Busy week at work. So nice to let off some steam on the ride home. Looking forward to the weekend. I think I’ll ride my bicycle. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Witnessed a colorful sunrise and enjoyed a strong tailwind on the way home, averaging 20 mi/h. That doesn’t happen without a tailwind. Great commute. Ride on. ☮

Rode my single speed to work. I managed to miss the rain. Pretty good commute. Ride on. ☮

Rode my backup bicycle today, Giant Defy 3. Nothing wrong with Old Yeller. Just giving the backup a little attention. Spotted a turtle trying to cross four lanes of Hwy 17-A. No way it would have survived that crossing. I carried it, legs flailing, to the edge of the woods and told it to have a good evening. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Great weather today. Good commute. I love riding my bicycle. Ride on. ☮

46℉ this morning. Pretty chilly for the middle of May. Persistent pesky headwind on the way to work. Favorable wind on the way home. Starting my commute an hour later seems to be working out OK. Still finishing my breakfast by the time 8 AM rolls around. Waking up at 5:30 AM instead of 4:30 AM makes a big difference. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Trying out a later start. I was getting up around 4:30 AM, getting to work before 6:00 AM, cooling down, eating breakfast and changing clothes. All that was done before others arrived at the office. There are some advantages to starting early like less automobile traffic and privacy when you are the first to arrive at the office. The down side is getting up so dang early and leaving work at 4 PM when there is always someone needing something at the end of the day from me.

Late night working Wednesday. Was going to sleep late and drive my car to work but woke up early enough for a bike commute. Good one. Ride on ☮

Good commute. Work is crazy. Ride on ☮

Two dry commutes in a row. Nice. Good commute. Ride on ☮

OK, we got the temperature rising. Now if the wind could calm down it would be ideal. Good commute. Ride on ☮

Rain all week, sunny and cool on the weekend is this year’s weather pattern. Enough already. Another sloppy ride home. Still better than sitting on my butt in a car. Morning commute was pleasant. Ride on ☮

Awoke to a 4 AM thunderstorm. Showered up and hit the road after the worst of the rain had passed. Wet and sloppy AM and PM commutes. At least the temperatures were on both sides of 60 ℉. Sure wish they would pave a road connecting Black Tom Rd to Cane Bay. That segment is a mud fest. Good commute. Ride on ☮

The weather forecast is not looking great this week. Rain every day with a cold snap towards the weekend. Given that forecast I decided to bike to work on a Monday. Luckily I dropped off a pair of work outfits last Friday. This morning on the dirt section near Black Tom Rd a pigeon and I had a close encounter. We both startled each other equally. I sure wish they would pave that last section so I could hop on Black Tom Rd without getting muddy.

Clear morning and a rainy ride home. Wet and 62℉ is not great but better than freezing. 80 miles of commuting on the single speed this week. Wheee. Just having fun. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Started out on Old Yeller but the rear wheel locked up after a few miles. Reseated the rear wheel and hobbled home. Got on the single speed and headed back out. We broke an 81 year old record today with a high temperature of 80℉. Love it! Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Nice strong tailwind this morning made for an easy AM commute. Rainy headwind on the way home made was a little more adventurous. At least the temperatures were warm, mid to upper 60’s℉. Saddled the single speed today. That bike is a blast to ride. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

AM 40’s and PM 60’s℉. Nice. New jersey day too. Yay! The zippers on the old jersey wore out. I dropped it off by a seamstress before Christmas. Haven’t heard a thing from her. Checked on it a couple of times already. Crickets. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Rode the Wabi Classic single speed to work. A chilly morning low of 34℉. Nice afternoon ride in the 50’s℉. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

On my. This is a fun bike to ride. The single speed Wabi Classic arrived yesterday. Assembled and test ridden last night. Rode it work work today. I was a little apprehensive that it might be too tough for this old man to ride. Turns out the 46/18 gearing is just about perfect for the flat lowcountry. Speedy yet not spinny. Tough up a hill but not too tough. It might be too tough in a strong headwind.

Making the most of this warm weather. Forecast a week from now is for below freezing temperatures. Installed, poorly, a saddle I had laying around last night (Specialized Elaston). Came loose riding over a rock construction entrance about 8 miles from work. Rode it in like that. Was out of the saddle a good bit. Got it sorted for my lunch ride and commute home. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Ordered a fisheye lens from Amazon a couple of days ago and shipped it to work. Carried my DSLR to work today anticipating delivery of the lens. Arrived a few minutes before the end of my work day. Took a few snaps on the way home. I think I’m going to like the fisheye lens. You can get really close to the subject and still capture everything. Nice. Commute was great.

