Left the house this morning and it was clear, sunny, and calm. By the time I reached San Bruno, there was a pretty stiff wind and I could see the fog pouring over the hill over South City. Sure enough, South City remained windy (head windy) and foggy. Fortunately, over Airport around the San Bruno "Mountain," that wind became a tailwind (which was appreciated; I was tired to begin with today). So around the "mountain," expecting a stiff headwind on the other side.
Nope. Sunny. Clear. Calm. Weird.
But that's life riding from the Peninsula to the City.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Need to Lock Your Helmet?
Can't say I've ever felt compelled to lock my helmet up with my bike, but I can see the utility in it (motorcycles often have built-in helmet locks). Just haven't done it. Anyway, Blake, the maker/inventor (?) of this device contacted me below, and . . . why not?
http://www.thehelmetlock.com/spread_the_word.php
Looks like a handy device. Wouldn't necessarily stop a really motivated helmet/bike thief, but how many really motivated helmet thiefs are there, really? Probably not many (a truly motivated bike thief? If your u-lock isn't good enough, you'll have bigger complaints than the loss of your helmet). Seems like a pretty good idea. Good luck, Blake.
Edit, 8/12/08: So after writing this yesterday I took my bike to the ballgame. Not wanting to leave my road bike parked outside at PacBell/Cingular/AT&T (can we just call it "Giants"?) Park and with a heavy load to carry in to work, I road my mountain bike (and took CalTrain). So I get to the game, but did I really want to bring my helmet with me inside the stadium? Of course not. So there I am thinking about how handy Blake's product would be, mere hours after stating that I don't generally have a need for such a thing. Ironic.
Anyway, it turns out my u-lock was just big enough to fit through my helmet, my frame, and the wide front MTB wheel. So I got away with it. Nonetheless, I would've preferred one of Blake's helmet locks.
http://www.thehelmetlock.com/spread_the_word.php
Looks like a handy device. Wouldn't necessarily stop a really motivated helmet/bike thief, but how many really motivated helmet thiefs are there, really? Probably not many (a truly motivated bike thief? If your u-lock isn't good enough, you'll have bigger complaints than the loss of your helmet). Seems like a pretty good idea. Good luck, Blake.
Edit, 8/12/08: So after writing this yesterday I took my bike to the ballgame. Not wanting to leave my road bike parked outside at PacBell/Cingular/AT&T (can we just call it "Giants"?) Park and with a heavy load to carry in to work, I road my mountain bike (and took CalTrain). So I get to the game, but did I really want to bring my helmet with me inside the stadium? Of course not. So there I am thinking about how handy Blake's product would be, mere hours after stating that I don't generally have a need for such a thing. Ironic.
Anyway, it turns out my u-lock was just big enough to fit through my helmet, my frame, and the wide front MTB wheel. So I got away with it. Nonetheless, I would've preferred one of Blake's helmet locks.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Clears the Head
Was out at a show late last night. Woke up tired this morning. Had a mood to match. Got on the bike to come to work and was a little tired; not a morning to challenge last Monday's time and speed records.
It's summer in the City, and beautiful. By the time I got to work, I was all smiles. Bike commuting is good like that.
I wonder how CalTrain was this morning . . .
It's summer in the City, and beautiful. By the time I got to work, I was all smiles. Bike commuting is good like that.
I wonder how CalTrain was this morning . . .
Friday, August 7, 2009
CalTrain: the Bike Car
I've been riding into work all week, so I've missed out on my morning CalTrain fun. But not today. Nothing big this morning, but people, who do you suppose the "Bike Car" is for? Had to fight my way through the crowd of non-cyclists packing the coach's doorway to get my bike back to its rightful place. Not too bad this morning, but always a little annoying.
It is a constant war between the cyclists and the people who (a) want to be closest to the train station when they get to the City; and (b) the people who are too lazy to walk to the next car down when headed out of the City.
