Tag Archives: Commuting

First Commute Ride in over a Year

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I had no idea that it’d been that long. The last time I rode my bike to work was October 3rd, 2008. Well, unless you count today, that is.

I dressed well for the chill 44°F air, and 12mph ENE wind. Naturally, I’m heading SE, so it was a head/side wind. The wind will undoubtedly shift so that it’s a head/side wind this evening.

The only thing I’d change is the panniers. The TransIt Garment Bag is a great bag, and I’d recommend it to anyone, though I would stress trying it on for size first. On every back stroke, my heels scraped the front of the bag, and it’s set on the rack about as far back as it’ll go. Were the strap on the front of the bag that ties it to the seat tube a little longer, it might work better. As it is, though, it’s going to scrape.

So, tonight I’ll bring clothes for the rest of the week in to work (I have to come back up here anyway – and yes, I’ll drive due to the schedule and the various buildings I have to visit), and try to figure out something to do with the panniers.

The digs in the new building aren’t ideal, but I’ll make it work.

All in all, it’s damn nice to be back on the saddle again.

First Test Ride

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I just dropped my car off at the shop to get the ignition looked at. It doesn’t like to start in the cold. Contrary to all previous experience, they were unable to give me a ride home after I dropped the car off. I had a feeling this would be the case, so I’m glad I called to confirm it. Rather than scramble to find a ride, I just used it as a test ride to make sure all was in order for the bike commuting, which I start tomorrow.

All was in order with the bike.

With me, however… I’m a touch out of shape.

Missing the Saddle

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I really do miss the daily riding. Every day I see one or two people riding their bikes to work. Ironically, I see more people riding bikes now that I’m driving, than I saw while I was riding. They look like well seasoned and responsible riders too. No wrong-way bike ninjas, these. They’re sporting all the requisite lights, panniers, layers and neon wind breakers. I think one of them even has the new 2010 Kona Dew Drop. It probably has more miles on it already than my ’09 model.

Sigh.

It wasn’t all fun and games. I know there was pain. I know that there were days when my fingers and toes hurt so bad from the cold and wind I could barely stand it, and honestly wondered if I’d arrive to find frostbite setting in.

I know there was frustration. It was sometimes burdensome having to plan so carefully for weather that goes by barely noticed from inside my car. Wearing winter clothing on the way to work, and summer clothing on the way home was tough to plan for. I got used to it, and learned my temperature comfort thresholds, but I had to get used to.

While I know there was pain and frustration, true to the natural tendencies of the human mind, I don’t remember it. I remember the sense of pride. I remember the feel of the cool wind. I remember forgetting my helmet a couple of times, and being so liberated by the wind in my hair that I only begrudgingly went back to get it. Once, I didn’t. I felt so very… European.

I remember being more aware of, and more connected to the world around me.

I remember being more aware of, and more connected to the world within me.

I remember loving the extra time to myself that I had to think.

What started as a training exercise, building up to the 2008 Triple Bypass, turned into a fantastic educational and thoroughly enjoyable experience.

I learned more about the way I drive during that one year of riding than I did in 16 years of driving.

I remember finding it strange that every day someone said “be careful out there” when it was obvious to me that it’s just as dangerous, if not more so, to drive. By the numbers, anyway.

I find it remarkable that since I’ve been driving, no one has told me to “be careful out there.” Not once.

I remember feeling proud of myself, and smiling while people told me I was crazy. I knew something they didn’t. I knew something they couldn’t.

They look forward to arriving at home. I looked forward to getting there.

I Miss My New Bike

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I’ve gotten pretty good at the rollers*. Every day I ride a little longer and a little harder. There’s no doubt that it’s good preparation, even if it’s neither ideal, nor as enjoyable as actual outdoor riding.

Still, I miss my new bike. It’s hanging on the wall in the little bike alcove I made last year, and hasn’t seen any action in weeks. I console it every day as I pass by, knowing that at my approach, it’s gears start to vibrate and it’s chain starts to glisten, but I continue on my way, and it’s left hanging. Poor thing. I’m a bad bikefriend.

But it’s just too cold out for me. I proved I could do it last year, and realized that it just wasn’t any fun at all. Furthermore, I don’t have any way to have a car both at work and at home when I commute by bike these days. I could feasibly stop with the wussing, and deal with the cold, but the logistics of needing a car here and there, and only having the one for both places are, at least for the moment, prohibitively difficult to overcome.

