B2WW Day 3: Chilly!

Photo: Starbucks might be known around the nation for their coffee, but they also make some pretty good kickstands :)

So yeah, it was 50 degrees when I left this morning. 50. That doesn't sound bad at all, does it? That sounds like a good time to throw on my MTB shorts and maybe a long sleeve t-shirt for my trip to the bus. I wore a long t-shirt (grey) and a white t-shirt over that for a little extra warmth and visibility, and my lime reflective vest over that.

Note to self, 20+ miles is a bit of a haul when you're cold! I should have worn my windbreaker and my full-finger gloves. My legs weren't too bad in shorts, surprisingly.


Anyhow, it was a pleasant ride. I left a bit later than I did on Monday, to get down town closer to 6:45 than to 6:20. As I approached the intersection of Merriam Lane and Johnson Drive, I saw something ahead. Blinking lights and a bright yellow jacket... Another commuter? The bike was pretty far ahead but seemed to have a single pannier on the drive side.

I picked up the pace a bit to reel in the cyclist, if for nothing more than to exchange greetings and salutations, and caught up around Antioch. As it turns out, it was an older woman named Karen who's been commuting by bike for longer than I've been alive. She lives in JoCo somewhere and works at the IRS. I guess there are a few other bicycle commuters that use the same route as well, including her husband on occasion. It was kind of cool to actually run into someone... ANYONE else that commutes by bike. Monday, with the exception of exchanging a wave with Jeff who was going the other direction, I was the only cyclist in sight. Caroline and I parted ways around Boulevard Brewery, and I continued onward.

Initial reaction to the panniers? AWESOME! Having the weight balanced and lower-slung than being strapped down to my rack is great. The bike's handling feels a bit sluggish compared to when the weight is on my back, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Even with all the extra weight, the Trek 1200's handling isn't any worse than my unencumbered Diamondback Outlook hybrid.

Anyhow, I'm going to try to warm up for a bit before riding the last few blocks to the office. Tonight's ride should be more pleasant, in the low 70's. I'll get out of town a little later than I wanted to, since I have a performance review with my boss today starting at 4:00, which is when I usually try to hit the road.