Last commute for this decade was a good one. No issues. Tolerable temperatures. Here’s to a fresh new decade of accident free bicycle commuting. Cheers! Ride on. ☮

Today I met my goal of 10,000 miles riding my bicycles in 2019. Feels good. 585 hours of good old fashioned fun. Not sure what my goal will be for 2020. Probably won’t be distance related. Commute this morning was 21 miles in the twenties. The lowest temperature was 25℉. Chilly for this southern boy. Ride on. ☮

A trend I can get behind. Temperatures in the 70’s℉ the second Tuesday in a row. Super nice. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

A trend I can get behind. Temperatures in the 70’s℉ the second Tuesday in a row. Super nice. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

A trend I can get behind. Temperatures in the 70’s℉ the second Tuesday in a row. Super nice. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

A trend I can get behind. Temperatures in the 70’s℉ the second Tuesday in a row. Super nice. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

I paid for a nice tailwind home with a 33℉ brutal headwind this morning. Lets call it even Mrs Winter. Bring that those seventies I enjoyed on Tuesday. Ride on. ☮

Seeing today’s forecast over the weekend I immediately decided to take a long route to work. Out the back of Nexton, Hwy 176, Mudville Rd, Hwy 6, Lake Moultrie west dike, Hwy 6 to work. Glorious morning. Afternoon ride was good but windy. 65 miles for the day. I’ll take it. Ride on. ☮

Another day, another dollar. Good commute rides this week. Looking forward to the weekend. Will be riding to Mt Pleasant for a family gathering Saturday. Not sure where I’ll go Sunday. Ride on. ☮

31℉ on the ride to work this morning. Mid 40’s℉ on the way home. Not my favorite time of the year but it could be worse. Ride on. ☮

33℉ on the AM commute and a sunny 55℉ on the PM commute. Took the Cane Bay route home. First time since we had a rainy period. All good now. Right wrist is slowing healing. Have a couple of saddle sores from Saturday’s 150 mile ride but no biggie. Looking forward to the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Ride on. ☮

36℉ on the way to work and 55℉ on the way home with plenty of sunshine. Saturday’s temperature should top out in the 70s. Looking forward to it. My right wrist is feeling better but not fully healed from my century ride around Lake Murray. Minimizing my gear shifting to aid the healing process. Broke 9,000 miles for 2019. Need to knock out 1,000 more in the next 40 days to reach my goal of 10k.

41℉ on the AM commute and a sunny 53℉ on the PM commute. The weather has turned the corner away from rain and clouds to some sun. Pretty good day. My right wrist is still not healed from Saturday’s century ride around Lake Murray. Come on. Hurry it up already. Ride on. ☮

Feel pretty wimpy for leaving work at noon to beat the cold rain. Tonight it will dip down into the upper 20’s℉. Bah, humbug. It is going to be a challenge to get miles in with this rainy cold weather. I just need to toughen up. This weather is pretty tame compared to other locations. My right wrist is swollen and sore from Saturday’s century ride around Lake Murray. I think because I changed gears so much due to the hills.

I’ve watched The Game Changers and Forks Over Knives. Both are informative providing a plethora of reasons why we should be eating a plant based diet. Solves so many problems for our environment and our health. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

No tricks this week. All good except for a lady yelling at me to ride the bicycle path. I would if there was one from Moncks Corner to Summerville. October is done and dusted. It has been a warm one and I’ve loved it. This morning started off in the 70’s℉. Tomorrow morning will be 30 degrees cooler. Boo. The miles by month in 2019 807 January 553 Feburary 982 March 726 April 827 May 868 June 826 July 1043 August 1050 September 835 October 8,517 miles so far in 2019 Ride on.

Little foggy this morning, drizzling on the way home but mild temperatures. Good commute. Old Yeller is performing well. Need to replace the splitting foam grips on my handlebars before Thursday’s commute. Ride on. ☮

After a couple of weeks of acquiring tools, parts, and knowledge I have Old Yeller back on the road. Replaced the slipping freehub with a new one last night. Rode Old Yeller to work today. Super nice. Good tailwind home. Average speed 20 MPH. Took several days of research to find the correct freehub, SRAM MTH 506. It shouldn’t be that hard. Whip it good Took a while to get a 11mm hex wrench

Loving this weather. Late October and we hit 88℉ according to the bike computer. Thought I was going to get rained on today but lucked out, again. Good commute. Current gear issues: Spoke missing on Giant Defy 3 rear wheel Identify and repair tick sound while pedaling Defy 3 Waiting on freehub to be delivered for Giant Anyroad 1 Replacement Wahoo Elemnt Bolt bike computer is on the way Need to ship defective bike computer to Wahoo tomorrow Ride on.

Another week on the backup bike. I received two hex wrenches today. They were supposed to be both 11 mm. One of them was a 10 mm. Glad I ordered two. Removed the freehub and if I get the correct one tomorrow I might be riding Old Yeller Saturday. Rain or shine. Good commute this week. I had a family gathering after work today so I put a little extra effort in the ride home.

Riding the backup bike while I try to figure out freehub replacement on Old Yeller. Better figure it out soon because my backup bike is missing a spoke in the rear wheel. Gave some thought of buying the Giant Contend AR 1 2020 as the geometry and components are fairly close to my Giant Anyroad 1 but that is not the proper thing to do. Keep repairing Old Yeller until the frame snaps in two.

Time is flying by. Actually wore a jacket on the way to work this morning. Back on the Defy 3. The Anyroad 1 has a slipping freehub. It’s always something. Good commute. Ride on. ☮

Drive train is not performing well, once again. Ride on. ☮

Chain is worn. Skips when I get out of the saddle. Gonna replace it Friday night. Probably will ride another century Saturday for the 15th consecutive weekend. Commute was good. New PM route is working out good. If they can get that exit off of Black Tom Rd paved it would be ace. Ride on. ☮

Great weather continues. Good commute. That is all. Ride on. ☮

Looking forward to a paved road from Cane Bay to Black Tom Rd. As of this post it is still a construction zone. Probably the toughest part of this route. On the PM commute I had a water truck tailing me into a round-a-bout and I took the first out instead of the second. Before I realized what I had done I was half way to a dead end. Ended up in the woods again.