When it warms up, I may find a way to commute a couple two or three times a week into work, but I think, at least until I find myself with either two cars, or a roommate with a car I have evening access to, cycling to work full time is so very 2008. The latter may happen this summer. That would be cool.

At least, when it warms up, I’ll be able to take her out for evening and weekend spins. I know she’d enjoy it, and I know I would too. She really is quite pretty, and deserves the attention. She may not be able to see it now, but she’ll get it. Of that I have no doubt whatsoever.

* Some notes on the roller activities on motionbased.com… The mileage, while accurate in terms of GPS data, doesn’t reflect the equivalent miles, given the amount of time, and speed while on the saddle. The moving time, similarly, doesn’t appear to be accurate at all, leaving the total time as a better guage of actual saddle time. Elevation schmelevation. The Edge 705 is fantastic for outdoor riding statistics… not so hot for indoor stats.

I don’t like too many inches…

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In the break room this morning I was chatting with a co worker. She mentioned that they were predicting snow this week. I’m not in the old habit of checking the forecast yet, so it was a surprise to me.

“No. Snow you say?”
“Yes. Snow, even as I say it.”
“And so you do. Fah. I hope it’s not too bad.”
“Tell me, may I ask you a question?”
“Certainly. You may ask anything, but I reserve the right to refuse to answer.”
“But of course. This then, is my question.”
“I anxiously await your question. Please note how I stand ready.”
“Here it is then: Will you be riding your bike in the snow?”
“Certainly! But only if it snows lightly. I don’t like too many inches, after all.”

I’ll leave it up to the reader to find the humor in that. If you found it, you and I think alike. If not… then I must admit to part of me being rather proud of you.

And a question of my own, posed to you: Can you guess the name of the author I’m reading right now?

Once more into the breach, dear friends…

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The Dew Drop, having arrived, and then having been equipped for commuting, was used for the first time this fine December 1st (in an interesting, if relatively insignificant, bit of serendipity) to great effect.

It was an uneventful ride, which, truth be told, is how I’d prefer it. I must admit it would be nice to have a remarkable ride, if what I was remarking upon was an overabundance of wealth falling out of the back of a truck and the owner giving me a shrug and a *meh*, thus indicating that his misfortune was my fortune, or, having already secured said swag, I rode around, tossing money at puzzled pedestrians while flailing about and yelling in a frightening manner. However, given the very nature of this activity I’ve decided to partake in, and the nature of those who share the thoroughfares and byways on which I perform said partaking, it is more likely, though not, I maintain, inevitable, that I would remark upon the remarkable from a hospital bed, having had not money thrown at me, but several tons of metal and plastic controlled (not controlled?) by an inattentive pilot.

Temperature at departure… 27°F. with a pretty good NW crosswind. I was chilly, but not overly so, thanks to my clothing choices.

Feet: Wool socks, plastic bags over the toes, MTB shoes and neoprene toe covers.
Legs: Neoprene leg covers and sweats.
Torso: Neoprene base layer and a windbreaker.
Head: Headcover and helmet.
Hands: Salsa Cycles N’Agua gloves.

About the only thing I expect to change as the temperatures drop is fleece pull over layer, swapping out the N’Agua’s with the Toastadas, and adding full foot neoprene boots for the feet.

Plus, disc brakes rock.

Living solo as I do these days, I don’t have the benefit of being able to leave my car here at work, needing it, as I often do, after hours. So, instead, I’ve had to alter how I get my work clothes to work. I previously outlined three methods, reproduced here for your convenience:

Method, The First: Involved packing the next day’s clothes each night (or frantically in the morning) in the panniers and carrying them with me every day. Method, The Second: I tried driving a week’s worth of clothes into work Sunday night, and then exchanging them for another weeks worth of clothes the following Sunday. Method, The Third: Drive a weeks worth of clothes in on the first work day of the week, leave the car at work, and drive everything back on the last.

The first method is out. I used that method for quite a while, and have decided that I’m just not a fan.

The third method won’t work for reasons just discussed. In case you’re short term memory is similar to mine these days, it’s b/c I need my car in the evenings.

That leaves the second method. It did not work out so well previously b/c I had the option of evening transportation. Without that in place, necessity (and a desire to not pack my clothes every single day) forces me to give it another shot. I’ll let you know how it works out. I’m sure you simply cannot wait.

