I rode today. Did you?

Nice first ride in the COLD.

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Permalink Reply by Michael A on March 4, 2011 at 9:29pm

so, the end of my second week of bike commuting ended with a double flat (2 pieces of glass , I only saw the first one) changing a tire in the rain sucks, so to tally the 2 weeks, bitter cold, crazy wind, ICE, rain, and lastly flats...... I cannot wait until this thread dies

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Permalink Reply by Alex on March 4, 2011 at 9:52pm

I always tell people at work who ask me if I'm riding home in the rain, that I like to ride in the rain. I always think, right after I've said it, that maybe that's not true. Definitely ends up being true in the summer, when it's hot, and you're going to be soaked in sweat anyway, but on days like today, it doesn't feel like I'm telling the whole truth. Not when I say it, at least.

But, I just got home, and even though my fingers are frozen because all I had on my hands were fingerless gloves (stupid), and my feet spent the last half of the ride sloshing around in freezing cold water (because waterproof Goretex also keeps the water in, once it gets there), and I had a few dicey moments of "hmmm, should I ride through that threatening looking puddle in a potentially bottomless pothole or veer directly into the SUV that's only giving me about six inches of space to maneuver in on my left" (for the record, I took option three, which is brake hard, then gear down and take it easy), I will say this, and really, really, actually mean it:

I like riding in the rain.

I may change my tune when I put on my probably still soggy shoes to leave the house around 8 tomorrow morning. Who is stupid enough to schedule work meetings for 9am on a Saturday? Me. Now, more bourbon.

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Permalink Reply by Gin on March 4, 2011 at 10:07pm

Alex--great post. Tonight I was out and about and feeling so glad to have my basic rain gear. . . .and a radiator to put my gloves on.

I like the shine rain gives to the streets. But then I feel a little sad about all the impermeable surfaces.

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Permalink Reply by Molly on March 4, 2011 at 10:15pm

I didn't ride today, but I can only imagine winds coming from the north with gusts making for a tough lonely ride home on the LFP. I wonder how high the waves are at fullerton? Have you ever tried timing yourself in order to ride through to miss the waves? Have you miss timed it?

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 4, 2011 at 11:10pm

Riding home at 9pm was fun, if a bit chilly...and wet. Good news: I don't have to wash my bike anymore! All clean. Yessssss

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Permalink Reply by Holly on March 5, 2011 at 10:15am

I got a flat yesterday. That's my second this week. That added 30 minutes to my dog walking day and I had a pretty long one yesterday. (P.S. The Bike Lane charges $5 less than my LBS to fix a flat. That was good news.)

Rode 3x this week. The rain wasn't as bad as I thought, but I really did not want to walk around in it after my feet were soaked. Better than driving the car? Yes. Totally. I did a lot of maneuvering through the gridlock. The traffic was really dense by 4 pm. It always is, but it's worse in the rain. I was glad to just power through it and get myself to my next appointment.

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Permalink Reply by ambimb on March 5, 2011 at 1:39pm

Someone asked about the lakeshore path conditions a couple of days ago s I thought I'd post a couple pics of the most severe damage to the lakeshore path just south of Fullerton for those of you who have not yet ventured out there. This one is a shot from the east edge of the path looking toward Lakeshore Drive at the deep crack/hole developing in a joint where the pavement cracked away in December:

This one is looking north toward Fullerton from about the place where the above crack is. This is the biggest "lip" you have to hop up or down if you travel this path right now -- it's 4-5 inches high.