Took the multi-use path in Cane Bay until it ended. Tried to get back on track by cutting through the woods. Ended up on Hwy 176 in front of the under construction Nexton Parkway. Hopped on the gravel and headed home. Made the PM commute almost 22 miles. Cool. Ride on. ☮

The new PM route through Cane Bay is growing on me. Really the only sketchy part is Black Tom Rd. Getting off of Black Tom Rd and into Cane Bay is a little precarious too. The entrance is lined with golf ball size rocks, then sand, and finally a construction machinery crossing. Once I hit the pavement it is good. The automobile traffic picks up the closer I get to Hwy 176.

Took the usual route in the AM and a different route in the PM. Entered the back of Cane Bay via Black Tom Rd. The difference is a toss up. Hwy 17-A, the usual route, is busy but at least it is 4 lanes. Black Tom Rd is only two lanes with trucks and cars that won’t slow down for a cyclist. The Cane Bay route is about 5 miles longer which isn’t a big deal but the chance of getting hit by a motor vehicle is about the same on both routes.

Uneventful commute this week. I gnashed my shin with my pedal at a traffic light. Bled like a fountain. Other than that it was a quiet week. Looking forward to the weekend. Probably knock out a century Saturday. Sunday I have an appointment to see a cottage at Nexton. The new line of homes are supposed to be smaller than the mansions they normally build. Maybe I’ll get out of this apartment one day.

Another bicycle rider was killed Sunday around 10 AM on a road I’ve traveled a few times. 33 year old Megan Walters Rafferty was a counselor at Ashley Ridge High School. RIP Megan. All good with my commute. I didn’t die. My 10k goal is on track. Cracked 7K this weekend. Currently at 7,065 towards my goal of 10,000 quality cycling miles in 2019. Ride on. ☮

Hurricane Dorian left the roads lined with pine needles, leaves, and limbs providing a fresh pine scented ride. Almost collided with an opossum crossing Hwy 17-A. So glad to see some sunshine today. Ride on. ☮

Hurricane Dorian is taking its time getting to South Carolina. Expecting a brush-by on Thursday so I doubt I’ll commute by bike on Thursday. Today’s commute was good. Had a nice tailwind on the way home. Ride on. ☮

Really digging Keen sandals. So much so I ordered a second pair. This pair is trimmed in yellow to match my bike, jersey, helmet, and watch strap. Sweet. Good commutes this week. Hoping hurricane Dorian stays away over my Labor Day weekend. 🤞 Ride on. ☮ Bicycle in front of Windmill Station sign

I am a creature of habit. Work Monday through Friday, bike commute on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I eat lunch at Subway every weekday. The veggie spinach wrap is awesome. That wrap with an unsweet iced tea is probably my favorite meal. Refreshing and tasty. Just think of how many problems we could solve if everyone adopted a plant based diet. Good commute today. Cooler temperatures still hanging around. Ride on.

My Garmin Edge 520 quit charging so I picked up a Wahoo Elemnt. I really like the device set-up. Settings are all maintained via the Android app. Funny how a little bit of change throws you off. This morning I forgot my gloves. I turned around about a mile out to get them. I was thinking about what would happen to my palms if I were to come off my bike.

Nice commute. The ride home was cooler for an August afternoon. We had a few rain showers around noon which helped keep temperature below normal. I am determined more than ever to meet my 10,000 mile goal for 2019. Chipping away at my pace deficit. I am at 6,253 which is 102 miles behind pace. Hoping that the Labor day holiday will get me ahead of pace. Onwards and upwards!

Old Yeller fresh from the LBS is shifting like a Ford Pinto low on transmission fluid. What a way to start the day. The rear derailleur had a mind of its own. Shifting and skipping when it felt like it. Frustrating! My LBS let me down big time. I’m going to see what I can do with it tomorrow after work. The weekend is here it is time to ride.

Rode to work on my backup bike because Old Yeller was in the shop getting cables. All the cables were sticking and this weekend I could take no more. After work I picked up Old Yeller from Mike’s Bikes on Folly Rd. Commute was good. The ride home was a smoking hot 95°F. Looking forward to the Thursday commute on Old Yeller. It shouldn’t be as hot and there is also a higher chance of rain.

It is August. Of course it is hot. Took it easy on the way home. Poured as much water on my head as down my throat. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Good commute. No automobile altercations and weather is great. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

August already. Slow down. I want summer to last. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Moncks Corner Farmer’s Market Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Glad to have Old Yeller back for my commutes this week. Bought a pair of KEEN sandals. My Adidas shoes would be soaked with sweat and caked hard with salt. First commute in sandals was good. Nice and cool. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Keen sandal Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Cooler temperatures and less humidity than normal for July in South Carolina. Felt great. Even had a tailwind on the way home. Very rare. I’ll take it. Fingers crossed that Mike’s Bikes will call me tomorrow and tell me Old Yeller is ready. 🤞 Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Old Yeller is getting a new drivetrain. Riding the Defy 3 until I get back my main bike which hopefully will happen before the weekend. Strong headwind on the way home. Change in the weather is coming. A little less heat and some rain. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Spotted a fox running across the parking lot this morning. Always a pleasant surprise. Another hot one on the way home, 93 °F. Good commute. After dinner I tried my first GU Energy Stroopwafel. 👍👍 Should be a good fuel on the bike. Ride on. ☮ GU Energy Stroopwafel Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

First day back on the bike since my 120 mile ride Saturday. I needed a couple of days to recover from that tough, tough, century ride. Hot ride home. Maximum temperature according to Garmin was 95 °F. Good commute. Checked my mileage goal. I have 5,239 of my goal of 10,000 miles in 2019. I’m 158 miles behind pace. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Good commute to work. Ride home was tough with temperatures in the 90’s °F with persistent headwind. Still better than driving. Received an email today from Strava and Relive today. Relive can no longer use the Strava API. They reportedly violated several terms of the API. Relive made some software changes recently and made it much easier to create a video with their service. In addition to the tracking data Relive started transferring the title and photos from Strave.

