On the commute today

[GothonaBrompton]

I should have brought the bike. 

The train was terminated at Wokingham due to poor rail conditions blocking the line to Reading. Therefore I had to get a local bus to work.

Total delay >1 hour and so much for getting to work early. 

Folks further into London weren't terribly impressed either when 'icy conditions' came over the speaker, as we barely had to scrape the cars here.

Thankfully I had checked the trains before leaving the house, so was aware that the 07:05 from Feltham was cancelled, and was determined to get the 07:11, the slow train, which was still running (I usually get the 07:16).

When I got to the station, it was packed (as is usual when something happens to the 07:05), and the station was advising everyone to get on the 07:16, which was also running on time (semi fast). So only a few of us got on the 07:11.  I really didn't fancy playing sardines on the 07:16.

When I got off at Clapham Junction, Southern seemed to be suffering from the same thing in between Horsham and Three Bridges.

[Vince]

A nasty expensive rattling noise was coming from the car's engine this morning, so I took the train.

Also means I need to cycle to Cubs tonight and band practice tomorrow.

[Ham]

Breaking news: I cycled to work today.

I do hope nothing was broken in the process.....

[Andrij]

Breaking news: I cycled to work today.

I do hope nothing was broken in the process.....

Only a long streak of not cycling.  Don't think I managed to break any speed limits, but I wasn't trying.

[Deano]

The Skerne has broken its banks, again, and the river path has flooded - again. OK, at Rockwell Marshes a certain amount of water is expected, but this is happening every month.

Still, it was worth getting wet feet for the sight of a lad, on his way to school, avoiding the floods by clambering along the railings above the river. I doubt it did him any good; it was even worse around the corner.

[simonp]

A dog wanted me to throw its stick (I'd stopped as it was trotting towards me, then it put the stick down in front of my wheel).

Also, I have a little bit of knee pain after Saturday's 200k. And a sore back. But I also did a PB on the Stoke Park climb according to Strava.

[phantasmagoriana]

As I braked for a junction about half a mile from home tonight, I heard something snapping inside the front brake lever (ancient rapidfire 7-speed thing). It doesn't appear to work properly now.

[Basil]

Took the bike I intend to do Mrs. Barakta's Kim's ride with this w/e to check that I'd set up it's new 'puter correctly.
Hmm.  0.04over. 
That'll do. 

[Marco Stefano]

Quite foggy this morning, down to 50m visibility in places. 1 in 5 cars (yes, 1 in 5, I kid you not) had either defective lights, only side lights, or no lights showing at all. Numpties all.

I wasn't cycling & I didn't fancy it at all. Cycling tomorrow - hope it is clear then.

[Cudzoziemiec]

A dog wanted me to throw its stick (I'd stopped as it was trotting towards me, then it put the stick down in front of my wheel).

Also, I have a little bit of knee pain after Saturday's 200k. And a sore back. But I also did a PB on the Stoke Park climb according to Strava.

So you get to ride past the bright yellow ex-mental hospital and The Other Somerset Monument? Nice commute! 

[simonp]

Yep. That climb is a good work out on fixed. In either direction!

[Feline]

A dog wanted me to throw its stick (I'd stopped as it was trotting towards me, then it put the stick down in front of my wheel).

Also, I have a little bit of knee pain after Saturday's 200k. And a sore back. But I also did a PB on the Stoke Park climb according to Strava.

Dogs seem to like you. Was it a 10 foot stick like the ones Squidge likes to pick up?

[CommuteTooFar]

I did my first commute for a week this morning (On a ski holiday last week).  Unfortunately the road salt has got into some of my components so the front brake has siezed.  I pull the lever to stop which is ok, but I have to push the calipers apart before I continue.  I also noticed that when I switch to a low gear then the deraileur is not indexing quite right.  So an application of a light oil will be used tomorrow to see it makes things a little better.

[clarion]

Tough one this morning. 

Usual numpty motorised traffic.  Usual numpty cyclists.  Usual crappy junctions.  Usual potholes.  Lanes flooded at Clapham Common.

But the real struggle was with breathing.  I had to stop to take some Ventolin half way (I'd already taken some leaving the house).

Not too slow, though...

