Rain and Other Roadblocks

June has been a horrendous month for bike commuting. With a four day tour only two weeks away it is imperative to get some miles. The radio weather man said that June had 24 days of rain.

The weekend would have been good commuting for work, but the music festival journaled in previous posts, took preference.

When all is said and done, I will have worked thirty three consecutive days, which could have been a phenomenal amount of miles. But alas, the rain.

The ride takes me through an abandoned State School. Paul Dever, which as I understand was for severely retarded children and adults. The building are sill around as is some of the equipment. Much of the stuff looks like something you would see in a horror movie. I know there was no ill intended, but back then it was what they though was best for the patients.

The buildings on the boundaries are still used as residence homes and I figure that they have problems with kids on dirt biks. There are so many attempts to block the old paths. Besides the two I have pictured, there is also a good sized pine tree that was cut down to block the path. None of the blocks are much of a bother to bicycle or walkers. It just slows us down for a couple of seconds.



I got caught in a good downpour during the homeward bound commute this Tuesday evening. The original prediction was 40% chance of boomers and rain. Good enough odds for me. By noon, it had changed to 60% and by 4PM when we were in the middle of a thorough soaking, they changed it again to 80%. However, like most of us regular commuters can attest, summer rains are not bad at all.

Dogs, Governors and Bikes

The Dog
Jenny is part Pit Bull part Bassett Hound. She has advanced heartworm and was due to be put down at the town kennel last week. All the woman became attached to Jenny who has responded in kind to her first taste of being loved. Jenny spent the first 8 years of her life tied up in her yard and had never been to a Vet.

Jenny is now living with us and follows wife around like they are conjoined. She had taken to being loved so much that she cannot be left alone. She will do everything she can to get out and find wifey. Curtains, windows, doors etc. Wifey has been taking her everywhere and has left her at the kennel when she cannot bring the dog with her. The kennel is full now and sadly Jenny's time is close. Probably this week.



The Governor
The Governor of South Carolina....Hmmmmm, is there really any more that needs to be said. Not only is the guy a hypocrite, do as I say, not as I do, but he is trying to bamboozle us with his spiritual bull shit. Spiritual advisor??? Spiritual boot camp? This may work in South Carolina, but the rest of the common sense world can see right through it. The more he talks, the more Sarah Palinish he looks.

After all the nutty things he did and subsequently said, the news reporters mentioned that those in his party still think he may have a shot at the 2012 Republican nomination. It was so refreshing when the they looked at each other and neither could stiffle a laugh.

Finally people are beginning to laught at the crack pots.




The Bike

The rain has taken it's toll on the amount of commuting days. This time of year it really shouldn't matter. Put on some gear and ride. Problem is that doing a dual mode commute, car/bike, the tendency is to keep driving to the office.

A few photos taken during last night's eleven mile commute.

Approaching the Taunton, Ma. Green


Superior Court House


During my usual short cut through General Dynamics I came across a guy leaving the building in full gear. I struck up a conversation and he was riding around 2/3 of my route. He told me his name as a car was passing in the lot. I asked him again and his answer was just as the car next to me slammed it's door. He was on a single speed so I dubbed him "single speed on a red bike".

We were able to converse pretty freely with the very light traffic. I took him on a route that was a little longer than his normal but much safer. He was hit last year on the route I wrote about a few weeks ago. It's one I stopped riding years ago. Vindicated, is the word that floated through my brain.

He turned off near to go to the LBS after five miles and I continued the six remaining to my car. My new car.

The traffic was light for the whole ride. The three spots I have to be on my "A" game were a can o corn today. Sometimes that happens.

The weather is great for riding through tomorrow. Thursday is a wash but I have to get my hair done anyhow. So.... no matter.
Traffic was light at this left turn.


Ole Blue leans on the ride home. The new Vibe.