Saw Ms. Fox this morning hanging out on Stony Landing Rd. Really cool animals. Hopefully her 2 friends are doing OK. Didn’t see them today. Great commute. Rained after lunch which provided a cooler than normal ride home. Sweet. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Saw 3 foxes on Stony Landing Rd probably searching for rabbits. Would have loved to see the footage but my GoPro Hero6 is failing more than succeeding lately. Sloppy start in the AM. It had just finished raining in Summerville. As I got closer to Moncks Corner it was dry as a Arizona bone. Kinda warm on the ride home, 93°F. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Before getting on the road home it rained a little bit. Temperatures were lower than usual. Made for a pleasant ride home. Replaced my ridiculously over priced rear view mirror. The old one was dark in spots and generally hazy. Enjoyed a better view during today’s commute. I joined the Rails To Trails Conservancy a few weeks ago. Received a t-shirt, magazine and sticker today. 👍 Ride on. ☮ Rear view mirror replaced

Good commute. After work, against my better judgment, I ate at Taco Boy on opening day. Wasn’t too crazy. Had a couple of vegan tacos and a Dos Equis. I didn’t see any local brews on tap. I’ll go back after the newness wears off. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Can’t remember the last time it took me over an hour to get home. 61 minute commute home. The wind got the best of me today. Looking forward to the weekend. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Part of Hwy 17-A approximately between Cypress Garden Rd and Black Tom Rd is getting resurfaced. I didn’t notice anything wrong with the tarmac at least not in the area they are working on. Closer to Summerville the top of the asphalt is coming up big time. Will be interesting to see if this project goes that far. I’m not complaining. Any new tarmac is welcomed. Received a can of chain degreaser and a chain cleaning tool.

Unseasonably cool. 62 °F on the AM commute and 75 °F on the PM commute. Misty this morning. Was soaked by the time I got to the office. Headwind returned for the ride home. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Another weather lucky day. I woke at 3 AM looked at the radar and said I can get to work before that rolls in. The afternoon rain looked to almost be stationary to the south. Another rain free commute. And for a bonus I had a rare tailwind on the ride home. Made pretty good time. 45:55 Moving Time 21.2 mph Avg Moving Speed 26.4 mph Max Speed Ride on. Oh yeah, do no harm.

We had a couple of weeks of dry weather. Looks like we’ve switched to a rain cycle. Another cloudy rainy day. I avoided most of it. 👍 Good smooth commutes this week. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

I thought I might get wet on the way home. A few drizzles and some water on the road but for the most part the rain avoided me. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

On the commute home there was a thunderstorm off in the distance. I heard some thunder, felt a few raindrops, and battled the wind. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Four straight days of 100℉. Thankfully there was some cloud cover on my way home. The Garmin recorded a high of 99℉. While on Hwy 17-A nearing Summerville I had someone sitting on their horn. I assume their anger was directed towards me. It was kinda of comical when I passed the car while it was waiting on traffic. They blew their horn the second time behind me. I really don’t see what the big deal is.

Looking forward to the Memorial Day Weekend. Not sure where but I know it will start early in the morning. Forecast high Memorial Day is 99℉. Good commute today. On Stony Landing Rd this morning a rabbit was being squirrely and almost ended up in my spokes. It changed directions and disaster was averted. Ride on. ☮ Old Berkeley High School being refurbished for Department of Education Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

The Garmin reported a maximum temperature of 93℉. I believe it and prefer it to winter temperatures that is for sure. Good commute. No issues. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Everyone seemed to be a little more uptight today. I survived. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Today was dry and cooler. The 90’s ℉ are coming this weekend. Bring it on. Started earlier than usual. I arrived at work 4:56 AM. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Morning routine is wake-up 4:30 AM, check radar, shower, dress, and cycle to work. This morning I pretended I didn’t see the radar. There was a line of rain headed my way. I chose to ride anyway. Just a little bit of rain on sections of the ride. No biggie. I kept thinking about my Good Friday ride to Myrtle Beach in the rain. Nothing will compare to that downpour.

The local newspaper published a depressing story on how dangerous our state is for pedestrians and bicyclists. Not that I need a reminder. I question my sanity every day but continue to ride. Had a nice chat with a neighborhood cyclist who just moved here from New Jersey. He works at Volvo and is a couple of years older than me. He was wondering where all the cyclists were. I told him about a couple of group rides.

The commute was good but afterwards was better. I picked up Old Yeller from Mike’s Bikes. I got a new Shimano Tiagra derailleur and a cable, for free. It was free because the derailleur hanger snapped Saturday and destroyed the derailleur. Mike’s Bikes has 30 day warranty on repair work. 👍 This is on top of the new cassette and chain from maintenance the week before. I paid for that work.

