555.5.
Heavy rain at times today, but I managed to sneak past it again. Very small lambs on Bailey Rd; big red-shouldered hawk on western Skillman.
Friday, January 26, 2001
551.7.
That was actually the eighth day in a row, today is the ninth. Taking car in on Monday. It was raining pretty hard this morning, but again caught a window of relative dryness, and got in to work well before 7.
Note to self: need rear fender to prevent unsightly butt debris. Really don't want to turn the bike into an RV, but in daily commuting, there are certain necessities, and only so much fits in my day pack. Have so far resisted saddlebags and the like...
Note 2 self: get replacement batteries for the taillight. It's been running for only maybe 12 hours total, but it would be better to have the batteries than not. (The headlight battery, I can charge every other day in the garage.)
That was actually the eighth day in a row, today is the ninth. Taking car in on Monday. It was raining pretty hard this morning, but again caught a window of relative dryness, and got in to work well before 7.
Note to self: need rear fender to prevent unsightly butt debris. Really don't want to turn the bike into an RV, but in daily commuting, there are certain necessities, and only so much fits in my day pack. Have so far resisted saddlebags and the like...
Note 2 self: get replacement batteries for the taillight. It's been running for only maybe 12 hours total, but it would be better to have the batteries than not. (The headlight battery, I can charge every other day in the garage.)
Seventh day in a row today riding the bike to work and back. Finally hit some
rain (earlier, we had some major downpouring and even hail, but I managed to hit
a window where it was little more than vertical mist). Mild rain is no big
deal, unless it's also dark and the cars have their lights on, which tends to
leave me blinded for moments in a fantasy world of floating jewelry unless I
remove my glasses (which I prefer not to do).
Closing in on 550 miles since I bought the bike in June - pretty major recent
escalation in weekly mileage, though, since the car hasn't been an option.
I am seeing some very slight physical benefits, finally, from this (in, uh,
combination with a month of not drinking 9 Pyramid Hefeweizens every other day
and eating significantly less meat).
I love the time on the way to work and back, even when it's dark, when I have
20-30 minutes to just pedal and zone out. I love seeing the same dogs running
along their fencelines and barking at me every day. I love seeing the
occasional hawk up close on a wire or soaring high above, the pheasants from the
pheasant farm, the horses and goats and cattle. I love the sunrise/sunset,
towering clouds or creeping fog, frost on the grass or just plain grass getting
greener thru the winter.
I love turning down a ride home on a day like today, and making it home soaked
and tired. I love not wimping out and getting in my car for the four-mile
commute. I love knowing in advance where the puddles and potholes will be on my
various routes.
I pack into my ear/neckwarmer, sweatshirt and gloves, sweatpants, helmet, and
backpack, and I'm snug and self-contained. Got my clever blinky LED taillight
and 10-watt headlight always on. The cars are the enemy, but I know how to best
avoid them.
More than when I was riding maybe twice a week, even when those were 20-mile
rides, this daily eight or so is a groove.
One of these days, I'll take the digital camera along and stop and take a
picture every quarter-mile or so, and post it on my site - hopefully I can catch
one of those frosty sunrise days.
Mental clarity really hasn't improved a lot, but I think there's a sort of
temporary discombobulation at breaking up the old routines and starting new
ones. I still tend to run out of mental energy when I don't get an
early-afternoon nap (which of course I usually don't). I notice much more that
I need that morning coffee. Mostly, I like when I realize at work that I've
already thought something through on the bike, or catch myself smiling for no
reason...
Arranged today to get the car fixed, but not all that enthused about its being
available to me again.
rain (earlier, we had some major downpouring and even hail, but I managed to hit
a window where it was little more than vertical mist). Mild rain is no big
deal, unless it's also dark and the cars have their lights on, which tends to
leave me blinded for moments in a fantasy world of floating jewelry unless I
remove my glasses (which I prefer not to do).
Closing in on 550 miles since I bought the bike in June - pretty major recent
escalation in weekly mileage, though, since the car hasn't been an option.
I am seeing some very slight physical benefits, finally, from this (in, uh,
combination with a month of not drinking 9 Pyramid Hefeweizens every other day
and eating significantly less meat).
I love the time on the way to work and back, even when it's dark, when I have
20-30 minutes to just pedal and zone out. I love seeing the same dogs running
along their fencelines and barking at me every day. I love seeing the
occasional hawk up close on a wire or soaring high above, the pheasants from the
pheasant farm, the horses and goats and cattle. I love the sunrise/sunset,
towering clouds or creeping fog, frost on the grass or just plain grass getting
greener thru the winter.
I love turning down a ride home on a day like today, and making it home soaked
and tired. I love not wimping out and getting in my car for the four-mile
commute. I love knowing in advance where the puddles and potholes will be on my
various routes.
I pack into my ear/neckwarmer, sweatshirt and gloves, sweatpants, helmet, and
backpack, and I'm snug and self-contained. Got my clever blinky LED taillight
and 10-watt headlight always on. The cars are the enemy, but I know how to best
avoid them.
