Outside Riders - Your Mile Totals 01-03/07?

[DarcyInOregon]

Hi,

There is a small minority of us who biked outside all winter. Just wondering what everyone's totals are.

I finished at 995 miles. I did have stretches of time where there was snow or the wind was too strong, thus I could not ride. However, I had a lot of rides in inclement weather and I now enjoy riding in the wind and heavy rain.

The rewards are that I am stronger and fitter. I don't pay any attention to the wind anymore. The Spring headwinds feel more like a slight breeze to me.

Another positive result is I lost 2 1/2" from around my middle and more inches elsewhere, though the scale doesn't show a dramatic drop.

The oddest thing I saw was on a winter ride on a Saturday afternoon in the first part of February. The temperature on the bike computer said 38 degrees. It was raining hard, with lots of wind. I was wearing multiple layers of clothing, ending with a pair of rain pants, Gore-Tex jacket and winter gloves. I was going down a hill, but being cautious about my speed because I knew that up ahead there was a bridge over a creek and that where the road met the bridge was a three inch height difference in the pavement. If you are going too fast and the tire hits that ridge, you can get a blow-out. From behind me came a small pack of five riders, spinning fast, with an older man being in the rear. Here is what is odd. The riders were wearing only shorts and short-sleeve jerseys, and the older man was wearing one of those see-through super light rain jackets so that I could see he was wearing a short-sleeve jersey underneath. The cyclists were all soaking wet. I was under the impression that they were cycling a century perhaps, out from the city into my rural area in the valley. They whizzed by me, but managed to get over the bridge without a fatality. After the bridge I sped up and kept them in sight, until I turned off to get back to my car at the state park. I put the bike up on the rack, put my things away, and drove out of the park. On the outskirts of the little town outside of where I live, where I turn to go up the mountain, there was the pack of cyclists, just standing there in the heavy cold rain having a huge argument. My guess is they were all so non-Fred that none of them had any money or a cell phone on them, and they probably realized they were one step away from a hospital stay for pneumonia and did not have the strength to cycle back to the city. Their heads swiveled as I drove by, because my bike is pink and other cyclists can remember it. I could of stopped and offered them money or the use of my cell phone but I did not. I wasn't going to try to stuff five more bikes on my car and drive 5 cyclists back to Portland or Salem or whichever city they came from. So I drove on by.

Darcy

[kerrybelle]

Darcy, 995 miles for the year so far....that's GREAT! :D

My oustide miles to date are 162 and only 252 if I add my indoor miles. Our winter weather hasn't been too biker friendly. Luckily it's starting to warm up a bit and I will be out much more. I signed up for the 2500 mile challenge on Bike Journal, so I have some catching up to do.

Kerry

[Grog]

Great job Darcy!! That's a pretty impressive tally for the first three months of the year, in bad weather on top of that.

I'm just over 600.... kilometers so far. Almost 100 of these are "commutes" to my office, a 2km round trip!! I've been focusing on running all winter, I find it more pleasant when it's raining, I'm easier to clean than my bike! :D But now that the good weather is there I'll be upping the (bike) mileage to 100 km weeks, until my half-marathon the first week after which I'll stop running and sky will be the limit on the bike!! Woohoo!

Keep riding! And don't look at that scale, it doesn't tell much of the story!

[silver]

Excellent work, Darcy!

I didn't ride too much til the weather warmed up. I've got 862.5 for the year, with 658.5 of it in March. I usually don't input fractions of miles, (I don't round up, just input the whole number) so I don't know why I have that .5 in there. :rolleyes: I'll have to ride a .5 ride so I can get rid of it! :p

[divingbiker]

570 miles, 515 of it commuting miles. I've commuted 36 times so far this year; for six weeks in February and early March, I was only able to commute two times a week. Still trying to develop a regular habit of riding on the weekends now that spring is here.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

409 miles.

[mimitabby]

out of 411 miles so far this year, 36 were indoors.

Somedays it was just too dark, cold, wet for me to want to go out.
Your mileage is amazing, ladies!

[Trekhawk]

890 but it was a very mild winter here this year unlike some of the places in the USA. It only snowed twice compared to heaps last year. It was nice for cycling but I did miss the snow.

[BikeMomma]

I hurt my L5 vertebre/disc on New Year's Day, so my mileage for Jan & early Feb was severely affected (as was pretty much my whole daily routine). But each month, I'm making progress, although I still have to be careful on and off the bike (no crazy stuff, no heavy lifting...even doing the dishes & laundry makes me sore because of the bending over part of it):

Jan 20 miles
Feb 213 miles
Mar 407 miles
Totl 640 miles

Good job on your 995 Darcy, especially with the weather you've been having up there! Sweet! Good job everyone else, too. :)

~BikeMomma

[pooks]

Thanks for starting this thread. I need to humiliate myself!