Old Yeller is at the LBS getting a new derailleur after the hanger snapped Saturday. Riding the Giant Defy 3 again this week. Absolutely perfect weather today. Super nice!

While on the ride home Mike’s Bike called to tell me my Giant Anyroad 1 was ready. After a quick shower I bolted down to Folly Rd to pick Old Yeller™ up and drop off the Defy to get the rear wheel trued. Looking forward to hopping back on Old Yeller and its new drivetrain. Oh yeah. Good commute today. More great weather. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Old Yeller is at the LBS getting a new drivetrain. Riding the Giant Defy 3 this week. Absolutely perfect weather today. Super nice! Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Beautiful blue sky on the way home. This is the only day I’ll bike to work. I have Good Friday off so I’m biking to Myrtle Beach. The weather forecast is not looking good, rain and wind. At least it won’t be cold. I am mentally preparing for a tough ride. Hopefully it won’t be too bad. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

My black silicone watch band tore so I put on a band that matches my bike. High viz all the things! Another beautiful day in the lowcountry for all outdoor activities. I was on the road at 4:13 AM. Very little traffic at that time in the morning and what traffic there is seems to be a little more laid-back. Did I mention how great the weather is. Good commute. Ride on.

I was mentally prepared to get soaked today. Fortunate timing kept me dry for the most part. The ride to work was quick thanks to a tailwind. The ride home wasn’t too shabby either. Very enjoyable commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Caterpillars, caterpillars everywhere. The insects not the machines. Don’t know why they are on the road but I do my best to avoid them. Today started at 3:30 AM. I was at my desk at 5 AM. Home by 5 PM. Great weather. The rain moves in tomorrow. Ride on. ☮

I was thinking in the shower about bicycle commuting. It takes some effort. Get up 2 hours early to avoid morning traffic Take 2 showers instead of 1 Bicycle 32 miles (this is the good part) Risk life cycling with automobiles Battle the elements: wind, rain, heat, and cold This morning was in the 30’s℉. I thought we were done with the 30’s. Oh well it was almost 70℉ on ride home.

Great weather on the ride home. Love this time of year or heck anytime of year that isn’t winter. Bring on the heat. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Couple of traffic accidents on Hwy 17-A on the way home. Hope everyone is OK. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Misty morning and clear afternoon. Pretty good commute if I forget about bubba babbling about getting off the road or end up in pieces. Jeez. 98% of automobile drivers behave properly. About once a day some dude, usually in a truck, has to tell me to get off the road. This time the passenger opened his door on Hwy 17-A and yelled. Stay classy bubba. Oh well. Ride on. ☮

Cool, strong, headwind this morning had me contemplating why I ride my bike to work when I have a perfectly good electric vehicle. The tail/crosswind on the way home made me forget all about the struggle I had 11 hours earlier. Had blast on the ride home. Spliced the slightly interesting video clips together with Kdenlive. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

I have named my Priority 600 The Beast. It is big, heavy, and hard to move. Don’t know if it was tired legs, headwind, The Beast or all of those things that made the ride home tough. Regardless, I survived. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Beautiful weather today made for an enjoyable commute. Except for bubba yelling at me to get off the f’ing road at Black Tom Rd & Hwy 17-A intersection it was a chill ride home. My Anker 10,000mAh battery only lasted about 5 months. I’ve been attempting to charge it for 3 days without luck. The way I mount it on my bike it catches sweat so the connectors are corroded. Probably will buy another and flip it upside down this time.

Chilly start. Temperatures were in the twenties this morning. Super nice this afternoon. Clear blues skies and mild temperatures. This is the second commute on my Priority 600 with Pinion gearbox. While I’m riding the 600 I keep bemoaning the resistance I feel compared to Old Yeller. The commute takes about 5 minutes longer on the 600. I need to get over the added weight and resistance. Riding to lunch and dinner on the 600 is perfect.

Intrigued at the prospect of fewer drivetrain issues I bought a Priority 600 with a Pinion gearbox. Assembled last night and rode to work today. Initial reaction is it is a smooth ride but slow. The rolling resistance with the big 650b tires is noticeable as well as the resistance of the belt drive. At this point I don’t see it replacing Old Yeller. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get rid of the Defy 3 though.

Breaking news. Riding a bike is fun. It is really fun when you have a tailwind. Had a blast on the commute home. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

The low temperature on the PM commute (41℉) was cooler than the AM commute (44℉). The wind was kicking all day. Headwind on the AM ride and a tailwind on the way home. Difference of 14 minutes. Always happy with a sub 50 minute commute. 1:02:53 vs 49:04 moving time. Became an East Coast Greenway Alliance member today. I would love to safely cycle from Charleston to Beaufort one day. 🤞

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) started today. I think I’ll stay clear of downtown Charleston tomorrow. Mild winter continues. Another good commute. Another restaurant chain in Summerville, Culver’s. Never eaten at one. Glanced at the menu. Meh. I don’t think I’ll be frequenting Culver’s. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Happy to be riding Old Yeller again. Much more comfortable than the Defy 3. Speaking of which I picked up the Defy 3 from my LBS yesterday. They installed a new drive train and new tires. It now has 28’s instead of 25’s so it should be a little more comfortable. Good commute today. Foggy this morning. Warm and windy on the way home. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Another warm day. 75℉ on the ride home with a stiff head wind. Good commute on the Defy 3. Ride on. My LBS called about Old Yeller. The rear brake caliper is weak. They are going to replace it but not with a stock Giant caliper. Parts are ordered. The tech said they might be in tomorrow. I’m betting it will be Monday. These extended maintenance events are frustrating. Relive 'Commute PM' Relive 'Commute AM'