More than when I was riding maybe twice a week, even when those were 20-mile
rides, this daily eight or so is a groove.
One of these days, I'll take the digital camera along and stop and take a
picture every quarter-mile or so, and post it on my site - hopefully I can catch
one of those frosty sunrise days.
Mental clarity really hasn't improved a lot, but I think there's a sort of
temporary discombobulation at breaking up the old routines and starting new
ones. I still tend to run out of mental energy when I don't get an
early-afternoon nap (which of course I usually don't). I notice much more that
I need that morning coffee. Mostly, I like when I realize at work that I've
already thought something through on the bike, or catch myself smiling for no
reason...
Arranged today to get the car fixed, but not all that enthused about its being
available to me again.
Thursday, January 25, 2001
544.2.
It's become pretty much a matter of course to get on the bike and go to work.
Issues arose at work yesterday, so I came in early today - before sunrise, at least. Riding home last night and riding in today, I thought about this.
I've run into this frequently in my "career" in the corporate world: In the heat of the moment, some people;s first reaction is to seek to fix blame, focusing on the problem rather than the solution. Thousands of pages of documentation, and three or four things missing or wrong suddenly make us incompetent.
Pretty early on, I started to basically ignore blame like this, choosing to focus on the solution. I may appear to not care about the problem, because indeed I don't. I don't care who's wrong or right, who blew it back in 1897. I want to arrive at the quickest and best solution, and allow us all to get on with our lives.
Nice bike rides today and yesterday; nothing much to say about 'em other than that. Looks like rain again today, but I beat it this morning...
It's become pretty much a matter of course to get on the bike and go to work.
Issues arose at work yesterday, so I came in early today - before sunrise, at least. Riding home last night and riding in today, I thought about this.
I've run into this frequently in my "career" in the corporate world: In the heat of the moment, some people;s first reaction is to seek to fix blame, focusing on the problem rather than the solution. Thousands of pages of documentation, and three or four things missing or wrong suddenly make us incompetent.
Pretty early on, I started to basically ignore blame like this, choosing to focus on the solution. I may appear to not care about the problem, because indeed I don't. I don't care who's wrong or right, who blew it back in 1897. I want to arrive at the quickest and best solution, and allow us all to get on with our lives.
Nice bike rides today and yesterday; nothing much to say about 'em other than that. Looks like rain again today, but I beat it this morning...
Tuesday, January 23, 2001
532.9.
The expected rain has arrived. Heavy at times today, but mild enough during the ride home. Better not to wear glasses, which get so covered wit hdroplets that when a car comes the other way with lights on I only see a million tiny stars. Will save my goodwill points for getting a ride home when it REALLY rains, meanwhile, I need the exercise.
The expected rain has arrived. Heavy at times today, but mild enough during the ride home. Better not to wear glasses, which get so covered wit hdroplets that when a car comes the other way with lights on I only see a million tiny stars. Will save my goodwill points for getting a ride home when it REALLY rains, meanwhile, I need the exercise.
529.0.
Rode in the dark today - rain forecast, figured I'd try to beat it, and get an early start at work. Very warm, so I think it probably will rain.
I think I'm almost MORE visible in the dark; the lights standing out more than in light or semi-darkness.
Not much of a view, though, except the 40-ft oval directly ahead.
Rode in the dark today - rain forecast, figured I'd try to beat it, and get an early start at work. Very warm, so I think it probably will rain.
I think I'm almost MORE visible in the dark; the lights standing out more than in light or semi-darkness.
Not much of a view, though, except the 40-ft oval directly ahead.
Monday, January 22, 2001
521.4.
Rain predicted for tomorrow and Friday. Today, fog! Visibility about 200 ft. Again, the lights prove a worthwhile investment.
Oriental couple walking along Skillman -- usually it's just the woman. Kids out waiting for the school bus. Pheasants (or something!) screaming off in the bushes to the side somewhere. Glasses get a little foggy, and outside of clothes wet. But mainly a pretty comfortable ride. Again, hills not as bad as they've been after a hiatus. Frost again on the grass.
Should find out in the next few days if this commute if gonna be replaced by the 10-mile one. Certainly not a bad thing, but there WILL be somewhat fewer route options (without considerably longer rides). If I can keep this more-frequent riding up, though, 20 miles/day won't be a big deal -- on the shortest route, there's only two hills, both long and gradual.
Rain predicted for tomorrow and Friday. Today, fog! Visibility about 200 ft. Again, the lights prove a worthwhile investment.
Oriental couple walking along Skillman -- usually it's just the woman. Kids out waiting for the school bus. Pheasants (or something!) screaming off in the bushes to the side somewhere. Glasses get a little foggy, and outside of clothes wet. But mainly a pretty comfortable ride. Again, hills not as bad as they've been after a hiatus. Frost again on the grass.
Should find out in the next few days if this commute if gonna be replaced by the 10-mile one. Certainly not a bad thing, but there WILL be somewhat fewer route options (without considerably longer rides). If I can keep this more-frequent riding up, though, 20 miles/day won't be a big deal -- on the shortest route, there's only two hills, both long and gradual.
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