17 Degrees this morning

BITTER COLD

Bike Clavicle Pavement

Like I said, I fell off my bike and broke my left clavicle in August. After a bad start (it was taking longer than normal to begin healing), the bone began to heal fairly well, and in September I was told I could ditch my sling. But recently my shoulder has been feeling stiff and painful. So I made an appointment to go back to the hospital and get another x-ray, just to make sure that it is healing as it should.

I had a suspicion that it wasn't OK. I had heard some stories as I walked around in my sling in August/September from people who had long-term healing problems that led to surgery. It's hard to tell from the x-rays, but the bone is in much better shape now (left-hand image) than it was in September (right-hand image). The main thing is that the bone achieves "re-union" via a callus that forms a bridge at the break. In the left-hand image you can see the callus as a hazy cloud around the fracture. While to my eye there doesn't appear to be a huge difference between the right and left images, I was told that everything is healing just fine.

So I'm back on the bike now. I'm taking it a little easy since my mobility is restricted a bit - it's harder to turn my head to look behind me, and some bumps can cause pain. But at least I'm back on  - not like this person http://nyti.ms/hDFanf.

No riding again today - too gloomy, wet and raw.

Back at it. New chain ring, cog, chain and pedals. What a difference. My pedals were in such a deplorable state - the right one was just a stub of metal.

Been off the bike since August 10 after solo accident which resulted in a broken left clavicle. This was quite the unfortunate event - 4 weeks in a sling, no riding, no excercise, crowded subway to work. Although, as you can see, I tried to make the best of it with liberal applications of Gin & Tonic. Today, almost 10 weeks later, back on the bike, but only temporarily. Bringing the bike down to Community Bike to get loose spoke fixed, new pedals, chain ring and chain.

New bike lanes on Beacon. There are new lanes on Comm Ave in Back Bay as well, but on the left side - good for not getting doored, but bad for making a right hand turn. Weather has been very cool and windy.

It has been sloppy out there this week. Steady rain yesterday and today.

13 degrees for the morning ride, but that's nothing compare to last night's commute - A 6pm snow squall that lasted about 20 min. Bitter cold wind gusts, icy, could barely see with the flakes slapping my eyes.

31/snow/sleet/rain

25 degrees/sunny/dry/no wind. Perfect riding weather. Even a little warm in the sun.

15 degrees, sunny, very little wind. Not bad. Polartec, shirt, t-shirt, warm. New Armadillo front tire.

19 degrees, clear, very little wind

24 again, flurries, no wind. Polartec, tshirt, totally warm.

The Long Haul

24 degrees

Sweet 16....

...degrees. 16 degrees this morning. Mayor declares cold weather alert. 8 degrees tonight.

Let the winter games begin...snow this past Saturday, lower temps. 32 for this morning's ride - tied my record of 13 minutes door to door.

Riding Mower

Another flat tire on the bike. This 5-week old set of Continentals has had 3 flats so far. Best time to work on the Vespa this week is 12 minutes. Best ever time on the bike was 13 minutes. The only downside to the Vespa is that is sounds like a lawn mower.

Summer Elegy

I really think it's official - summer 2009 is a complete bust. Here it is July 8, and the skies refuse to clear, the rain will not stop, the temperature is 63.

I was on Boylston Street the other morning and a big disheveled guy with a mammoth gray beard yelled to me "Riding a bike with one gear is like playing a harp with one string!"

June stats are in from the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory:

It was tenth coldest June on record.

The consistently cool temperatures were due to the persistently low sunshine all month, which measured just 27 percent, or half of the 55 percent typically observed in June. This is the second lowest sunshine ever recorded in June, behind only 25 percent measured in 1903, and this ties for the fourth lowest sunshine (in percent) for any month of the year.

Although not generally heavy, the rainfall was frequent with measurable precipitation occurring on 19 of the 30 days, which is the second highest total for any June.

Got soaked on this morning's bike ride to work. Had broken spoke repaired at Community Bike yesterday. Was told I need new chain ring.

Frydee, Jooon Twenteee Sixth

Here's the third annual June 26 Photo of Kenmore. The Kenmore bus station is finally done after 2+ years, and the sun has finally come out here and there after 2+ weeks.