Another gorgeous day. Another day without Old Yeller. Good commute on the Defy 3. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Absolutely perfect weather. Highs in the 70’s and clear blue sky. What a way to start the Year of the Pig. I almost ran over a rabbit. One hopped out in front of me on Hwy 17-A. I missed it by inches. I didn’t hear a thud so I assume and hope it got across the highway safely. Good commute. Lets do it again tomorrow. Ride on. Relive 'Commute PM'

The weather forecast called for rain around 5PM which would have been perfect if I left by 4PM. By lunch time I knew the rain was going to be here sooner than that. I left work a couple hours early to beat the rain. Drizzled most of the way home but no downpour. Stiff headwind accompanied the drizzle. Not one of my best commutes. Thursday’s forecast calls for a low of 28℉.

32℉ this morning. 48℉ and mostly sunny on the way home. Good commute. Called Mike’s Bikes about my creaking steering. They are ordering parts and will call me when they are in to try to minimize my down time. I appreciate that. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

A bit of rain and headwind on the way home but at least it was warm. Good commute. Schedule is off this week due to Monday’s holiday. Tomorrow morning’s forecast is rain with wind gusts of 57 mph so I guess I’ll drive the Bolt EV. Friday is looking good though. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

According to my Garmin it was 26℉ this morning and 64℉ on the way home. Guess which segment I enjoyed more? On the way home I was passed, at a high rate of speed, by a couple of dozen police vehicles with sirens blaring. They were mostly Berkeley County Sheriff vehicles. The others were unmarked. I don’t know what was going down but I assume it was pretty serious. Looking forward to the 3 day weekend.

Another overcast chilly January day. Low of 33°F this morning. The traffic lights were not kind this morning. I was stopped by every one of them heading out of Summerville. It is hard to stay warm when you are waiting on traffic signals. Winds were calm which was welcomed. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

The heatwave had to end sometime, unfortunately. Garmin registered 30.2°F for the minimum during the morning commute. The sun was shining and a tailwind was blowing on the way home. Pretty good commute for January. Ride on. Relive 'Commute PM' Relive 'Commute AM'

Another great day in the South Carolina Lowcountry. No drama commute. Ride on. Relive 'Commute PM'

One year ago today we were getting snowed on. It couldn’t be further from that today. Maximum temperature was 70 ℉. Sweet. Left the apartment this morning with two left hand gloves. Didn’t bother to go back. No gloves necessary. The ride home was sloppy. Rained periodically throughout the day. No rain on the way home though. Ride on! Relive 'Commute AM'

The wind was whipping today nearly knocking me over a few times. Even with an awesome tailwind I can’t snag a KOM. There are Strava 3 segments on the way to work. I am 2nd, 3rd, and 4th on the all time rankings. I thought today I might get my first KOM but I was still 34 seconds slower than the leader on the smaller of the 3 segments. Oh well, the ride to work was a lot of fun.

Thought more than once about driving to work but saddled up. I’m glad I did. Another good commute in the books. Relive 'Commute AM'

Nothing like a bike ride to relieve work place stress. The ride home was just what the doctor ordered. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM'

Wet and chilly (34°F) ride to work. Dry and sunny ride home. I was on the road by 4:46 AM. Waking up so early is tough but totally worth missing rush hour traffic. So much safer and less stressful. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

There was a down power line across Hwy 17-A this morning. Firemen secured the area. I took a detour onto Horseshoe Rd. On the commute home I got a work alarm had to deal with. Not a very smooth commute either way. Oh well. The weather was good. Relive 'Commute PM' Relive 'Commute AM'

Garmin computer reported a low of 27°F and an average of 29°F on the commute this morning. I believe it. I did not enjoy the AM ride. The PM ride was much better. The temperatures are on the rise over the new few days but unfortunately so is the chance of rain. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Garmin computer reported a low of 32°F on the commute this morning. I kinda doubt that. I’m thinking it was mid to upper 30’s. Average temperature on the way home was 41°F. Thursday morning is forecasted to be in the upper 20’s. We’ll see if I brave that commute. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Moncks Corner put out there Christmas decorations just in time for Thanksgiving. Commute was good. Traffic was a smidgen lighter due to the upcoming holiday. I have a 4 day weekend. Too bad the best weather day is Thanksgiving day. I’ll squeeze in some miles between the rain showers. New lighter colored carpet was installed in my place of employment. I purchased a mat for my office where I park my bike in the bikehand.

This must be what riding a penny-farthing feels like. My new bike fit has me higher and more upright. Felt like my quadriceps were working harder today. So far, so good. Windy day. Head wind on the way to work and tail wind on the way home. 16.4 MPH vs 21.3 MPH. Enjoyed the ride home 100 times more than the ride to work. There was rain to our northwest and offshore but not a drop in Moncks Corner or Summerville.

