Highlights of your commuting year.

[BentMikey]

For me the highlight was realising that it's possible to do my commute and work a full day's skating, doing several full weeks in a row. Last year I suffered through trying to ride too hard and ended up taking the train loads of times.

 

[amelia-jane]

Highlight was cycling to work last week through the enormous puddles and torrential rain...

Such fun...

Bike ride and log flume all in one...

 

[Origamist]

The camaraderie - I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but for most of my cycling life, I was keen to get from A to B quickly and with as few interruptions as possible (I blame time trialling). Now, instead of ignoring people who I see regularly, I chat to them (a rarely discussed advantage of obeying red lights and cycling), or if they're less talkative - a nod or a wave. I was surprised, but a bit of human interaction brightens up the commute immeasurably.

 

[palinurus]

Finally getting my commuting rig just the way I like it after 20+ years.

Riding and commuting on a fixed-gear bike for the first time.

Off-road commuting on the 'cross bike (but not the cleaning afterwards)

 

[Vikeonabike]

Highlights:
The days I ride in, spend the day on patrol on my work bike and then ride home again.

Getting my own back on the numpty who tried to scare me off my bike.
That was an expensive scream for him!

Lowlights: Using the car or bus to get to work!

 

[merlin321]

Highlights:
managing 10,000 miles in my first full year of commuting Aug-Aug,
doing over 1,000 miles for two consecutive months,
completing this years Exmouth Exodus and raising a load of money for Cystic Fibrosis funds,
going clipless after 4.500 miles in toe clips
completing my first 100mile ride.

Lowpoints:
first clipless moment, especially as the first car past me as I laid there was my brother-in-law.
three broken chains.


Every day I`ve been out on the bike has been great. There have been some low points but I have been genuinely grateful to be able to do every yard.

 

[palinurus]

Oh, and the snow! I forgot the snow!

I even commuted on the day they closed the site, so I got my ride in and I got a day off!

 

[hackbike 666]

Reminds me,I had my eye on a fixie and as I haven't spent a lot here I may be in line for buying it.

 

[benborp]

To be honest it was my on road encounter with Origamist that prompted me to start this thread.

I was on a fast four lane road, in the extreme right lane, putting in the effort to keep in the traffic flow, when he appears beside me after having obviously crossed three lanes and come from a fair way back -"How ya doing? I thought it was you!" a brief exchange and then he's back cleanly to the left and away before the road splits and we go our seperate ways. A very classy gesture of camaraderie.

It's a strange property of the bike that somehow some of the moments that others would believe to be the lowest are transformed into victories, landmarks of progress, even expressions of joy.

MacB: there's probably a place for a FNRttC thread. Each one I've been on has provided the equivalent of a years worth of commuting emotions.

 

[ianrauk]

Highlights:
1: 2009 being my first full year of commuting to work and back.
2: Extending my everyday commute from a 24 mile round trip to 32 mile round trip.
3: Cycling to work what ever the weather.
Lowlights
1: Not being able to commute for 2 days in Feb due to the snow.
2: Seeing far too many wanky, inconsiderate, moronic RLJ'rs.
3: The usual far too many close overtakes.

 

[ttcycle]

highlights:
1. Reaching 35mph on the flat
2. Getting in on days where it seems just impossible- that sense of achievement
3. Chatting to people who choose to stop at lights - the last one was at Tower Bridge - laughing with someone at all the pointless wheel wobbling RLJers - moving along to a different route and seeing the same person again a few metres along...!
4. Not strictly commuting but FNRttC and the informal rides on here - been excellent to meet people and have a good ride out!

Lowpoints
1. Skidding and falling on ice early in the year
2. Dogged with illness this year which has meant a lot of time on public transport
3. Being beeped by drivers who expect me to RLJ so that they can
4. Agressive numpty incident with HGV drivers trying to be intimidating..loser

EDT- funny moments - snotting into my gloves or blowing my snot out onto the road and the bemused looks it gets from people! Really classy me!

 

[BentMikey]

To be honest it was my on road encounter with Origamist that prompted me to start this thread.

I was on a fast four lane road, in the extreme right lane, putting in the effort to keep in the traffic flow, when he appears beside me after having obviously crossed three lanes and come from a fair way back -"How ya doing? I thought it was you!" a brief exchange and then he's back cleanly to the left and away before the road splits and we go our seperate ways. A very classy gesture of camaraderie.

Anyone else notice this? Origamist must be 'kin turbo powered to catch up Ben when he's putting effort in. Quite impressed!!

 

[benborp]

I've just remembered your frost videos Mikey and been reminded of the beauty of seeing the transmitter at Crystal Palace glowing in the sunlight through the mist of a dull, grey, cold morning. The view out to Biggin Hill is not bad from there either: in fact one morning, just before getting to the top of Anerley Hill my phone rang, and having several things on the go that I had to respond to the moment anything happened I pulled over to answer it. As I was talking I turned round and looked back the way I'd come. It turned out the call was quite urgent but I still had to tell them about the view.

 

[magnatom]

I'm hoping my highlight is still to come. I start a new longer commute next month and I've just been looking at the possible routes on bikehike.

I have at least 3 or 4 different routes I can take which are all very different, some more rural some more urban (although all will have at least 50% urban in them).

I am sooo looking forward to trying out the different routes and varying them as my mood suits!

 

[BentMikey]

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.