My Pal Jim

Walked to the market last night with my neighbor. I wanted to get some cola to keep in the house. Wifey likes it much more than me and she always likes to have some around. I felt obliged to try this generic cola with my Jim Beam. Works pretty good if I say so my self. It did cause me to sleep in and extra 1/2 hr. Fortunately my bimodal commute gives me lots of flexibility.

With that, I parked at the police station and got a few shots of the sights in downtown Taunton, Ma.

Bikes and Books

Got the bike ready, put the riding clothes out on the bed in the spare room.   Work clothes were folded and ready to put into the backpack.  I set the alarm for 5:30 and was ready to do the first bike commute in months.  At twent past five, the dogs wanted to go out.  When they returned, I shut off the alarm and went back to bed.



It's the third time this has happened in the past few weeks.  I am working the weekend and am determined to get up early and ride the 10 miles to work on Sunday. With the temps forcast for the high 50's, the ride promises to be a nice one.  Changing the clocks will make it a little more difficult, but I know once I start dressing, everything else will fall into place mentally.

 

I usually have a book at work and one at home to read.   However, I am into one that follows me everywhere. 

The Historian ".  A very different novel about Vlad the Impaler, better know as Dracula. It's a very different take from that of Bram Stoker. If you are one who enjoys reading,  put this one on your short list.   

I'm starting to get the riding fever since I got my confirmation for the bike tour this July.  A couple of friends have been discussing day rides and maybe even an overnighter.  We call them S24O.   Sub 24 hr. overnights.   That's when we ride out on a Friday evening after work, set up  and camp out.   Rise early in the morning and ride back home. They are usually twent to thirty mile rides.   We pick  some good food and there is also a package store with a good sized wine selection close to the campground in Plymouth  Ma.    The Cape Cod Canal and Cape Cod Canal Rail Trail are two other great riding places for both day and S24Os.

Never Ending Rain

We got caught in the rain a lot during our Erie Canal tour. Monday on the ride home from work the sky got noticeably dark and the sprinkles began while I was riding through the abandoned State School Property. I though about going into one of the buildings to see what would happen with the obviously approaching storm.

As I got into the main road the wind began whipping. "Not good, this is definitly not good", was my immediate thought. Then I began to watch the sheet of rain approach from my right. I had to take shelter in a cluster of trees. Naturally I got wet, but I was not really taking cover from the storm but from the traffic, who would have a difficult time noticing me on the road.

As I was hunkered, two kids on their dirt bikes passed by, soaked to the bone and screaming in delight. "Yeeeeehaaa". They were giddy with distress.

I resumed the commute when the rain lightened up and was pretty uncomfortable. But the storm also made me think of the times we got caught during our adventure, and it brought on a smile.

New Commuter, maybe.

Tuesday, a coworker had been asking about my commute. She said, "maybe I'll ride it sometime next week".
"Why not tomorrow"? I said.

She met me at the park and ride at 6AM, roaring to go. A bike with two nearly flat tires, rusted cables and a slipping chain. Then she pulled the biggest backpack I had ever seen, out of her car.
"What the heck you have in there?"

"Lunch"

"For how many?"

To be fair, it was her first work commute. Overpacking is common for most people and her packing a change of clothes, shoes to match the clothes, a book, and a side of beef, is understandable.


I let her set the pace and she lead us to work at around a 16mph spin. She did fine. One glitch was when she mentioned that her pack felt funny. Things seemed to be shifting. She stopped and as she began dismounting, the thing exploded throwing cloths half way into the road. Being the good riding partner, I immediately reached for my camera. Unfortunately, I was too quick on the trigger and the photos came out unrecognizably blurry.



The commute home was a treat, doing the same route in heavy traffic. She is off till Tuesday and we will see if she becomes a regular on the bike.

Rain

They said 40% chance of rain. On my drive to the park and ride it was up to 80%. What the heck, it's a nice summer morning. I rode through a light drizzle for 6 miles. The last four saw a gradual increase in the amount falling. I got to work wet but comfortable. Rain is a piece of cake in the summer.

When I arrived at the parking lot there was a trucker who had probably spent the night. The mall was around the corner and a very large furniture warehouse up the road. His box? Who knows, but he was a long way from home.

