Bike Commute 2011 - Day 17 - Happy Towel Day!

Happy Towel Day everyone! (actually yesterday) 

Speaking of Towel Day, I was thinking about staging, specifically at work.

I keep my bike in an unused cubicle near mine.  Mostly I try to keep just my bike there because I don't want to seem like I'm trying to take ownership of another cube for myself.  However, I have on occasion had to go back and get something I forgot in my own cube because it wasn't there with my bike when I left.

I'm not sure it it's better to keep a few things in that cube with the bike or not.  My hat, gloves and reflective vest are a few specific items I'm thinking of.

I'll have to think about it some more.

IN -


It was foggy, misty, wet and cool this morning. It was about 50o, but there was a NE wind that made it feel more like 47o. I was chilly, but oddly enough I didn't feel like I was being pushed back. The streets were still wet from a rain last night and it looks like it will rain on me going home.

I debated with myself on what to wear today. I ended up with a gray long sleeve tee shirt (military) and a white short sleeve one over it. I wore my usual shorts, socks, gymshoes and gloves (wool military). I wore my reflective vest over it all, with a Bears trucker cap and safety glasses.

I think I made a mistake not wearing my jacket. It isn't exactly waterproof, but now I don't have any long sleeve thing to wear home unless I want to add my sweaty one from this morning. I guess I'll have to wear my work clothes home and hope it doesn't rain on me too bad.

HOME -

It rained all day at work and I was very nervous that it would be a wet and cold ride home. It was ironic since it is Towel Day.

It wasn't all that wet actually. It had stopped raining about an hour before I left and it didn't rain on me at all.

It was slightly warmer than the ride in to work, though I expected it to be cooler than it was so I wore my work clothes home.

It was foggy and damp. The trail was muddy and wet. It was like riding on a beach. I counted six times I had to go off trail to avoid standing water and/or mud puddles, and nine times (nine times, but I wasn't sick or ditching school) I had no choice but to ride through the puddles.

I was packed for a messy commute though. When I got home everything was covered in mud splatters and it was all the way up to the top of my reflective vest. I assume it got up to my hair as well, but I couldn't really see that.

It was all just little drops, not a huge wet strip up my back though. I suppose that was because I actually do have a rear fender. That and the two bags I carry kept me mostly comfortable, if not completely clean.