if it's like this later today.

[tulip]

Today, though, and until January, I won't have any official commute. Now I have to get enough motivation to ride when I don't have to. This is really an odd feeling.

If you have to get laid off, you couldn't wish for better than for it to happen one day before you were going to quit anyways!! That was a beautiful post.

It's very difficult for me to get motivated to "just ride my bike" without a commute. There's just something so useful about a commute that makes it so satisfying. I love just going for a bike ride, once I'm out on the road, but there's always something else more pressing. Maybe because I do work and I'm very busy. I just work from home so there's no commute.

Best of luck to you! 13 miles on an Xtracycle in one hour is very impressive.

[Biciclista]

After chickening out every other day this week, I rode in today.
Feeling tentative, as the road was wet. and of course, it might dump on me going home but at least it will be daylight.

[lph]

so sorry you were laid off, kfergos! i fully understand you missing your commute. Nothing quite like being forced to go out there and see what the weather has in store for you that day.

[Tri Girl]

today it was sunny- first time in a couple weeks. It was amazing! I took the long way home to get in some extra time in the sun. Ahhh... sunshine! (even if it was cool).

[lph]

.......eeerk. It's just above freezing, and POURING out. I am not looking forward to this commute.... (no emoticon available, it should look a little like this and a little like this and a little like this and a little just resigned)