Read Between the Lines

Commuting this week has been really nice. The Asylum grounds is part of the quiet section of my ride. One of the things I noticed is how they take care of the bigwigs. They get some pretty nice little houses as part of the perks. The place is almost overrun with squirrels though. I guess it's because there are so many nuts.


The very last section of the commute is where the highway begins. It can get hairy but this is where I leave car. Notice that the photo is taken from the middle of the road. (between the yellow line). I am about to take a left into the park and ride lot. It's the end of yet another 11 mile commute through the city.
Four years I have been doing this and have already lost a pound.

Commute Yes, Marin, No

Put the Marin back on the wall in the garage last night, and am again using the Giant. After spending a few weeks commuting on a road bike, the Marin was difficult riding. Every bike has it's purpose and the Marin is definitely not for ten mile rides when your in a hurry. The old tug has been relegated to Saturday morning breakfast and super market runs. It's time to get the tour bike down and make a few commuting runs that one.

There are two options for the first leg of the outbound commute. The main road in the Industrial Park, that is somewhat busy with semi trucks and park workers and the quiet abandoned State School grounds. Both are fine and alternating between the two serves the change things now and again.


Entrance to start of off road commute



Once inside it's a quiet ride on abandoned roads that are still in pretty good condition


Short cut to bike shop


The paths, roads and sidewalks all have large things blocking them. Boulders, fallen trees and stuff like that. It's part of the battle against dirt bikes speeding around the area. When I enter or exit the property I have to dismount and maneuver around these things. Yesterday I couldn't get my left foot out of the clip. I had been having problems, but kept forgetting to check. Fortunately I ride SPD pedals and was forced to ride clipped into one and the flats on the other pedal. Double dare fortunately my LBS is at the midway part of my commute.

Good ole Travis Bike in Taunton Ma.

The problem clip.


The problem was that I installed the base, (the part that goes inside the shoe) upside down. Two bucks at Travis got me a new screw, flipped my base and some good advice on a couple of maintanence questions. Not a bad deal at all.

I made a note to check the clips on my other shoes when I got home, but keeping in character, I forgot.

Got the Fever

Up at 4:30 to begin our commute at 5:15.

After a great weekend riding Manhattan and then the Five Boroughs Tour #3 son Brandon got the itch to bike commute. We picked our parking spot, (it's a drive/bike combo commute), at the Dunkin Donuts lot in Freetown Ma. We rode together for three miles and split off to our respective offices. Brandon had a 9 mile commute to Middleboro, and I had an additional 17 to Taunton.


Fortunately I have a shower at work and a tree to hang my freshly washed clothes. I hear grumbling once in a while from the smokers who are offended by wet, clean clothes hanging on a tree.

Tree clothes dryer


Our original plan was for me to ride the seventeen miles back to the car and drive back towards Brandon's building and pick him up on the road. I leave work at 4 he at 6, so I had more than enough time to plan and ride a route to his office and we could ride together to the car.

A new route can only mean photo ops. Here are a couple on the ride to Middleboro Ma.







At 6pm we left Middleboro for the ten mile rolling hills ride to East Freetown.







We got to the car around 7:15 and spotted Nephews Restaurant across the road. After calling our respective spouses we stopped in and split a pizza. The bill came to forty bucks. (including drinks).


Tauton to Middleboro route. Then Middleboro to Lakeville.


View Larger Map



View Larger Map

Commuting weather

It's been really good commuting weather the last few day. Cool mornings requiring a light jacket and evening temps in the mid to upper 70's.

There were quite a few bikes out this morning and none of the riders had helmets or any type of bike clothing. They ride on the sidwalks, on the wrong side of street and weaving in and out of traffic to avoid having to wait their turn to cross or turn or whatever. The problem is that they are not highly skilled or experienced riders. They are all around 35-40 and it seems like they are riding like they did when they were 14.