Mild temperatures. Winds kicking as a cold front approaches. Good commute. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

42.8°F to start the day and 64.4°F at the finish. Good commute. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Low temperature this morning was 41.0 °F. I donned my Gore jacket, Gore gloves, and Five Ten MTB shoes. All good. Looking forward to rolling into the weekend. Tomorrow is looking like a rainy day. Saturday and Sunday should be rain free. Ride on. Relive 'Commute AM'

Nothing special about today’s commute. I was feeling cool air blowing into my shoe this morning. I guess it about time for some new ones. I have some Five Ten MTB bike shoes that have a nice hard sole but they are heavy. I may give them another try. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Cold front was rolling in this morning. Headwinds blow. The commute home was sweet. Wind assisted personal best of 44:24 moving time and an average speed 21.9 mi/h. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Maximum temperature on the commute home was 84.2 °F according to Garmin. I think it was closer to 90 °F. All I know for sure is the weather is awesome for mid October. More of this please! Relive 'Commute AM'

Thursday tropical storm Michael was passing to the west of us. I contemplated riding to perhaps get a tail wind assisted KOM but I came to my senses. I drove my EV to work yesterday and cycled today. 55.4 °F was the low temperature during my AM commute. I don’t like what is coming. I don’t like it at all. I rather sweat than freeze any day. It won’t be long before the Gore jacket and gloves are needed.

Fender bender at Carnes Crossroads intersection caused a traffic jam for what seemed like more than a mile on Hwy 17-A. Good day to be on two wheels. Relive 'Commute AM'

Nice weather. Productive week at work so far. Two good commutes and 64 miles logged. Looking forward to the weekend. Not sure where I’m riding but I’m riding. Upgraded my Garmin 520 to version 12.80. It wiped out my settings. Most importantly my sensors. I had to set the sensors up again. Software upgrades should not wipe out user settings. First world problems. Rock on! Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

For what I assume was for Fire Prevention Week Whitesville FD was hanging old glory above Hwy 17-A on the Moncks Corner side of Carnes Crossroads. Thank-you fire fighters! Glad I was riding my bike. Automobile traffic was a CF. Good commute. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Good temperatures, sunny skies, and tolerable traffic make for a good commute.

Grant Ford wrote Morning Trek for me in return for a small donation towards his writing projects. I’m happy with my return on investment. It captures some of the joys of cycling. #Morning Trek A breath of cool air, the smell of pavement entrance and entice the morning senses with freedom from the daily enslavement of cars and trucks and motorized fences. With the strength of will, the body exerts upon the gears of destiny and fate to consume the miles combustion preverts; you breathe the clean air, your spirit to sate.

It was pouring down rain around 4 AM. I went back to sleep and when I awoke at 5 AM the rain had stopped. I checked RadarScope. There were storms to the south and to the north but nothing between Summerville and Moncks Corner so I stuck to my plan. The road was wet but not a drop of rain fell on me. RadarScope is awesome. Good ride to work. A couple of hours later my back tire went flat.

Traffic was light with Hurricane Florence heading towards the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States. I wish the traffic was this light everyday. The cover photo for today’s log was taken on the way back from dinner. It is I-26 exit 199 with all lanes heading west to Columbia SC. Lane reversals started at noon September 11, 2018.

Biked to work just one day this week due to me being a light weight after my Labor Day century ride. I’ll get two commutes next week. ☮

There was a fatal automobile accident at the Black Tom Rd and Hwy 17-A intersection this morning. Rest in ☮. I reached the scene about 20 minutes afterwards. The police had the intersection taped off. All traffic was diverted. I was able to cycle around the barrier and get to work. My Topeak backloader bag was not strapped as tight as it should have been and sounded like a frog for most of the AM commute.

Good work commute. Already dreaming about where I’ll ride over the upcoming Labor Day holiday three day weekend. Relive 'Commute AM' Relive 'Commute PM'

Cycling yields quality spirits. I am happy with the way the photo in front of Watkins Package Store developed. 📷 It was a split decision to take a photo here. So much so I almost wipe out when I turned off the road into a sand mound. Crisis averted and photo snapped. Up at 5 AM and pedaling by 5:21 AM. Had a head wind on the way to work and a tail on the way home.

Made it to work in 46 minutes thanks to a tail wind. The wind didn’t shift during the day so I had a stiff head wind on the way home. The wind giveth and taketh away. I haven’t commuted on the bike lately in lieu of evening rides. This commute was a little different in that I carried my clothes to work in my Topeak Backloader bag. Normally I store clothes in my office when I drive the EV.

The Garmin 520 recorded 59°F as the low temperature. That is crazy low for July. I almost needed my arm warmers. High temperature on the ride home was 86℉ which was pleasant. I must admit waking up before 5 AM to beat the traffic is getting old. Still waiting on a road to connect to Black Tom Rd that may provide a safer and later ride.

Rode the bicycle to work since I dropped off my Chevy Bolt EV yesterday for scheduled maintenance. Left work a little after 3PM and cycled to Rick Hendrick Chevrolet in Charleston to pick up the Bolt. There was a heat advisory and a headwind. The Garmin recorded 100.4 °F as the high and 94.0 °F as the average. Not sure what the humidity was but it was high. I faced a headwind today which I guess is fair since I had a tailwind yesterday.

Gloomy overcast day. No sun but no rain either. Had a bit of a tailwind on the way home giving me a decent moving time of 47:29.

Good ride into work in under 50 minutes moving time. Always pleased with sub 50 minute rides. The ride home had a rain delay. Planned to leave work at 4 PM but a shower popped up and rained pretty hard. Worked for another hour. The road was steaming for the first few miles and all dry the rest of the way home. After showering I cycled over to Taco Bell for some black bean burritos.