[Karla]

There was some guy doing crazy figure of eights across two lanes at a set of lights, presumably trying not to put a foot down.  FFS you've got all the gear, now learn to track stand!

[simonp]

Almost squashed a skwerl.

[clarion]

I forgot to mention that, last night, at Mitcham Common, I saw an artic running down the slope from a railway bridge onto the small roundabout, almost into the car which was already turning around it.  The braking was quite dramatic, and I am glad it worked.  However, I was entering the RAB at the next road, and I wasn't sure where the sleepy HGV driver was going.  If it was my narrow exit, with a ditch alongside and oncoming traffic, I had no way to escape.  Fortunately, he headed down towards Croydon.

[ian]

There was some guy doing crazy figure of eights across two lanes at a set of lights, presumably trying not to put a foot down.  FFS you've got all the gear, now learn to track stand!

Or just put a foot down. Trackstanding is only, like, k3wl if you're twelve.

When I was twelve I learned to ride my BMX backwards down the street. That's a lot tougher than it looks. People should have been more impressed.

[Karla]

There was some guy doing crazy figure of eights across two lanes at a set of lights, presumably trying not to put a foot down.  FFS you've got all the gear, now learn to track stand!

Or just put a foot down. Trackstanding is only, like, k3wl if you're twelve.

When I was twelve I learned to ride my BMX backwards down the street. That's a lot tougher than it looks. People should have been more impressed.

Yebbut if you really insist on buying lots of bike kit (this was an older middle aged guy, not dressed up like a MAMIL but more in a 'I used to race when i was a lad' way), you really should have learned that sort of stuff at some point.

[Marco Stefano]

I wasn't cycling & I didn't fancy it at all. Cycling tomorrow - hope it is clear then.

It wasn't, but I cycled anyway. 5 miles in I looked down and realised it was freezing fog - my gloves & levers were covered in ice crystals. Drivers considerate though; all driving slowly (about 50 - 100m visibility) & I had a red Night Fog Vision Evo jacket on as well as lights.

I was cycling slowly too; have lost a lot of fitness over the past 3 months... 

[Gandalf]

Did 16 miles on my virtual commute this morning, only redeeming factor of late shift. 

I couldn't believe the difference hitting the road a couple of hours later makes, almost like riding somewhere alien.

[TimO]

Approaching the traffic lights onto Clapham Common this morning, some cardboard almost took me out.

I barely noticed it, but there was a thick sodden bit of cardboard on the cycle path approach to the advanced stop light, and approaching the lights, they changed to green and I very slightly accelerated as I crossed the cardboard and the wheel suddenly went away from me, almost planting me flat on the ground.

I've cycled over snow, ice, gravel and mud, and that was the slipperiest my wheels have been in a long time, I came far closer to coming off than I have for several years.  I'm guessing it was a very thick and sodden load of cardboard.

[Ham]

Approaching the traffic lights onto Clapham Common this morning, some cardboard almost took me out.

I barely noticed it, but there was a thick sodden bit of cardboard on the cycle path approach to the advanced stop light, and approaching the lights, they changed to green and I very slightly accelerated as I crossed the cardboard and the wheel suddenly went away from me, almost planting me flat on the ground.

I've cycled over snow, ice, gravel and mud, and that was the slipperiest my wheels have been in a long time, I came far closer to coming off than I have for several years.  I'm guessing it was a very thick and sodden load of cardboard.

It must have been, I could hear you saying sodden cardboard from over here.

[Morrisette]

Rain again. With sleet. Sigh. My Grand Plan of 2013 involved me starting the big commute on the first day of spring. FAIL. I have bought another train ticket in the faint hope that this will make winter stop. Please?

[PaulR]

I summoned up the willpower to ride again today, despite the weariness associated with being in the mode group in the Age Poll and despite my irrational fear of weather. 

I was glad I did, as otherwise I would have missed the minor comedy moment when a person driving a Fiat 500, who had waited at her T-junction until I was within spitting distance, decided to pull out in front of me to give me an opportunity to test my braking skills with only a front brake and legs.  I stopped quickly enough, but her delight that her experiment had worked so well resulted in her stalling mid-junction.

For anyone still awake after this exciting anecdote, I was travelling along the red arrow, the car is depicted in its stalled position.


Edit:  Hmmm, I don't remember the trees having all those green bits on.