Highlights of your commuting year.

[laertes]

I started commuting in 2009 after procrastinating for years, so that was a highlight in itself. Being able to last three days in a row for a 28 mile roundtrip was also a highlight, as was doing seven days in a row (with a weekend off in the middle). Like others, having a blase response to "You didn't cycle in this?" also scored a few points on the smugometer.

Coming home in the sleet was fun, mainly because it was not heavy enough to be dangerous on the ground. My first off on ice, with the bike seeming to just disappear from under me, was literally a low point and an important lesson. I was lucky there was no traffic around (and no damage to me or the bike that the Mrs could see!)

 

[goo_mason]

Highlights:

Just riding the bike as it's so much fun.
Riding with other folks from CC
HlaB's hilarious GPS directions on the Linlithgow ride
Riding the Peebles to Kinross leg of my Chief Exec's LEJOG run and clocking just shy of 100 miles in total on a single day


Lowlights:

Trouble with wheels & spoke breakages
Being off the bike for two weeks at the start of the year due to the treacherously icy conditions.

 

[jonny jeez]

I always have a tissue in my pocket because I really don't think I could flash my bodily fluids to other road users!

You are SOOOO high maintenance (he he)!!

Me too, My mum would never forgive me, I hate it when I leave the house and realise I've forgotten a tissue. We're clearly not proper riders yet!

benborp, great thread...I thought for ages and cant find anything original, I really agree with Origamist tho and just love the feeling of camaraderie and I guess the whole "getting out there" aspect of actually doing it, and not thinking about doing it.

 

[Inertia]

Highlights
Cycling to work and realising I could do this.
Riding home in a heavy rain shower and having fun.
The look of disbelief/astonishment/respect when people hear you rode in on a bad weather day
Seeing a cracking rainbow over the road one wet morning made the day.
Seeing the world I miss sat in my car on the motorway.


Lowlights
Lack of anyone else on my commute (no camaraderie)
Breaking the zip on my new coat!

 

[Inertia]

It is great out here! I love that I can take some singletrack country lanes in on my commute. Saw an owl and a bat the other night in the overspill from my Exposure.

I love that, I almost hit a low flying bat the other day, it just appeared in front of me and shot past my head. Made me duck but I'm sure from the bats point of view I wasn't even close.

 

[HobbesChoice]

You are SOOOO high maintenance (he he)!!

Me too, My mum would never forgive me, I hate it when I leave the house and realiseI've forgotten a tissue. We're clearly not proper riders yet!

Hello Jonny! High maintenance? Me? Diva Princess if you don't mind !!!

I must admit, I think there's a certain element of fear that stops me doing that too. The shame of not snorting down hard enough and getting some caught on my chin and shoulder would be mortifying !!!! So, I'll remain an improper rider thank you!

I guess faffing around with a hankie is just my preferred system, but I accept that not everyone wants the bother.

 

[Davywalnuts]

Discovering Cycle Chat is the best thing that has happened to me this year, seriously, my life is rather boring and mundane this year, and so all my highlights have come from that and the joy brought has made my year! So one big highlight!

 

[ttcycle]

Discovering Cycle Chat is the best thing that has happened to me this year, seriously, my life is rather boring and mundane this year, and so all my highlights have come from that and the joy brought has made my year! So one big highlight!

who's paying him?

Davy sounds like you're playing down your boozy antics!

 

[Davywalnuts]

who's paying him?

Davy sounds like you're playing down your boozy antics!

*shush*... hehehehe!

Oh, well, yeh... and I suppose the two do collide... occasionally... like last night... whoopsie, but seriously, this has change me, alot!

 

[biking_fox]

Highlights:

New Bike! After months of searching and wondering and finally deciding it's great to ride a new bike.

Steam train! a random morning encounter.

 

[BentMikey]

At the top of Jewel's Hill on one route of my commute:

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

loosing 3 stone from cycling to work, 4 overall this year
cycling over 3,000 miles in 5 months
enjoying it even though its pissing down !

 

[trio25]

Feeling happy at the end of the day as I've just had a lovely bike ride!

 

[CharlieB]

Starting this commuting lark in August with a time of 45 mins for 10miles (and pretty out of breath at the end) and a weight of 15st, and currently on an average of 36 mins (PB 33), not even breaking sweat, and weighing 13½st.
This is one of the best things I've ever done, and I've no intention of stopping for the winter (barring black ice)!

WRT previous post also, getting to work and home smiling!

 

[zacklaws]

Falling off one night.

Had to get off the cycle path to go round some pedestrians, as I turned back into the path to get back on, in the darkness I saw the first white line that marks the edge of the road, just got ready to hop up the kerb and the next thing I was flat out on my back on the deck wondering what had happened.

What I had mistaken for the white line marking the edge of the road turned out to be the white line marking the edge of the cycle path, so the kerb came before the line. It was then I remembered that the road surface had been relaid and the white markings had not been painted back on the road edge and my light was shining too far ahead to see properly, so I had just ploughed into the kerb.