Every now and again you'll get some outraged cyclist who climbs aboard and starts yelling at all non-cyclists to get off the coach and make room for the people who are supposed to be there. It rarely works, but hey, maybe it makes them feel better.
Last night was a good one, though. A guy followed a woman up the stairs to the empty seat she took and said, "you know, this car is for cyclists and I saw you get on this car without a bike. Would you please move to another car?" Despite the "please" it wasn't the nicest approach ever, and frankly, I can't believe the guy thought it might actually work. Suffice it to say, it didn't.
It is a constant war between the cyclists and the people who (a) want to be closest to the train station when they get to the City; and (b) the people who are too lazy to walk to the next car down when headed out of the City.
Every now and again you'll get some outraged cyclist who climbs aboard and starts yelling at all non-cyclists to get off the coach and make room for the people who are supposed to be there. It rarely works, but hey, maybe it makes them feel better.
Last night was a good one, though. A guy followed a woman up the stairs to the empty seat she took and said, "you know, this car is for cyclists and I saw you get on this car without a bike. Would you please move to another car?" Despite the "please" it wasn't the nicest approach ever, and frankly, I can't believe the guy thought it might actually work. Suffice it to say, it didn't.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Mornin', Sea Dog
When I lived in the City, I rode down Terry Francois every day on my way to work. I got to know my friend the Sea Dog. Well, that's a little silly, it's just a sheet metal cutout in the shape of a dog. It used to have an orange anchor painted on it, too, but that's gone now. Anyway, the Sea Dog stands on the falling down wooden piers just north of the dry docks at 18th. It signified reaching the Bay as I came over from Bernal Heights. When I ride in (as I have every day this week), I take the same route through the City, so I still see the Sea Dog a few times a week.
This morning I took a picture on my way past (you can just make him out to the left of the ledge in the middle):
While I was at it, I took a another on Terry Francois. TF and the Embarcadero are the prettiest parts of the ride. This overlooks the Marina past the ball park as TF turns back towards 3rd.
While I was at it, I took a another on Terry Francois. TF and the Embarcadero are the prettiest parts of the ride. This overlooks the Marina past the ball park as TF turns back towards 3rd.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Race
Today started off fairly mellow. I'm not playing hockey this mid-week, so I'm riding into the office an extra time or two. This being the third day in a row (that doesn't happen often), I wasn't sure if I should press or take another leisurely ride like yesterday. Despite putting a little extra air in my tires last night, a little headwind to start off deflated my attitude a little, enough to slow me from really going for it, so I spent the San Mateo County portion of the ride just cruising along, nothing special.
It's funny, though. Attitude makes all the difference, and little things make big differences to your state of mind. I pulled up to the light at Airport and Grand in South City right beside the SamTrans 292, which runs along Airport, up Bayshore, and down to Mission. Basically the same route I was taking. The light turned green, and we started off from the same place. The bus, of course, has a higher top speed, but doesn't normally accelerate as fast and has to make stops for its riders.
So, I pulled away from the bus and started up the little hill on Airport. As I was cresting the hill, not really working that hard, the bus came careening by. Headed down Bayshore, it pulled into the bike lane to pick up its next round of passengers . . . and the race was on.
I bolted out around and made a dash for it. I take Tunnel and meet up with
Bayshore again headed up and over 101. I wasn't really pushing that hard on Tunnel, but at Bayshore there was the 292, again, waiting in traffic for the light at 3rd. Now the race was really on. Up the hill I cranked, then across 3rd, over 101, and onto the descent on Bayshore (which is the fastest part of my ride). At Salinas the 292 passed me, but again it had to pick up passengers just before the U-Haul depot, and I passed it back. Then we were stopped at another light together (killing my downhill momentum). By this time I was fully in the mindset, so no more lollygagging. The light turned and I was off. Despite the moderate incline, I was pushing hard and keeping just ahead of the bus.
