commuterDude: The bottom drops out

December 15, 2008

The bottom drops out

Here's a case in point for weird midwestern weather, and how difficult it usually is to commute or rando this time of year.

Sunday at 9:00am... 60 degrees, pleasant SW winds.

Sunday at 10:40am... 44 degrees. Not so pleasant NW wind.
Sunday at 10:45am... 40 degrees.
Sunday at 11:00am... 36 degrees.
Sunday at 11:30am... 25 degrees.
Sunday at Noon... 19 degrees.
Sunday at 7:00pm... 12 degrees.

Monday at 5:00am... 2 degrees.

Unfortunately, I'd fallen asleep before I removed my wet outer cycling layers from the washer, so I ((gee, what a bummer)) decided not to ride.
Missed the bus, too. Ugh...

Tomorrow, snow... but it's so cold that the snow will actually be manageable, instead of having the usual inch of ice underneath it.
This winter, I have a feeling that some personal commuter temperature records will be broken! Yikes!

Stay warm, KC-area riders. It's suddenly very REAL out there.

3 comments:

Cactus said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; December 17, 2008 10:48 PM
Cactus said...: I agree, I did not commute to work in Colorado Springs in subzero weather until February last year. On Monday it was -5 on way to work.; December 17, 2008 10:51 PM
SiouxGeonz said...: I remember that transition - 54 at midnight, here, and 8 or 10 at 7:00 a.m. when I left.

Ya gotta get more layers, dude, so that when they're in the wash you have options :)

I have tossed an emergency chemical handwarmer in my bag. If I'm moving I am fine - but if I have a flat or something... I'll turn into a popsicle if it's single digits or less. Hopefully I'll remember wehre I tossed it...; December 19, 2008 12:37 PM

What is bicycle commuting?

Simply put, bicycle commuting is the act of travelling to a place of work or education by bicycle. In many areas it is common to combine bicycle commuting with public transport. Worldwide, the bicycle remains the most common commuter vehicle, and bicycle riding the second most common form of commuting, second only to walking. While the absolute number of bicycles in existence globally is unknown, it is clear that significantly more bicycles are manufactured than automobiles. In the United States about 40% of automobile trips are two miles or less; using a bicycle for these short trips can reduce your emissions and expenses. If you live within ten miles of work, you could save thousands of dollars in fuel, insurance and automotive maintenance costs each year. This webpage seeks to highlight bicycling as a viable transportation platform and a fun, exciting, healthful way to improve your life! Visit the commuting links below and get started today!

What is Randonneuring?

The French term "randonnée" loosely translates as a long tour or ramble along a defined route, and persons embarking as such are dubbed "randonneurs". In cycling, the term defines a hard-riding enthusiast attempting a long-distance randonnée (called a "brevet", usually 200 kilometers or greater) within a certain time allotment. Non-competitive by design, randonneuring encourages camaraderie: riders test themselves against the clock, the weather, and a challenging route - but not each other. Randonneuring's ethos embodies self-sufficiency and mental toughness; support vehicles are not allowed and brevets are held regardless of weather. Randonneurs USA (RUSA) organizes brevets in the United States under the auspices of the Audax Club Parisien (ACP) and the Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM), and rider's results are recognized world-wide. This website seeks to highlight the excitement and challenge of long-distance bicycle riding by sharing personal ride accounts, with the hope of growing the sport. If this type of bicycle riding interests you and you'd like to find out more, visit the RUSA webpage to find rides in your area!

For ride announcements and discussions on randonneuring in the greater Kansas City area, visit KC Ultra Cycling, and join the KC Ultra-Cycling Email List:

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Courtesy Randonneurs USA

What is Ultra-Marathon Cycling?

Just as the 26.2-mile marathon represents a benchmark for runners, bicyclists generally consider the "century", riding 100-miles, a worthy endurance challenge. Ultra-marathon cycling involves exceeding that benchmark, often several times over, offering the long-distance challenge of randonnuering with a more competitive flavor. This is the world of 24-hour races, double-centuries, and beyond. Where randonneuring rewards all finishers equally and emphasizes self-sufficiency, ultra-racers compete for time and placing, maximizing speed by utilizing support crews for hand-ups and fast repairs. Event courses can be long and scenic, but may take the form of many laps of a looped course. Winning ultra-distance events requires the rare combination of endurance and a high average speed. Randonneuring and Ultra-Marathon often complement one another: brevets can offer base-training to prepare for racing, and fast randonneurs often enter ultra events for a new challenge. Visit the World Ultra Cycling Association's website for more information.

Courtesy World Ultra Cycling Association

December 15, 2008

The bottom drops out

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