My Morning Commute

[komorebi]

Second day in a row with a gorgeous sunrise. I’m lucky in that my normal commute route takes me along the Potomac. Yesterday, the sky was so colorful and the ice was so reflective that it looked like the river was on fire.
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Today, the clouds were straight out of a Turner painting.
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Sunrise + fresh air = the best way to wake up in the morning. (Well, at least until the day that I’m so busy gawking at the sunrise that I ride right off the trail and into the river. Then I’ll really be awake.)

[dplasters]

I’m sorry winter jacket. I know I filled you with more sweat than usual this morning, but you will be necessary this evening.

Forgive me.

[mstone]

@cyclingfool 107560 wrote:

Indeed. Exactly 13.986 Vincenzo Nibalis or 15.625 Nairo Quintanas.

Only 6 – 8 Real Americans.

[rcannon100]

KOMed every segment on the MVT downriver. Could barely get across the 14th St Bridge. Waves so big on the Potomac you could go surfing!

[vvill]

Crossing Roosevelt in that wind was even less fun than usual. The smug factor with the wide open morning sky and the queued up traffic just about made up for it though.

[Harry Meatmotor]

14th St. Br. was… entertaining? All i know is Topper Shutt is a liar. The windiest it’s been while I’ve ridden across the 14th St. Br. was sustained 30, gusts 45-55.

Today was worse than that day, despite Topper telling me sustained 15-20, gusts 30-35.

[Rod Smith]

@ShawnoftheDread 107507 wrote:

They had to reserve that section for the grass-skiing community.

There IS someone who lives within 1/2 mile from there who owns grass skis.

[Tim Kelley]

Hains Point this morning:

Front side at 300 watts = 25 mph
Back side at 300 watts = 15 mph

[Phatboing]

Nearly got blown into traffic on Gallows Rd. Fun.

On the other hand, it did seem like drivers noticed my plight (riding straight but at a 10-degree angle with the vertical), because they gave me the entire lane when passing me. Good on you people for being quality humans, y’all.

[dplasters]

@Harry Meatmotor 107597 wrote:

14th St. Br. was… entertaining? All i know is Topper Shutt is a liar. The windiest it’s been while I’ve ridden across the 14th St. Br. was sustained 30, gusts 45-55.

Today was worse than that day, despite Topper telling me sustained 15-20, gusts 30-35.

I am thrown off that as far as I’m aware there is no wind advisory today?? but to me the wind is kicking just as hard if not harder than any day the last few weeks.

[cyclingfool]

@Harry Meatmotor 107597 wrote:

14th St. Br. was… entertaining? All i know is Topper Shutt is a liar. The windiest it’s been while I’ve ridden across the 14th St. Br. was sustained 30, gusts 45-55.

Today was worse than that day, despite Topper telling me sustained 15-20, gusts 30-35.

I didn’t hear what Topper Shutt said, but I will concur that today was about as windy I’ve ever ridden in across the 14th Street Bridge in my now six years of year-round commuting.

Gravelly Point was no picnic either. There were three riders including myself in a line, all separated by a couple hundred feet, all in the drops or hunched over for better aero. All of us were pedaling away to maintain 7-8 mph into the wind, watching as rcannon said, waves, yes, waves with whitecaps and all, on the Potomac.

It was easier going up the hill/ramp onto the 14th St Bridge than it was riding in the flat portions of the trail that preceded it.

[dasgeh]

I didn’t feel much wind until suddenly, 3/4 of the way across the TR Bridge, it felt like a hand came from behind and tried to take my helmet off. That wind sustained until I got to Virginia Ave. Ugh.

[hozn]

@Tim Kelley 107601 wrote:

Hains Point this morning:

Front side at 300 watts = 25 mph
Back side at 300 watts = 15 mph

I was considering doing some HP laps after my hills this AM, but thought “wow, I can’t imagine anything more miserable than riding up the Potomac side of HP”. Good for you for getting out there. (Are you doing Thu AM workouts again?)

Riding up MacArthur was bad enough. The post-MD Arlington hills were so calm by comparison. All-in-all, a great workout!

[Tim Kelley]

@hozn 107611 wrote:

(Are you doing Thu AM workouts again?)

https://www.strava.com/activities/250713524

It’ll be ad-hoc for awhile, but I hope to start making it a regular thing once weather warms up. I’ll keep you in the loop.

[jrenaut]

@Tim Kelley 107612 wrote:

It’ll be ad-hoc for awhile, but I hope to start making it a regular thing once weather warms up. I’ll keep you in the loop.

Blasphemy!

[Author]

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