Long day. Woke up at 4:00 AM and was on the road by 5:00 AM. Left the office around 5:20 PM. My bike has a clicking squeaky noise. I’m guessing it is from the saddle. Took the saddle off and removed a good bit of dirt. Hopefully that was cause. Temperatures are on the way up. It was approaching 90 ℉. May 2018 was the wettest month ever in Charleston SC.

Rain and more rain. As of this writing this is second wettest May of all time for Charleston SC. Bring on a dry hot June. I brought my Nvidia Shield to work for a coworker to borrow. I packed it in my Topeak Backloader bicycle bag and it stayed dry. Yay! I was able to cycle to lunch without getting rained. Yay again! The ride home was a soaker but at least the winds were calm and the temperature was a comfortable 69.

Tried a new route on the morning commute. I got off of Hwy 17-A at Gaillard Rd over to Old Hwy 52. Nice change of scenery. It was not quite a mile longer. The afternoon commute got off to a slow start. Before I could work up a sweat I was stopped by not one but two trains. The first freight train was long and slow. Towards the end with just a dozen cars left to pass the crossing a second freight train coming from the opposite direction appeared.

Nice rides to work and back. No uptight automobile drivers. Damp tarmac and a little drizzle on the way home. No worries.

Today was National Bike to Work Day. I usually bike to work on Tuesday and Thursday but I switched this week to Wednesday and Friday to align with BTWD. We had on and off again rain all day. I managed to escape all but a few drops here and there. Pretty nice rides. Below is a snippet of my ride home. I’m not proud of this part of my ride but I just don’t feel like stopping in traffic.

Picked up Old Yeller from Mike’s Bikes yesterday. It has a new rear derailleur, chain, rear tire, and cassette. The ride to work was super smooth. Really glad to have the Giant Anyroad 1 back. It is so much nicer than my backup bike, Giant Defy 3. I can’t recall an average MPH of 20 so I think this was a personal best. There is something motivational about a new drivetrain.

Thursday’s commute was uneventful. I rode to Chipotle for dinner and afterwards rode up Hwy 78. I was going to take N Maple St to the Nexton Parkway but couldn’t find N Maple St. Looked at Google Maps when I got home and realized I should have traveled a few more blocks. I headed back up 17-A and took Holiday Dr to Nexton Parkway instead. Even though I had been on Nexton Parkway many times this was the first time with automobile traffic.

Tuesday’s commute was uneventful. I snapped a photo of The Corner Cafe Bakery in Moncks Corner SC. It recently closed. A Starbucks recently opened and I assume that might have played into The Corner’s decision to close. I had a rare tailwind on the way home which enabled me to break my 50 minute barrier again. Nice!

Wheee - just having fun! Gorgeous weather continues. I didn’t like the way my rear hub was sounding so I dropped off my Giant Anyroad 1 bike at Mike’s Bikes in Mt Pleasant. Asked them to check all the bearings. Hopeful it will be a one day turn around so I can have it for the weekend. If not I’ll be riding my Giant Defy 3 and wishing I was on my Anyroad 1.

Tuesday’s commute had a big temperature swing. According to my Garmin 520 bicycle computer the minimum temperature was 39℉ and the maximum temperature was 82℉. That is a 43℉ swing.

My Thursday commute was dry, comfortable, and uneventful. I got up at 5 AM and was on the road by 5:30 AM. I think I will stick with this schedule. I’d like to sleep an hour later but it is not worth the increased traffic.

Tuesday commute started out wet with mist and a couple of showers. The ride home was dry, unlike my shoes, and partly cloudy. One thing is for sure the traffic is far better at 5:30 AM than at 6:30 AM. The traffic is lighter and a little less frantic. Absolutely worth getting up at 5 AM for.

Had a rare tailwind this morning and it helped me achieve my personal best moving time of 46:59. I also had a little help from a slow moving 18 wheeler.

Contemplating my twice-a-week bicycle commute. It is 16.2 miles between Moncks Corner and Summerville. Most of the ride is on Hwy 17-A which is a busy 4 lane highway. The section from my apartment in Summerville to Cypress Gardens Rd is the busiest section. Cypress Gardens Rd intersection to Moncks Corner is lower traffic and a pleasant ride. Pros 4 hours of exercise a week Green Commute Enjoyable Accomplishing 2 things a once (commute and exercise) Cons Dangerous Abuse from drivers (yelling, honking, revving, close drive by) The benefits are many but sometimes feel that I am being irresponsible to my family and to my employer by risking my life on my bike.

[Broke my cheap clear sunglasses] (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nfURpwsIbLAyPhASAA_PphbFkkcZAiCYWSvPTwsd8UpJtDCxqWtQCA_Hzg67TkO6NqSqa23hNofjbzt6CsFJOlnEAn_Phz01SqnyPdEm3b4fE-CjSH7iQTNAj1vsfJTmu_5mTIxTZnM=w2400) before I got out the door. On the ride to work I got honked at once and yelled at once. A passenger in a truck yelled “Get on the sidewalk!". Yeah, that ain’t happening. 16 miles on a sidewalk would not be fun. We’ve got new pavement on Main St in Moncks Corner SC. So nice. The road was in really bad shape. Love cycling on new tarmac.