The camera has been stuck in the handlebar bag. Bike hypnosis has been setting in lately and lots of good shots have been missed. Thats the down side of a routine hour long bike commute. The upside is the extra hour of sleep. And the view.


Finally this thanks to Jamie in Columbus


Take the Lane

Grand Possibilities

The week has the potential of being a big milage week. Temps in the 70's and low 80's and the weekend looks the same. There is a family gathering in Conneticut, and biking may be part of the day. I could very well become an honorary member of this group

Got up easily today (some days are a stuggle that I don't always win), and even left the house 10 minutes early at 5:20. Got a block away and realized this was a jacket and long pant day since the temp was 58. I also noticed my cup of coffee on the counter, which is an essential part of getting the engine running. I have a 30 minute drive to the mall before unloading the bike and ride about an hour to the office. A few miles from home I realized I had left without my cell phone. It's a fact that this would have been the day a cell phone was going to be needed if it was not retrieved. With all that drama, ten minutes early ended up 15 minutes late. Also, I loaded the "tank" for todays commute, a Marin Belvedere, that not only is heavy, but also sports upright handlebars, that turn me into a sail. A little creative riding, blasting traffic controls, and taking shorcuts and the end result was five minutes later than the normal arrival time.

That other commuter that seems to appear all of a sudden showed today. Funny thing is, I was looking for him, thinking that being late I may see him and get a photo. As usual, I looked up just in time for us to cross paths with the camera snug in my handle bar bag.

My dog walking partner is comming home from hospital today. I'll still be taking his dog without him till he recovers from a collapsed lung. He is also comming home with a bag full of pain meds, so there could be trouble. Two people in his family and his girlfriend, are itching to get their hands on that stuff and I really expect the meds to go missing.


There is a neat book site called BookCrossing dot com. It's similar to "where's George" and tracks the travels of any book you register with them. I'll be dropping off three books to "travel" withing the next two days, making sure they are in a spot most likely to be taken home and not simple disgarded. But you never know.

Zoom Lens

"Bon dia senior, come esta?

"Sta bon, esta?"

I stopped and chatted with a gentleman last year, originally thinking he may be French. "Portuguese", he said. Now, we great each other many a morn. He out for his constitutional, me on my commute to work. It was too early to see the other regular commuter. The camera is ready when the next opportunity arises.

The halfway point "pit stop" is closed for renovations. It is the winter "warming house" and "summer cooling house". There, I always say hello to Arthur, who said the place will be closed for at least a month.




The renovations was cause enough to try a different route. The city hall in Taunton Ma is a grand building, in disrepair, but grand. The detour allowed a new perspective. The following are the back side and alley way of the city buildings.





The weather is cooperating and providing a great incentive for getting up an hour early to commute.

Three Days of Rain

The whole weekend was a washout for riding. This morning's commute was routine. Thanks to Vice President Gore, the internet is available to everyone, and there are good bike videos to watch.

The following was first noticed on Planetary Gears, a bike shop in Minnesota. It's a two part (youtube, limits videos to 10 minutes), video of bike tourning in 1955 Great Brittain.

Cyclist Special

Part 1




Part 2

It's Tempting to Sleep In

When the alarm goes off at 5AM, it's very tempting to roll over and sleep in for an extra hour. All it takes, usually, to overcome that is to sit up. The morning routine can be done by rote.

Rising early enough to lollygag a little really makes the early morning more bearable. One of the highlights is opening the front door to retrieve the newpaper. The serinade of the birds and critters is astounding, not so much that they are there, but by how loud and frenzied they are.

In Taunton, Ma the early morning commuters on bikes is can be counted on three fingers. Trying to catch a photo (candid) can be daunting. One rider never looks or acknowledges anyone. This mornings attempt at a photo just missed.

A second commuter was spotted at the half way point.



Others have been seen, but they get on the road later in the morning. The vocational school and middle school have a few, and there are a couple of retired gents on bikes.

Happy bike to work month to all. Charging $3.09 for unleaded regular today.

Todays video entry.