turning chilly
Mon Oct 22 11:12:44 EDT 2018
I needed warm socks for sleeping last night. I'm chilly in the house. The basement's cold all summer with the air conditioning on, but it gets warmer (inside) when it's cooler (outside) and anniemal doesn't need the AC.
Today's forecast high is 59°F/15°C, 67°F/19.4°C tomorrow, and 42°F/5.6°C overnight. It's now a question of which jacket(s) to take, rather than whether to take one. It will probably be 50°F/10°C when I'm coming home; borderline for needing long tights. It's 50°F/10°C now, which (for me) is too cool for just a T-shirt. Most of the towpath is shaded. I haven't been seeing the turtles out basking much lately.
USPS tracking says the replacement fancy bike headlight is out for delivery today. I'm hoping to have it before I leave for work, and I can use it for tonight's ride home. There's been little rain over the weekend, so I can take the towpath home. I suspect the hard (high-pressure) tires on the gravel surface were more stress than the first light could take, and should take only a few days of this to see whether the 2nd light is up to it.
Monday 16:00
I mentioned that my new tires (Schwalbe Marathon Plus) are higher pressure and a harder rubber compound than the bike's original tires (Schwalbe Marathon Racer). This means less rolling resistance (faster riding) and less grip. I saw how much less grip when a(n articulated) MetroBus decided to change lanes into my path - I guess the driver didn't imagine that I could be going faster than (s)he was. Or just wanted to take advantage of the empty space in front of me. When I applied the brakes the back wheel started to skid and then fishtail. The brakes have more grip than the tires. This was true with the original tires, and moreso now.
Tuesday 01:04
The replacement light arrived before I left for work. "Installing" it was simple, since the mount from the first light was still on the bike. I didn't slip it into place until the ride home; there was no need for it on the afternoon ride in. The mount added to the bike slipped again, but stayed put after another tightening. But the light slipped on the mount also, and I didn't have anymore shims I could add; this had not been a problem before. I'll have to have a go at that Tuesday afternoon.
Charging it at the office presented no problems; the USB connection was fine. (The battery was mostly charged already.) The remote switch also worked fine on the trip home. Keeping the light shining forward instead of down was a problem with the clamp slipping. It was good on good pavement, bad on bad pavement, and useless on dirt/gravel.
There was one approaching cyclist on the Capital Crescent Trail. He was lightless, and I was pretty close before I could tell he was a person. He had some reflective bits, but there are random reflective bits on railings along the trail, and random wildlife - deer in particular - with reflecting eyes. I dimmed my light, but he pulled over and stopped. I guess if he was relying on night vision I messed things up for him. (But really, you need lights, even on trails at night. There's sometimes pedestrians along the canal at night, with dark clothing and no lights. And if you're out there with no lights, there could be other cyclists going the opposite way without lights. Hitting people you never see is not fun. And then you're falling in the dark, too.) And his presence confirms that I need a remote switch, given that I can't mount my lights within reach.
Tuesday 13:30
I've added another shim layer to the light mount. I'll have to adjust the aim tonight, when I can see the beam.
Tuesday 23:30
Success: the light stayed in position all the way home. The Minoura mount didn't shift, and the light didn't flop/jolt forward on the mount. The remote switch continues to work, so the USB socket is not getting knocked loose by riding on rough surfaces.
There was a young deer on the CCT tonight that thought standing on the trail was fine. I used the light's max-blast to suggest otherwise, but - deer in the headlights. So I had to veer around the deer. I could have slapped it in the face. Yes, that close. (I'd be worried about picking up ticks. ☹) I think it would be healthier for the deer if they had some fear of humans. I'm not apt to kill one with a bicycle, but they won't fare as well with motorcycles or cars.
I also startled a heron, off the towpath on the side of the canal. It always seems like so much work for them to get airborn. I regret that they waste all that energy in response to my presence. But if I really were a predator, I'd be within pouncing distance.
There was no approaching (human) traffic to dim my light for tonight. There was someone overtaking me on the CCT, but I diverted to the towpath just before he caught up with me. (Assuming "he" because there's very few shes riding alone on the trails at night. I haven't seen the biking lawyer in ages.) Most of the people on the CCT stay with it into Bethesda. The Towpath takes you to Chain Bridge (to Arlington) or farther west to Glen Echo.
The Seemee 60 tail light's battery gave out somewhere in the last couple of miles - not quite 4 night-commutes home. So it needs to be charged every 3 days. More often, if I want to use it on a wet afternoon, or at a brighter setting on a rainy night.
Wednesday 23:30
The water was much deeper in the canal today. Maybe they've finished the repairs on the locks in Georgetown? This portion of the canal has been "drained" since early 2016. Even when drained, much of the stretch I ride still has a stream's flow, with swimming ducks and fishing herons. (Didn't see many geese this past year; maybe they want more water?) From Arizona Ave up to Chain Bridge there's always been enough water probably for a canal barge (but not for two to pass), and beyond Chain Bridge there's ice skating - perhaps ice hockey - when it's cold enough. There's water flowing in from streams, and flowing out the other side of the canal to the Potomac. I suppose those outlets have been closed, but to fill this much in a day I think they've probably opened some gates upstream to allow water in from the river too.
The turtles' basking branch is under water. But it's not basking weather anymore, so they probably don't miss it.
I recharged a lot of batteries at the office today - the new headlight, the old headlight, the new (twice-replaced) taillight, the bluetooth headphones, and the iPhone. It's convenient that there's empty desks next to me, because our individual spaces are only marginally sufficient for our work.
The new light continues to work well. I think I saw that same deer tonight, but standing on the edge of the trail. Still just stands there looking befuddled as I go by.
