Thursday, February 02, 2006

Thursday, February 2


Morning:
Weather: was around 33 or so - pleasant, overcast.
Quality: very smooth - got several lights in a row that I never get. Traffic was light.

Technical Issues: bottom bracket making noise, I need to oil the chain.

Incidents: None

Comments: Photo is an onramp to Memorial Drive eastbound. I've been taking my life in my hands for about a year now on this leg of the commute. Most drivers view this stretch as a kind of freeway situation. On some lucky mornings the State Police are out with their radar guns.

Evening:
Weather: very nice, about 43 degrees.

Quality: OK - hit most of the lights.

Technical Issues: Dropped my chain 1 block from home and walked rather than flipping the bike over etc.

Incidents: At two side streets, drivers began to pull out as I crossed in front of them. I have two blinking front lights - one on the bike, one on the bike bag strap, and one of these drivers was looking right at me as he began to pull out.

Comments: Photo is of Kenmore Square at the confluence of Beacon and Commonwealth heading west. I call this area "Enter the Dragon" (Bruce Lee/1973). This area can be pure chaos for a cyclist. Three things are needed to navigate The Dragon successfully:
1) Speed
2) The ability to spin your head 360 degrees (like Linda Blair in The Exorcist)
3) A reliable adult diaper.

1 comment:

uber said...

Heh - good luck!

And yay for singlespeed, unless there's big hill you don't need a load of gears for that sort of distance.