My Morning Commute

[sethpo]

@cyclingfool 83754 wrote:

I was thinking PNW (Pacific Northwest), but British works, too. Whichever is the better descriptor, I loved it! 50 with a light mist is perhaps my favorite riding weather.

I’m not exactly sure why, but I was absolutely thrilled with this morning’s ride. Started w/ the aforementioned mist but I also hit some pockets of solid rain. Was wearing a wool sweater and (non-wool) knickers along w/ wool socks and my winter shoes. I was both soaked and warm and very, very happy. In fact, by the time I was in D.C. I was a little too amped up and took a couple of risks I shouldn’t have…but got away w/ it fortunately.

Now I have all my gear hanging on my (and an adjacent) bike hoping to dry before this afternoon. Although putting on dry clothes really will only buy me about 5 extra minutes of dryness so…whatever! At least I get to make my office look and smell a little more earthy for the day.

I think my overall reaction to this morning’s ride was an appreciation for being outside in the elements and feeling very much alive and grateful for it. Mother nature isn’t always pleasant but that’s just part of her beauty, he said full of sanguine smugisfaction.

[KLizotte]

^^Ask the ladies if any of them have a hair dryer or use the dryers in the bathroom if you have them. Buy a cheap hairdryer and leave it at work. Or, roll the clothes in paper towels (or a regular towel) to get the worst of the moisture out then hang to dry (an old camping trick).

I stuck 3M plastic removable hooks all over my cubicle and adjacent walls and hang stuff everywhere. If I could, I would bring in a clothing rack and store most of my clothes here too.

[consularrider]

Good to see the Bike Arlington team out at the bike counter monolith giving high fives for the morning commuters for the start of Bike to Work Month. To bad I was on the wrong side of the street (for the second year).

[ShawnoftheDread]

Beautiful morning, complete with high fives. I ordered some new rain gear last night, so you’re welcome.

[rcannon100]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5425[/ATTACH]

Oops.

That’s my shifter cable sticking out of the out-of-focus picture.

[MattAune]

After talking all sort of shit about how I never gets flats on my 28mm gatorskins @ FCC, I got a damn flat right after I left.

I blame Shawn.

[ShawnoftheDread]

I never let shit-talking go unchecked. #DreadsCosmicRevenge

[cvcalhoun]

My morning commute involved going straight down and then straight up Wisconsin Avenue between K Street and the Cathedral, to avoid the quite literal shitstorm on the CCT. Sigh!

[vern]

The sun was rugged this morning on an eastbound commute.

[Drewdane]

Last night’s six-pack made this morning’s commute somewhat less than awesome, but it sure was a pretty morning anyway!

[Terpfan]

@cvcalhoun 84198 wrote:

My morning commute involved going straight down and then straight up Wisconsin Avenue between K Street and the Cathedral, to avoid the quite literal shitstorm on the CCT. Sigh!

I’ve been taking to Wisconsin more lately just to avoid all the joggers on the RCP. Each time I debate whether I will ride in the dooring zone to let people get around me on the climbs or take the lane. Invariably I choose the zone and each time I’m literally brushed by a Metro bus or a big truck. Need to remind myself to say screw those drivers and take the lane.

[pfunkallstar]

Tranquility abounded this morning – seriously considered calling in sick or dead, possibly maimed. Just…too…nice to stay indoors.

[cvcalhoun]

Believe me, I sympathize! I will happily take the lane when there is more than one lane in each direction. But when there is only one (or when all but one is under construction), I worry that doing so will annoy the drivers enough to make taking the lane more rather than less dangerous.

Of course, the one time I was hit by a car (a police car, at that!) on Wisconsin Avenue, I had taken the right lane (in a spot with no one parked there), and the police officer who was turning right from the center lane never even saw me. Sigh!

@Terpfan 84330 wrote:

I’ve been taking to Wisconsin more lately just to avoid all the joggers on the RCP. Each time I debate whether I will ride in the dooring zone to let people get around me on the climbs or take the lane. Invariably I choose the zone and each time I’m literally brushed by a Metro bus or a big truck. Need to remind myself to say screw those drivers and take the lane.

[dasgeh]

@Terpfan 84330 wrote:

I’ve been taking to Wisconsin more lately just to avoid all the joggers on the RCP. Each time I debate whether I will ride in the dooring zone to let people get around me on the climbs or take the lane. Invariably I choose the zone and each time I’m literally brushed by a Metro bus or a big truck. Need to remind myself to say screw those drivers and take the lane.

I’ve read a couple times that the least likely way to get hit when you’re on a bike is from behind. I love my family and don’t want to make them deal with me having been hit by a car. I take the lane.

[CPTJohnC]

I have no stories of woe, hardship or distress from this morning’s commute, my first full home to work commute in May. The weather was perfect, the traffic was modest and the drivers and pedestrians were (mostly) courteous and law abiding. We’ll see if that lasts for the ride home.

[Author]

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