The 2012 Daily Commute Thread.

[Oldguyonabike]

[EDIT] K'Tesh here... I've been thinking that Schrauf's idea for the Daily Commute Thread should be restarted each year, so I'm going to start the new one starting now... However, in moving the two 2012 posts from the old thread, they jumped over the 2012 announcement post, so I've edited this into the oldest 2012 Daily Commute Thread post...

Originally Posted by Schrauf

This thread is a place where people can post their daily (or occasional) commute highlights and lowlights?

And now with Oldguyonabike's post...[/EDIT]

Greetings and a warning to riders who go as far south as Clackamas Town Center.
I have had 3 flats in the past 2 weeks that all have occurred somewhere between the last underpass at Monterey Road and Sunnybrook as best as I can tell. There was a huge glass cluster south of Monterey that I swept up last friday, but had another flat today with a staple.
I suspect someone's stapled the road.
So, if you are pedaling down this way, carry an extra tube for awhile until someone locates this IED.

[q`Tzal]

Originally Posted by Oldguyonabike

Clackamas Town Center ... huge glass cluster ...
So, if you are pedaling down this way, carry an extra tube for awhile until someone locates this IED.

I worked down in this neighborhood for about 3 years. Who ever is responsible for street sweeping in south Clackamas County seems to be intent on controlling bike traffic by not cleaning the outside 3 feet of the road - EVER.

My commute often went across the Carver Rd bridge over I-205 (hwy 212 / hwy 224 to Estacada). One winter within a week after gravel had to be put down for icy conditions a crash occurred. Piles of the same windshield glass were there the following winter. Most of the rest of the broken car pieces remained for weeks until they left piece by piece in an order that seemed to indicate scavenging.
I put in requests to have that and other areas cleaned, I put in complaints. No replies, no acknowledgement, no progress.

If a bunch of bike hating rednecks was running Clackamas County transpo dept and they wanted to discourage cycling this would be a good way to do it.

[K'Tesh]

Today's commute had me riding to and from PSU twice today with the MAX doing much of the work... It was COLD this morning!!! I hope that everybody stays safe with the predicted snowfall coming.



Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh

[K'Tesh]

Went to Mom's tonight for dinner. After dinner, she took her dog out for a walk, and nearly slipped on the sheet of black ice that is covering the entire city of Sherwood. Since I had my bike, she decided to drive me to the bus stop rather than make me ride to it (or home).

Catch the bus, ride to the Tigard Transit (Freezing) Center. Get there and check the schedule for the next 76 or 78 to Brrreaverrrrttttonnnn Transit Centerrrrrr. I've got a 45 minute wait. That's not going to work for me.

I rode home on the Fanno Creek Trail, without any problem until I hit the skating rink known as SW Hall. Damn that was slick. I hopped off after realizing that I'd never be able to mount the bike and get the thing moving before having the wheels slide out from under me. Walked across Hall, and spotted a bus heading for Beaverton... Hauled Butt to try to catch it almost made it to SW Greenway before it roared past me (damn Merlo Garage bound bus).

Headed back to the trail, safely managed to get to Denny, but when I got to Lombard... DAMN!!!!!! I managed to stay upright, but I've never been that scared from ice before.

I hopped up on the sidewalk and stayed there for the remainder of the ride, but I plan on staying close to home until temps warm up again.

[Oldguyonabike]

Fourth flat in 3 weeks. Stapled again! Same general area south of clackamas town center. Ice and snow I can get through if my tires are inflated.
I'm really getting sick of this. I have scanned the 205 path thoroughly and cannot find the spot causing these.

[K'Tesh]

Originally Posted by Oldguyonabike

Fourth flat in 3 weeks. Stapled again! Same general area south of clackamas town center. Ice and snow I can get through if my tires are inflated.
I'm really getting sick of this. I have scanned the 205 path thoroughly and cannot find the spot causing these.

Slimed tires?

[Haven_kd7yct]

Interesting ride in this morning.

Lots of snowflakes, luckily none of them sticking.
Nice fellow commuters, giving me space when I need it to get around debris in the bike lane (reporting it to Tigard's wonderful street crews this morning).

And one clueless parent on auto pilot this morning around Twality Middle School, almost ran me over at the three-way stop. There was traffic at all stops, including me. The guy directly across from me went; the guy to my right went; then it was my turn, right?

Got almost halfway into the intersection when the next guy to my right decided it was his turn. He started going, then slammed on the brakes as I slammed on mine and started yelling at the top of my lungs.

It's not like I was invisible-- bright apple-green raincoat with my most annoying screaming yellow vest over it, lights all over the place... I am NOT inconspicuous.

He mimed "sorry" and I mimed "USE YOUR EYES", I could have been a kid and he would have killed me dead with his big gray truck. He went into the middle school driveway to drop off his kid, I went on my way with heart rate elevated.

Yup, it's true what they say: the most dangerous part of the road system appears to be around schools! Did not get his license plate, I was more focused on making eye contact and making sure he understood that he had to pay attention to ALL traffic.

But the rest of my ride in to work was great!

[zpl]

So I finally got a bike locker downtown. I commute into Hillsboro 2x/week, typically driving one day and taking the Max the other. Today I began my new multi-modal commute pattern: bike downtown, stow the bike and gear in the bike locker, then take the Max from Pioneer Courthouse Square to Hillsboro.

I was amazed with how empty the streets were during my 6:00-6:30am ride downtown. I encountered almost no cars and only 4 or 5 bikes.

Starting my day like this is awesome.

Scott

[Haven_kd7yct]

Took the Fanno Creek Trail from Tiedeman to Hall (with a short on-street section at Johnson past St Anthony's and down Main St where it picks up again at Max's). So quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. I love starting out my day like that, in a non-stress environment.

My ride home tonight will be the opposite-- I'm beginning to dread the Fonner Hill, and I always hope I can time the lights just right so there's no traffic coming up behind me.

But hey!! Sunshine and 70s!