My Morning Commute

[Rockford10]

@dkel 157732 wrote:

To the guy I saw on the W&OD out for a run on his two prosthetic legs…you are an inspiration, and you totally changed my day for the better. The next time someone tells me how hard bike riding is, I’m going to tell that person about you. If everyone lived up to your example, think of the things people would accomplish! Thank you for teaching me something valuable today!

The one in the red shirt? I saw him on my run this morning approximately two (three?) hours before your ride. He was almost at Citizen’s Bridge in Falls Church.

[dkel]

@Rockford10 157734 wrote:

The one in the red shirt? I saw him on my run this morning approximately two (three?) hours before your ride. He was almost at Citizen’s Bridge in Falls Church.

Uh…yes…and he was by the Vienna Community Center running east back towards Falls Church. That’s stunning. We all suck compared to that guy. He’s my new hero. Really.

[ginacico]

@dkel 157735 wrote:

We all suck compared to that guy.

Except Subby, who always wins.

Several years ago I was suffering up a big hill during a metric century, and was passed (not unusual) by a guy with one leg (whoa!).

[GovernorSilver]

@Emm 157726 wrote:

The spring season is not my friend so far. I went all freezing saddles not loosing my gloves, shoe covers, or other winter gear. This week I lost 2 gloves somewhere in my house, and then forgot one at work Tuesday (I switched from full finger to half gloves between AM and PM commutes). No worries I figured, I just wore a mismatched full finger pair the Wednesday morning, and thought I’d pick up my second nicer glove at the office when I got there. Not only did I STILL forget my second glove at the office last night, I also left my shoe covers under my desk which led to some seriously numb toes this AM. I spent most of this morning’s ride just telling myself “at least your not driving at least your not driving…” over and over again in an effort to keep my mood positive and ignore my cold feet.

On a positive note, Saturday looks lovely, so I’m really looking forward to a nice warm ride then!

If it makes you feel better, the first time I tried to use my balaclava, I wasted 10-15 searching for it, then rode to work thinking that I lost it. My anger at myself compensated for my ears getting cold. When I got into the locker room to take a shower, I realized I had the balaclava around my neck the whole time!

On another note, next time I ride in sub 35 F weather, I should try covering my nose/mouth with the balaclava. The congestion in my nose building up so that I can’t breathe through it, and only through the mouth, is a nasty feeling.

[cvcalhoun]

@Emm 157726 wrote:

The spring season is not my friend so far. I went all freezing saddles not loosing my gloves, shoe covers, or other winter gear. This week I lost 2 gloves somewhere in my house, and then forgot one at work Tuesday (I switched from full finger to half gloves between AM and PM commutes). No worries I figured, I just wore a mismatched full finger pair the Wednesday morning, and thought I’d pick up my second nicer glove at the office when I got there. Not only did I STILL forget my second glove at the office last night, I also left my shoe covers under my desk which led to some seriously numb toes this AM. I spent most of this morning’s ride just telling myself “at least your not driving at least your not driving…” over and over again in an effort to keep my mood positive and ignore my cold feet.

On a positive note, Saturday looks lovely, so I’m really looking forward to a nice warm ride then!

I had the opposite issue. The heated jacket I ordered arrived just in time for the nice spring weather. I got about two days’ use out of it before stuffing it into the closet for next year.

[Vicegrip]

@cvcalhoun 157769 wrote:

I had the opposite issue. The heated jacked I ordered arrived just in time for the nice spring weather. I got about two days’ use out of it before stuffing it into the closet for next year.

Put the battery in backwards for the summer!

[anomad]

Does anyone know who’s cervelo that was at 14th and Jefferson this morning? Looked bad, frame broken in 3 places, cracked helmet, clothes scissored off by EMTs.

I took what was salvageable to hopefully find the rider and return their stuff.
Contemplated locking what was left of the bike to the lamp post. But decided that might not help ultimately?

Hope the injuries were not too bad!

[sjclaeys]

While on the W&OD this morning, a squirrel shot out of the grass and went head first into the rim and tire of my front wheel. It immediately bounced off and scampered off. That is all.

[Crickey7]

The CCT was packed this morning. A week ago, I saw exactly half as many pileated woodpeckers as I did cyclists on my ride in.

[dkel]

@sjclaeys 157817 wrote:

While on the W&OD this morning, a squirrel shot out of the grass and went head first into the rim and tire of my front wheel. It immediately bounced off and scampered off. That is all.

Squirrels are idiots. They don’t even know how to get run over by a bike properly.

[Steve O]

@sjclaeys 157817 wrote:

While on the W&OD this morning, a squirrel shot out of the grass and went head first into the rim and tire of my front wheel. It immediately bounced off and scampered off. That is all.

Why does everyone else have all the luck? 20 years commuting and the only animals I’ve ever struck are insects and humans.

[Phatboing]

@Steve O 157830 wrote:

Why does everyone else have all the luck? 20 years commuting and the only animals I’ve ever struck are insects and humans.

Don’t forget earthworms! After an early-ride massacre today, I resolved to avoid anything earthwormy-looking. There are now many safe twigs in Seattle.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Yesterday, I rode my Cervelo road bike, but when reviewing the ride I noticed the power numbers seemed a bit low compared to my ride on Monday (for the same segment) on my gravel bike. I figured it could be due to wind or fatigue or whatever, but today’s ride on my gravel bike seemed to confirm that either my Cervelo is waaaaaaaaay more efficient than my gravel bike, or there’s a calibration issue with one of my power meters (Stages on the gravel bike, Garmin Vector on the Cervelo, both left-side only. I always calibrate at the start of my rides). My suspicion is that the Vector pedal needs to be re-torqued, so I’ll try that first. If not, I’ll throw the Vectors on my gravel bike and see how the numbers line up with two power meters on the same bike.

Also, kinda crazy that the time/pace numbers here are for two drastically different bikes. 1st (Monday) and 3rd (today) are the gravel bike. Aluminum frame, 700×35 tubeless tires, ~21lbs. Middle (Wednesday) is my Cervelo. Carbon frame, 700×23 tube clinchers, ~19lbs.

[EasyRider]

I was on the Washington Blvd path near the Pentagon this morning, and was nearly knocked off my bike by the rotor wash of three helicopters that passed directly overhead and then landed. Pretty cool!

[DrP]

Thoughts on the way to work:

So, where is everyone? Most days there are people passing me, sometimes calling it, on their road bikes and e-assist or electric bikes all thinking they are bad-asses for passing the flat-bar-hybrid-with-full-panniers who is a little slow on the uphills (and often pissed off on the downhills when you aren’t fast enough and I catch-up). Temperature is same as yesterday. Oh, I see it is the rain. Really. Rain is keeping you off the trails. What, do you melt in the rain? They make some rain gear that still makes you look cool. Oh, but you would still get wet. Really. You are not bad-asses. You are poseurs. Wannabees. FAKE. We know who the real bad-asses are. Look, even the geese are walking away from me today. Afraid of a little rain. SAD. Yes, my shoes are full of water, there is crud on my face and back from my tires, but I am still biking. I am a bad-ass.

[Author]

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