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Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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Holly and IITWI,

Don't beat yourself up for not riding. Tonight's commute was without a doubt the worst commute in a long while.

 

And today started out so nice...

After having used my 'I'm lazy' and my "I'm hungover' excuses recently I rode in this morning. A nice layer of light fluff and easy traffic made for a great commute.

What a difference on may way back. Snow and slush were everywhere and drivers were maniacal. On top of that my feet got soaking wet. I might have to cash in that REI gift card I planned to save for who-knows-what and buy a new pair of winter boots.

I'm glad to be home.

 

Holly said:

No biking today...yet another carring day for me. I'm still not 100% and I don't want to hurt myself by slipping in the snow. It sure looks pretty, though! 

 

In it to win--hope you don't have what I have. It seems to be a 2 week malady.

Strep; penicillin; out tomorrow too. Prob off the bike til Monday :-(

Holly said:

No biking today...yet another carring day for me. I'm still not 100% and I don't want to hurt myself by slipping in the snow. It sure looks pretty, though! 

 

In it to win--hope you don't have what I have. It seems to be a 2 week malady.

I rode today. Riding to work at about 6:45 this morning wasnt too bad. Coming home in the afternoon was a little tricky. It was actualy kind of exhillirating. I managed to get home in one piece, but I think I will skip the snow ride tonight. When I got home and was unlocking the front gate, some guy who was walking his dog called me "hardcore". That certainly gave me an ego boost. I dont know if I am hardcore or simply foolish. But riding on a day like today does give one a sense of accomplishment.

Since I'm not currently employed, I took the opportunity to go on a midday snow ride of my own, my first while it was actively snowing and accumulating. Some random partygoer left an entry level mountain bike in my basement back in the summer, and since repeated calls for that person to pick up his bike were ignored, it was my temporary winter ride today. I started out slowly riding through the back alleys of Logan Square, building my confidence before hitting the side streets. There were a few slips and slides, but I managed not to wipe out completely. I took Palmer and Belden west to Long and Palmer before turning around and heading back, 6 miles by Google Maps. Then I went to Palmer Square and did a few laps inside the park to add some terrain to my snow ride.

 

The bike was fine, and the knobby tires did okay, but the canti brakes were borderline useless. I can definitely see where disc brakes or riding fixed would be an advantage over rim brakes in this weather.

Yes I did ride and it was my first "official" rush hour snow ride. Now before you go calling me newb and such this is my 3rd in Chicago by bike and 5+ overall but last year I took the lake front trail to work, the year before I was in Evanston and getting out of work at any hour sometimes up to midnight so...no real rush hour then.

 

Side note that road tire is coming off and I'm putting the Mt. Bike tire back on, no need for a slippery front end!

I made it ok. Morning was easy. Evening was trickier for sure. I had to take the lane most of the way home and take it really slow. It was definitely my hardest commute so far this winter but I was in no rush and that helped.
Yesterday was a brutal ride home. I was very thankful for studded snow tires. 3" of new wet snow on top of icey shoulders was tough. I had people call out to me I was crazy. I still enjoyed the ride, wish they would plow the shoulders......

Large sections of LFP still unplowed this AM.  Managed to get from Montrose to North Ave on it but that was just for big snow fun.  Took me forever.

The bad part of riding through the slush is all the salt getting kicked up in my face.

Nice clean roads all the way up Sheridan to downtown Evanston from Rogers Park this morning.
After last night just about anything would have been easier this morning.  My headlight went flying after a pothole on Lincoln last night, I glued it on so I could ride today.  Fingers crossed it's still there tonight.

I'm so excited to say that I finally rode! First time in Chicago since New Year's Eve. I decided to take it easy and do dual-mode commuting this morning - 3 miles from Edgewater to the Addison stop, then the red line to the loop. 

 

I'm looking forward to riding home tonight without the pressure of GETTING TO THE OFFICE. 

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