Fresh Start

Things have been warming up around here, so last weekend I jumped on the bike for a weekend ride and noticed that my bike computer wasn't working. Turns out the battery was completely dead so I replaced it, but it wiped out my mileage history. It's definitely a punch in the gut to the accounting nerd in my that gets some joy out of tallying up the miles, but at least this way I'll have a clean canvas to track my 2012 miles, starting with the 50 I rode this weekend. Sometimes starting fresh can be a good thing, I guess.

Weeks 86 - 88 and Counting

Very little to report from a bicycle commuting standpoint:

Week 86 (July 12-16)
Mon - Friday: Car
Although I could have taken bicycle paths to within 0.5 miles of the client site (in Plymouth), I still would have had to traverse approximately 19 miles of on-path commuting. The time commitment involved, plus the potential for a sultry weather mix had me opt for the auto.

Week 87 & 88 (July 19-23, July 26-30)
I've been on vacation for the past two weeks, so no need to worry about the commute.

Counting
A few weeks ago I noted that I have not kept tabs on total miles. As I think about it, this omission seems ridiculous at best, and negligent at worst for someone who prides himself as a cyclist who counts for a living. Nevertheless I now have the necessary means to easily track mileage and report it as frequently as I'd like.

After some brief online research I decided on the Cateye Micro Wireless. It meshed up well with the basic features I needed, and appeared to be one of the most modestly priced wireless units on the market. I mounted it below my Cateye headlight, so my bicycle is no longer a Cateye cyclops. As of last Friday (July 23), I've logged just shy of 200 miles (195.3), most of which came from riding two days of RAGBRAI 2010. Keep your eyes peeled for a future post on my first experience riding on RAGBRAI.

In other counting news, I hope to soon be counting bikeshare stations in Minneapolis. I don't have a burning desire to test the assertion that there are 65 stations in operation, but the NiceRideMN bikeshare program recently issued the Nice Ride 65 Challenge for anyone who can successfully check-in to all 65 stations in 24 hours without incurring any trip fees. I'm not sure when I am going to attempt this, but I hope to do so soon. It doesn't appear that a full-year membership is required, so day passes ($5) likely work for this challenge, too. If anyone is up for the challenge and wants to join me, let me know.

Weeks 57 & 58 and the next few months

Summary:

Week 57 (Dec 21 - 25)
Monday - Car (AM & PM Carpool)
Tuesday - Car (AM & PM Carpool)
Wednesday - Car & LRT (AM Carpool)
Thursday & Friday - Vacation/Holiday

Week 58 (Dec 28 - Jan 1)
Monday - Friday: Holiday shutdown

No bike commutes to log for the last entry of 2009, but I did ride into downtown on Christmas Eve day for last minute shopping. A ton of fresh snow made for slow going in spots, but I was able to manage by staying on the snow packed streets, which the studded tires handle effectively. It does ratchet the workout level up a notch or too though, which is just fine as it helps keep me warm.

With the end of 2009, I look forward to the beginning of a new calendar year and the start of another busy season. Here's a look at what I'll be riding in the months to come:



This bike replaces the bike I rode last year, and is equipped with the same Innova studs and Axiom rear rack. Unfortunately a formal christening was never performed and the red mountain bike ended its service to me nameless.

From what I recall, the finalists for the "Bike Name Bestowed Upon A Mountain Bike Performing Winter and Minimal Spring Commuting Duty in a Northern Midwestern City" Award were: Esau, Red, and Raleigh Valverde. I don't know what to expect from this year's ride since it was a pretty cheap Craigslist special, so I won't plan on holding any ceremonies anytime soon.

Week 15 (March 2 - March 7)

The streak continues:

Monday - Bicycle
Tuesday - Bicycle
Wednesday - Car (AM & PM Carpool)
Thurdsday - Car & LRT (AM Carpool)
Friday - Bicycle
Saturday - Bicycle

This week was a great rebound from the prior, and it got me excited about the transition to spring. Hopefully this will lead to a much higher percentage of bicycle commutes than the past few months have allowed for.

Friday's temperatures warmed up enough that I was able to shed a layer of clothing, and still ride home comfortably, which got me thinking about cycling duds. I really don't enjoy sporting the urban ninja look (balaclava, bright yellow cycling jacket, wind pants, etc), but at this point I'm not sure how else to stay warm, dry, and safe on my winter commute.

My plan for spring/summer/fall is to tune-up my 5-speed and use it as my primary commuter bike, with the hope of riding in my normal accountant costume instead of being forced to bring a change of clothes. I think the 5-speed has enough range for me to ride comfortably and step from the bicycle to the office without giving rise to an unkempt look. They do it all the time in Copenhagen and Amsterdam, right?

In other news, I was excited to see the first comment come through on this blog (thanks Jenna!), and it got me wondering how I might be able to stimulate some discussion. None of my bikes have proper names, so perhaps I could post pics and have a call for suggestions...

Winter Gear

Before it gets too warm to stop wearing all of this stuff, I figured I'd post a link to the gear I use for winter commuting. Enjoy:

Winter Gear