[This entry was originally posted as https://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/1021956.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]
I needed warm socks for sleeping last night. I'm chilly in the house. The basement's cold all summer with the air conditioning on, but it gets warmer (inside) when it's cooler (outside) and anniemal doesn't need the AC.
Today's forecast high is 59°F/15°C, 67°F/19.4°C tomorrow, and 42°F/5.6°C overnight. It's now a question of which jacket(s) to take, rather than whether to take one. It will probably be 50°F/10°C when I'm coming home; borderline for needing long tights. It's 50°F/10°C now, which (for me) is too cool for just a T-shirt. Most of the towpath is shaded. I haven't been seeing the turtles out basking much lately.
USPS tracking says the replacement fancy bike headlight is out for delivery today. I'm hoping to have it before I leave for work, and I can use it for tonight's ride home. There's been little rain over the weekend, so I can take the towpath home. I suspect the hard (high-pressure) tires on the gravel surface were more stress than the first light could take, and should take only a few days of this to see whether the 2nd light is up to it.
Monday 16:00
I mentioned that my new tires (Schwalbe Marathon Plus) are higher pressure and a harder rubber compound than the bike's original tires (Schwalbe Marathon Racer). This means less rolling resistance (faster riding) and less grip. I saw how much less grip when a(n articulated) MetroBus decided to change lanes into my path - I guess the driver didn't imagine that I could be going faster than (s)he was. Or just wanted to take advantage of the empty space in front of me. When I applied the brakes the back wheel started to skid and then fishtail. The brakes have more grip than the tires. This was true with the original tires, and moreso now.
Tuesday 01:04
The replacement light arrived before I left for work. "Installing" it was simple, since the mount from the first light was still on the bike. I didn't slip it into place until the ride home; there was no need for it on the afternoon ride in. The mount added to the bike slipped again, but stayed put after another tightening. But the light slipped on the mount also, and I didn't have anymore shims I could add; this had not been a problem before. I'll have to have a go at that Tuesday afternoon.
Charging it at the office presented no problems; the USB connection was fine. (The battery was mostly charged already.) The remote switch also worked fine on the trip home. Keeping the light shining forward instead of down was a problem with the clamp slipping. It was good on good pavement, bad on bad pavement, and useless on dirt/gravel.
There was one approaching cyclist on the Capital Crescent Trail. He was lightless, and I was pretty close before I could tell he was a person. He had some reflective bits, but there are random reflective bits on railings along the trail, and random wildlife - deer in particular - with reflecting eyes. I dimmed my light, but he pulled over and stopped. I guess if he was relying on night vision I messed things up for him. (But really, you need lights, even on trails at night. There's sometimes pedestrians along the canal at night, with dark clothing and no lights. And if you're out there with no lights, there could be other cyclists going the opposite way without lights. Hitting people you never see is not fun. And then you're falling in the dark, too.) And his presence confirms that I need a remote switch, given that I can't mount my lights within reach.
Tuesday 13:30
I've added another shim layer to the light mount. I'll have to adjust the aim tonight, when I can see the beam.
Tuesday 23:30
Success: the light stayed in position all the way home. The Minoura mount didn't shift, and the light didn't flop/jolt forward on the mount. The remote switch continues to work, so the USB socket is not getting knocked loose by riding on rough surfaces.
There was a young deer on the CCT tonight that thought standing on the trail was fine. I used the light's max-blast to suggest otherwise, but - deer in the headlights. So I had to veer around the deer. I could have slapped it in the face. Yes, that close. (I'd be worried about picking up ticks. ☹) I think it would be healthier for the deer if they had some fear of humans. I'm not apt to kill one with a bicycle, but they won't fare as well with motorcycles or cars.
I also startled a heron, off the towpath on the side of the canal. It always seems like so much work for them to get airborn. I regret that they waste all that energy in response to my presence. But if I really were a predator, I'd be within pouncing distance.
There was no approaching (human) traffic to dim my light for tonight. There was someone overtaking me on the CCT, but I diverted to the towpath just before he caught up with me. (Assuming "he" because there's very few shes riding alone on the trails at night. I haven't seen the biking lawyer in ages.) Most of the people on the CCT stay with it into Bethesda. The Towpath takes you to Chain Bridge (to Arlington) or farther west to Glen Echo.
The Seemee 60 tail light's battery gave out somewhere in the last couple of miles - not quite 4 night-commutes home. So it needs to be charged every 3 days. More often, if I want to use it on a wet afternoon, or at a brighter setting on a rainy night.
Wednesday 23:30
The water was much deeper in the canal today. Maybe they've finished the repairs on the locks in Georgetown? This portion of the canal has been "drained" since early 2016. Even when drained, much of the stretch I ride still has a stream's flow, with swimming ducks and fishing herons. (Didn't see many geese this past year; maybe they want more water?) From Arizona Ave up to Chain Bridge there's always been enough water probably for a canal barge (but not for two to pass), and beyond Chain Bridge there's ice skating - perhaps ice hockey - when it's cold enough. There's water flowing in from streams, and flowing out the other side of the canal to the Potomac. I suppose those outlets have been closed, but to fill this much in a day I think they've probably opened some gates upstream to allow water in from the river too.
The turtles' basking branch is under water. But it's not basking weather anymore, so they probably don't miss it.
I recharged a lot of batteries at the office today - the new headlight, the old headlight, the new (twice-replaced) taillight, the bluetooth headphones, and the iPhone. It's convenient that there's empty desks next to me, because our individual spaces are only marginally sufficient for our work.
The new light continues to work well. I think I saw that same deer tonight, but standing on the edge of the trail. Still just stands there looking befuddled as I go by.
[This entry was originally posted as https://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/1021956.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]