1. Place Bit Between Teeth 2. Chomp

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The Dew Drop is about a week away, and I’m chomping at the bit. I’ve hardly ridden at all this month. Looking back, it’s been almost as slow as February, and I was sick and out of town for much of that month.

And perhaps most distressing is that somewhere in there, I missed Fall. When I tore down the Fire Mountain (pics), it was warm. I was wearing shorts. When I pick up the Dew Drop, it’ll be cold, and I’ll be wearing long layers. That’s really only a shame for my fan club here at work that likes to watch me ride off… they’ll have to wait until Spring for the Good Stuff again. Back to the point at hand, what happened to it? Where’d Fall go? Granted, I’ve been a little bit preoccupied with personal stuffs around here, but still… I thought I’d notice when Fall stepped aside for Winter. One day it was nice, the next it was freezing at night, and barely hitting 60 at the height of the day. And here I was, completely oblivious. I mentioned to a friend, aghast, that it had hit 27°F the night before. She looked at me, clearly bored, and told me it’d done so for the last several nights.

I missed the first freeze of the year! I just wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t have to. That makes me sad.

I can’t wait for the Dew Drop to get here so I can start paying attention again. After all, I really can’t until it arrives, can I? I mean, what would be the point?

And now another thought occurs to me… I wonder how the Dew Drop’s smoother tires will handle the harsher weather that those of us around here know that Kansas can deliver? Should I invest in another set of wheels on which to put knobbies for the harsher days? Or should I just buy new tires and swap them out? New wheels would cost some cash, what with the wheels, and the tires, and the freewheels, and the mech brakes, but would it be worth it? Tell you what. I’ll figure out the cost and post another one of them survey things. I’ll let you decide what I should do.

Speaking of surveys, the last one got quite the response (considering the back woods corner of the web I occupy here), with an overwhelmingly positive slant towards “Yes, he can, so long as he has either George Clooney or Marky Mark’s help, or that he enlist Jack Knoff and Drew Peacock as wing men.” It was an interesting survey. I’d post a fancy chart, but it would be one big block of color. Boring.

Ok. Ok… here you go…

I think the answers are too long for Google to handle them well, so those miniscule, too small to read words say: “Yes, of course he can!” and “Needs George Clooney’s Help. (Marky Mark is optional).”

So, there you have it.

Random Musings…

I can’t help but appreciate this.

And I’m not the only one that found this one particularly moving. I misted up a little myself…

Looming Goals

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My 5,000 mile goal for 2008 is looking… dicey. Cold weather approaches. A couple of trips out of town coming up. A certain lack of a commuting bike at the moment. It’s a perfect storm standing between me and safe harbor. Perhaps worst of all, Noah is slated to pass me TODAY! Gah!

And I love that windbreaker too, btw… it’s brilliant!

Tell me…

News on the Dew, and Quickies

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Ok, it doesn’t look like the Dew will be here until the first week of November. Bah. So, it’s either ride the Torelli to work, or drive, and make up the miles after work on recreational/training rides.

I think I’m opting for the latter.

I may not make my goal of 150 commute days this year, but I’m damn sure going to make my goal of 5,000 miles this year. 750(ish) to go.

Friday night we went to BB ‘s Lawnside Bar-B-Que, where we saw the Bill Lupkin Blues Band. I prefer southern blues, specifically the Stevie Ray Vaughn style of blues/rock, over the Chicago/KC jazz imbued blues, but that said, I’ll take live over recorded any day, and Mr. Lupkin delivered.

Cafe Casbah, at 8609 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210 just east of Quivira on the south side of 119th is a fantastic little restaurant. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but the food is phenomenal. Saturday night, I had a seafood stuffed pastry in a lobster sauce. I sopped every last bit up with bread.

I wasn’t that impressed with Dungeon Siege 2 at first, but it’s grown on me. I know, I know… I’m a bit late to the game, but I’ve hardly played any in the last 4 years.

That is all.

The Dew is Late These Mornings…

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The Dew Drop isn’t in yet… not sure when it will be. That means I’m stuck in the car indefinitely. Bah. I made it this far, only to be stymied by ancient components and delayed shipping.

I could ride the Torelli, but… no. It’s been through a couple of hard crashes, and I’m not interested in providing any more opportunity for the same than necessary. I’m saving it for rides that are not commutes… the daily wear is not what those expensive components are destined for, at least not on my watch.

So… it’ll be evening and weekend rides for me until the Drop gets in.

*sigh*