At Silver I knew I had ST292 beaten; I held it off to the light, cruised through, and saw the 292 had another stop to make behind me as I flew down the northside of Bayshore. Right on Alemeny, left on Loomis, back up to Bayshore, then right on Cesar Chavez, and I had won (at Cesar Chavez, the bus gets on 101 for the last leg before Mission -- as far as I'm concerned CC is the finish line in that race, though with traffic on 101 I wouldn't be too surprised to learn I beat it to the downtown bus depot, too).
Of course, by then my mind was right to keep the cranks turning, so I finished up fairly strong. I didn't kill myself down Illinois and Terry Francois, but turned it up a notch around the Embarcadero, keeping it between 23 and 25 until I reached the Ferry Building.
The moral of the story? It's all in your head. Oh, and I'm faster than SM292 (at least for today), but no, I can't take you downtown.
It's funny, though. Attitude makes all the difference, and little things make big differences to your state of mind. I pulled up to the light at Airport and Grand in South City right beside the SamTrans 292, which runs along Airport, up Bayshore, and down to Mission. Basically the same route I was taking. The light turned green, and we started off from the same place. The bus, of course, has a higher top speed, but doesn't normally accelerate as fast and has to make stops for its riders.
So, I pulled away from the bus and started up the little hill on Airport. As I was cresting the hill, not really working that hard, the bus came careening by. Headed down Bayshore, it pulled into the bike lane to pick up its next round of passengers . . . and the race was on.
I bolted out around and made a dash for it. I take Tunnel and meet up with
Bayshore again headed up and over 101. I wasn't really pushing that hard on Tunnel, but at Bayshore there was the 292, again, waiting in traffic for the light at 3rd. Now the race was really on. Up the hill I cranked, then across 3rd, over 101, and onto the descent on Bayshore (which is the fastest part of my ride). At Salinas the 292 passed me, but again it had to pick up passengers just before the U-Haul depot, and I passed it back. Then we were stopped at another light together (killing my downhill momentum). By this time I was fully in the mindset, so no more lollygagging. The light turned and I was off. Despite the moderate incline, I was pushing hard and keeping just ahead of the bus.At Silver I knew I had ST292 beaten; I held it off to the light, cruised through, and saw the 292 had another stop to make behind me as I flew down the northside of Bayshore. Right on Alemeny, left on Loomis, back up to Bayshore, then right on Cesar Chavez, and I had won (at Cesar Chavez, the bus gets on 101 for the last leg before Mission -- as far as I'm concerned CC is the finish line in that race, though with traffic on 101 I wouldn't be too surprised to learn I beat it to the downtown bus depot, too).
Of course, by then my mind was right to keep the cranks turning, so I finished up fairly strong. I didn't kill myself down Illinois and Terry Francois, but turned it up a notch around the Embarcadero, keeping it between 23 and 25 until I reached the Ferry Building.
The moral of the story? It's all in your head. Oh, and I'm faster than SM292 (at least for today), but no, I can't take you downtown.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Beautiful
Monday is my work day. With the weekend of rest, Monday is the day to push myself, to try to increase my speed and decrease my time. That's what I did yesterday. It was rewarding. Despite a little head wind on the San Francisco side of the San Bruno "Mountain," I accomplished both goals.
Today was a day to take it easy. I don't really ever completely slack on my way into work (I still need to get there), but today I wasn't pushing myself, just maintaining a nice, civilized pace. And was it ever worth it. The perfect day for a little bike commute. Cool, no wind, hit the lights nicely (a couple stops, but not bad), and this (from my office window, but it gives you an idea):
)
There are many reasons this is one of the better places in the world to ride a bike, this is but one . . .
Today was a day to take it easy. I don't really ever completely slack on my way into work (I still need to get there), but today I wasn't pushing myself, just maintaining a nice, civilized pace. And was it ever worth it. The perfect day for a little bike commute. Cool, no wind, hit the lights nicely (a couple stops, but not bad), and this (from my office window, but it gives you an idea):
There are many reasons this is one of the better places in the world to ride a bike, this is but one . . .
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