My Evening Commute

[Dickie]

Was not my finest. It started OK as I stopped off at Bikenetic to see Dirt and talk new cross/commuter tires as mine are completely shot and flatting all the time. Dirt was not around but Jan was glad to help out. I left informed but without new rubber for now. Back on the WOD and being careful to elude the dreaded FCPD I slowed at the Grove St. crossing only to be passed by a dude with absolutely no regard for the stop sign. He flew through the intersection just as I was getting clipped in without even a look. He then pulled the ultimate DB move, passing (and nearly clipping) two woman with strollers as they crossed paths with a gentleman walking towards them… yep, four abreast with him at speed. The gentleman yelled and put his hands out for protection and the ladies screamed. I slowed, apologized for his behavior and chased the scum down. As I got next to him (and gestured for him to remove his headphones) I became possessed by a sudden calmness (weird). I decided to politely explain what I had just witnessed and suggested better methods for future situations… he tolerated my intrusion and then I flatted. DANG IT! Luckily it was directly in front of the “Free Air” station on the WOD so I rolled my bike to the station, leaned my steed against the air machine (you can see where this is going), started taking off my back pack when I watched my bike slowly roll forward and fall against the pole…. result:

Needless to say, wasn’t a great ride home.

Topic

[Tania]

Way more pleasant (and fun) than I’d anticipated.

Was #205 on monolith and only saw one other cyclist.

[DrP]

First commute home from my new job. Glad that the sun is setting after five so that I could do the first bit, which I tried once in December, while it was light out. I was on 4MRT and W&OD by the time it was getting dark enough to need some light.

The parts of the commute through Ballston for my trip to the gym were not as pleasant as all the people who think the bike lane is for parking were out. Also those who do not look in the bike lane before making a right turn. Sure as I yelled at him he noticed, but then he decided to just stop and luckily I did too or would have ended up in his hatchback. So, stopping short in the bike lane was supposed to be helpful to whom, exactly?

[Crickey7]

Looking a bit rough for the W&OD set tonight.

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[Rockford10]

@Crickey7 153607 wrote:

Looking a bit rough for the W&OD set tonight.

Depends on which way you are going.

[huskerdont]

You’re taunting the westward-bound and 20 mph is all you got? You should have waited until Feb or March when there will likely be some real winds.

[Tania]

@huskerdont 153611 wrote:

You’re taunting the westward-bound and 20 mph is all you got? You should have waited until Feb or March when there will likely be some real winds.

Seriously. A 20mph headwind is normal.

[dasgeh]

@Crickey7 153607 wrote:

the W&OD set tonight.

I had a meeting out there last night during the evening commute, and I confess I didn’t appreciate how many were in the W&OD set. It was CRAZY. And there were some great light set-ups.

[jrenaut]

Posting from the middle of the river after I was blown off the 14th Street Bridge. My pannier is a nice flotation device and my phone is surprisingly water-proof.

These miles floating count for Freezing Saddles, right?

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[Tania]

@jrenaut 153646 wrote:

Posting from the middle of the river after I was blown off the 14th Street Bridge. My pannier is a nice flotation device and my phone is surprisingly water-proof.

These miles floating count for Freezing Saddles, right?

…starts rethinking taking TR bridge home…

[DanB]

Crossing the Roosevelt Bridge was touch-and-go. I mean, I think my tires actually lifted off the pavement.

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[dbb]

@jrenaut 153646 wrote:

These miles floating count for Freezing Saddles, right?

Only if you are on Team Slacker!

[jrenaut]

@dbb 153658 wrote:

Only if you are on Team Slacker!

I’ll never be a slacker

[OneEighth]

I was definitely not in Kansas anymore by the time I got across the 14th Street Bridge.

[cvcalhoun]

My evening commute would have been a lot nicer if it hadn’t started by discovering that someone had stolen my jacket, my Bar Mitts, my gloves, my headlight, and my Garmin –just in time for a ride in the dark, the cold, and the wind. The good news, such as it is, for tonight’s ride, was that they left my heavy wool sweater, I have a Cycliq Fly 12 video camera and headlight (which I’d taken up to my office for a master reset and a charge, because it had been acting up) in addition to my regular headlight, and I have a watch which is also a Garmin. Longer term, the best news was that they left behind my Cycliq Fly 6 video camera and tail light, and my Ortlieb panniers, either of which was actually more valuable than the Bar Mitts.

I think I’ll be taking my bike up to my office, instead of leaving it parked in the garage, until my firm moves to a new building which will have a bike cage.

[huskerdont]

The bigly winds are on Key Bridge. By the time it reaches Roosevelt Bridge, it’s been lessened like 50% because of obstacles and the bend in the river. Skience Fakt.

[Author]

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