Much like yesterday and Wednesday, I had beautiful weather all day, a nice ride to lunch, and a windy ride home. Today presented an especially wicked headwind most of the way home.
Miles Ridden: 14.3
UPDATE: I forgot to mention that I rode to work in a suit today. That’s right – coat and tie, dress pants, shiny black shoes. Now that’s riding in style!
In the style of Noah of KC, here’s a photographic record of today’s commute.
It was one of those mornings where things just wouldn’t go right. I had a real tough time getting out of the door on time, and it didn’t help when the puppy shot out of the door and across the street. It took me 10 minutes to catch her before I could leave. So, I ended up being late for work.
On the way in, I was having imaginary arguments with drivers who harassed me – even though in real life they were all courteous and safe around me.
At lunch, I decided to grab a Subway, but instead of walking three blocks to the Village location, I rode a mile to the west side. That little ride changed my whole mood, and the afternoon went really well.
On my way home on the South Work Route, I passed a group of students with radar guns who seemed to be doing a speed study on the highway. I asked the young lady with the gun how fast I was going, and she got a good laugh out of it.
If she had been measuring my speed, it probably would have clocked in at 7 or 8 MPH, as I was fighting a pretty fierce headwind. The Weather Channel reported sustained winds at 20, with gusts up to 40. Still, I had a great time and a strong workout.
Miles Ridden: 11.2
I chuckled as I read the Slackers Guide to Bike Commuting on Commute by Bike because I do most of these things. (I’d probably do #7 if I lived farther away)
There is actually some great advice there that could make things much easier for any commuter, especially a beginner.
Slackers Unite!
The neighbor and I rode to work today with a light tailwind pushing us in. He also joined me on the way home on a variation of the North Work Route. That light tailwind had turned into a pretty strong headwind, which we really noticed on Lindberg Road. We took turns pulling until we got to the south turnoff on 400W
Miles Ridden: 11.8
This afternoon, the neighbor and I took a quick trip to the bridge and back, and his wife joined us on her new bike. It’s a Specialized comfort bike of some sort, and she really likes it.
More than once, he and I were pedaling and talking, and we didn’t notice that she had fallen way behind. A couple of times, we doubled back to keep the group together.
Miles Ridden: 9.2
Following day after day of cold, windy, rainy, nasty conditions, we have been given two marvelous days this weekend. For today, I decided to ride to Hodson’s Bay to take a look around at their semi-annual sale. Plus, I talked my wife’s nephew into heading out with me.
He didn’t want to make the entire 9-10 mile run, so we took a quick circle around the Fort with him on my son’s otherwise unused bike. He felt pretty proud of riding 4 miles.
After I left him at the entrance to my subdivision, I headed east to the bike shop. It was crowded even 15 minutes before closing time. I browsed through the tables and wall displays, and came out with tubes, lube, a headlight, and a multi-tool. The guy in front of me bought two bikes – for him and his son – for just under a grand.
I came back home through campus, noticing many riders all along the route. Once home, it was time to hurry back to town to get supper from Fazoli’s.
Miles Ridden: 13.0
Hopefully, the neighbor and I will get out tomorrow.
For the past couple of months I’ve been reading a journal on the Crazy Guy site by Jeff Kruys. I probably originally heard about him on another cycling blog, but I can’t remember now which one it was.
He is on a several year tour of the Americas starting in Victoria, BC. After heading north to Inuvik on the Arctic Ocean, he turned south. I’ve been following his travels trough the US and Mexico, central America, and in South America, and I just caught up to the current pages from Peru. He writes accounts of his travels and observations of the towns and people he comes across from a unique point of view. There are also many photos – some of the great scenery along the way, and others showing the daily life of the people living along his route.
I’d recommend starting from the beginning, as this journal is a good read.
The main page for Jeff’s journal can be found at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/jk.
Miles This Month: 77.2
This Month Last Year: 68.8
Miles This Year (so far): 124.6
I get a little farther every year! The weather is getting noticeably better, so I have big expectations for April.
Quick trip to Wal-Mart to return some shoes and get supplies for dinner. I was able to get dinner for five and snacks for an overnight all in the panniers, including spaghetti, sauce, ground beef, garlic bread, chips, cheesy poofs, a gallon of milk, and a 2 liter of Dew. Packed along with the usual junk I carry around, I still would have had room for the roast beef I decided against.
Miles Ridden: 10.8 – My first utility ride of the year!
