How Was Your Commute Today?

[redrhodie]

A pack of these headbands, and they were more than this price! I knew they seemed expensive.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/sh...e_Free_Listing

[Biciclista]

those things keep your ears warm?!?!

[Crankin]

Melavai, we buy our CO2 cartridges from a hunting supply store on-line. They come in a huge box (like a life time supply) and the price works out to about .50 a cartridge, as opposed to the $4.00 bike stores charge.
Do an on line search and you will find several options.

[redrhodie]

those things keep your ears warm?!?!

It's more for keeping the wind out, but they do offer just enough of warmth for yesterday, (it was in the 50s) along with a cycling cap for the rain. In winter, I wear a buff for warmth, but I really can't ride comfortably without a headband, too. I even wear them in summer, for both wind and sweat. On the hottest days, it's too much, but I feel naked without it.

[7rider]

On the hottest days, it's too much, but I feel naked without it.

I've gotten to the point where I have to have a headsweat or buff on under my helmet...regardless of the weather. I, too, feel like I've forgotten something if I slap my helmet on my head without one.

Today, I seemed to hit every green light and every clear intersection. I barely had to put a foot down the whole ride in. Sweet.

I brought my grocery pannier, as I expect to do some shopping at lunch. But I ended up "buying" a small gym bag - I put that in quotes b/c it cost me loyalty points at my fitness center rather than cash - to fill a gap in my bag collection () for a small-ish duffle when I head to the gym or workout with only a minimal amount of crap needed. My other bags are either too big or too small. Anyway...now I'm stuck with the quandry of how I'm going to get all this stuff home this afternoon. I want the duffle for the weekend, so I can't leave it at work. It's going to be a very heavy, bungee-cord clad ride home.....

[Tri Girl]

It's going to be a very heavy, bungee-cord clad ride home.....

but that's the best kind!


the ride in today was good! I left later than normal, so had to bust a gut to make it to work on time. Thankfully even when I'm running late, my commute is only 3 miles so it's not like it's that far.

I have been wearing my work clothes on the bike this week, and I learned a valuable lesson yesterday: I not only need to wear an ankle-band to secure my pant leg on the drivetrain side, I need to wear one on the other leg too- because I figured out that the giant cuff on the other pant leg kept getting caught on the water bottle cage and yanking my pants down every few strokes. Problem solved today- two giant reflective pant leg protectors. I'm a dork.

[azfiddle]

I have been trying to ride to work every Friday since it has gotten lighter- with about 60% success. I rode on Tuesday this week because Friday is a holiday. For the first time ever, I had company for half my ride- a fellow commuter who was on the same route. Turns out, he works at home on Friday. I see a few others on my driving days, but they seem to be on a slightly later timetable. It was nice on the way in- almost 60, but windy and warm in the afternoon. I sandwiched a 15 mile recreational ride in after work with 2 friends so it was almost 34 for the day.

[VeganBikeChick]

I'm a newbie commuter. Today I biked a whole 2 miles to my workplace and realized just how out of shape I am! It probably didn't help that the route to work is all uphill and I'm not exactly a fan of hills...yet. But I made it there and back to tell the story and hope that continuing to tackle the hills will make them easier.

[redrhodie]

I'm a newbie commuter. Today I biked a whole 2 miles to my workplace and realized just how out of shape I am! It probably didn't help that the route to work is all uphill and I'm not exactly a fan of hills...yet. But I made it there and back to tell the story and hope that continuing to tackle the hills will make them easier.

It will! I promise! Good for you.

[Biciclista]

Rode to work, 3rd commute this week. EARTHDAY!

[Tri Girl]

I'm a newbie commuter. Today I biked a whole 2 miles to my workplace and realized just how out of shape I am! It probably didn't help that the route to work is all uphill and I'm not exactly a fan of hills...yet. But I made it there and back to tell the story and hope that continuing to tackle the hills will make them easier.

The most important part of this story is that YOU DID IT!!!! Congrats on your first commute! It WILL get easier- that's a guarantee!!!



And I wanted to share with you something that is a first for me. Of the last 10 days of work, I have commuted all 10. Of the last 15, I've commuted 12 (sick 2 and lazy one day).
I usually commute 2-3 days a week, but I have made it a goal of mine to commute every day until the end of the school year (which is the 27th of May). So far I'm doing really well. It really doesn't take much longer than driving, and once I've gotten into the habit- I'm much better at getting things ready the night before and having a routine to make it quick and easy.
I'm loving it!!!!

[radacrider]

@VeganBikeChick - Awesome, congratulations! Just getting started is a huge success. Once you get a few more in, it will just feel normal to ride the bike to work.

----
I'm still running 100% since the first of the year. Today was so wonderful, sunny AND warm here in Portland! Lot's of people out walking, jogging, strollering, biking. The daily commuting (avg about 6 miles each way) has not only made me stronger, but I've also lost a few of the extra pounds I've had.

The other cool thing is my son, with me 1/2 the time, is nearly 100%, he got a car ride once because he was still recuperating. Home to school is 4-1/2 miles. He's gotten not just stronger, but his skills are pretty good, too.

[Bike Writer]

Commuted to work today and have yet to go home but it's no big deal because it's so short. More of a protest against high gas prices. The weather has not been conducive to commutes up until a week or so ago. Going to try to commute as often as possible. My biggest obstacle is out of the office meetings on some days.

[redrhodie]

Fun commute, as always. Riding my bike is always the best part of going to work. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but I don't know if I would love it as much if I had to drive there more than once in a while. It's a nice ride, by the ocean, then up a bike path, which goes through woods and swamps. At this time of the year, there's not much traffic on the path, but in a few weeks, it will get to busy with kids on summer break. Right now, it's pretty serene.

I always pass an old man on the path, who walks 2 old dogs. He stops off to the side, giving me the whole path, nodding his head as I pass. It's very chivalrous. I can tell how early or late I am by where he is. We are both creatures of habit.

I don't get these human connections when I drive.

[Tri Girl]

I always pass an old man on the path, who walks 2 old dogs. He stops off to the side, giving me the whole path, nodding his head as I pass. It's very chivalrous. I can tell how early or late I am by where he is. We are both creatures of habit.

I don't get these human connections when I drive.

I love that you said this. I meet a man on my way to work almost every morning. He's walking to work, it seems, and always eating an apple or a banana when I pass him. A couple weeks ago I saw him much further down the street than normal, so I looked at my watch and sure enough-I was running late. We always say "good morning." I can't wait until it's warm enough that I can actually see his whole head to know what he looks like without being all bundled up.