68.6 miles.

I have no freaking excuse for not doing a LOT more than that. This is the time of the year when I really do need to be putting in some miles, before it gets hot. I promised myself I would, and I haven't been, so maybe the shame and humiliation here will propel me forward.

Go ahead.

Shame me.

I need it! LOL!

[PinkBike]

1037 miles, but it's an unfair advantage. it's always riding weather here.
90 degrees today!!!! finally!

[jobob]

A little over 1500 miles, but like pinkbike, the weather where I am is rideable year-round.

[trekin']

....but I really miss riding in the winter. What do you all wear to stay warm? I hate it when my feet and hands get cold, which happens very easily?

Do you take out your road bikes, or do you ride something that can handle sand on the road?

[Crankin]

I have a whopping total of 213 miles since January. Two of those rides were in January, the rest in March. I don't mind riding in the low 40's or even high thirties, but that's my limit. I think I could probably go a bit lower in terms of comfort, since I have the gear, but my lungs don't like it.
Plus, in February, i got to x country ski and snow shoe; I like taking a break from cycling. It makes me look forward to March.
I don't count indoor miles. It doesn't seem the same to me. Sure, I work hard on my trainer or in spin class, but I want to know how far I have gone on the road. Inside is like a different category to me.
Since I managed to ride 3,000 miles last year, I am not concerned. My goal is 3500 this year and I am sure i will make it, since I won't be working in the fall.

[SadieKate]

I (no crazy stuff, no heavy lifting...even doing the dishes & laundry makes me sore because of the bending over part of it)

~BikeMommaDoesn't crazy stuff = dishes and laundry? :confused:

1,120 myself cuz Jobob made me do it.:p

[Trekhawk]

Doesn't crazy stuff = dishes and laundry? :confused:

1,120 myself cuz Jobob made me do it.:p

Naughty Jobob.;)

[Batbike]

WOW! you guys got some miles ridden so far this year -- way to go!! My goal was to be around 1200 by now, but it has NOT happened ... oh well. :o :( I got 838 so far ... maybe the miles will pick-up with nicer weather ... but then, I still have the same life of work, kids, and misc. obligations ... hmmmmmm. :rolleyes:

[lauraelmore1033]

297 miles on the old hybrid bike
409 miles on the new road bike
too many days when the weather wasn't cooperative at all; # shoulda been higher...

[Tater]

1143 so far. We have pretty mild winters here in Boise, but it can get down right cold! It only snowed a couple times, but the roadways were dry within a couple days. Lots of layers and booties was the way to go for me when it got frigid.

[SadieKate]

The Tater passed me again! I been keepin' my eye on you on BikeJournal. Can't keep a good spud down, huh?

[Tater]

The Tater passed me again! I been keepin' my eye on you on BikeJournal. Can't keep a good spud down, huh?

I've noticed we've been going back and forth! :p I gotta keep the miles up for the St. Anthony 200k in May. Isn't Wrenchboy from that area?

[makbike]

I have logged 683.57 outside thus far. Most of those miles (587.3) came in March simply becaue we have been blessed with a very warm spring. All together (trainer and road miles) I've logged 1602 miles. It has been a great starte to 2007 and I'm hoping what remains will be equally as good!

[SadieKate]

I've noticed we've been going back and forth! :p I gotta keep the miles up for the St. Anthony 200k in May. Isn't Wrenchboy from that area?He was kinda, um, born there. Can't get much closer to "that area" than that. :p

Do you have a link to the route?

[Tater]

He was kinda, um, born there. Can't get much closer to "that area" than that. :p

Do you have a link to the route?

Right on!

As for a route, nothing yet. But here's a link to the website: http://www.yarandonneurs.com/events.html

[HillSlugger]

618 total miles but only 118 outdoor miles :(

[DarcyInOregon]

It is good to see so many outside riders posting to this thread. Depending on your region, any amount of miles can be significant. Even San Francisco, because there is thick fog and ocean winds in SF.


....but I really miss riding in the winter. What do you all wear to stay warm? I hate it when my feet and hands get cold, which happens very easily?

Do you take out your road bikes, or do you ride something that can handle sand on the road?

Trekin, on the real cold days I rode shorter distances. I saved the longer rides for when the temps went over 40 and without the heavy rain. Depending on what I think the temperature will be, I wear layers of clothing. If the temp is going to be under 45, I start with a thermal base layer and several socks, then I add shorts or knickers, then winter tights, then maybe winter pants over the tights. There are special socks to keep the feet dry, but if you wear them you might not be able to get the cycling shoes on - just a warning. The upper body is easier to keep warm with various layers of long-sleeve jerseys ending with a high quality water/wind proof jacket. For the gloves, I used the Pearl Izumi winter gloves, but when the temp goes over 50 I am back to wearing regular cycling gloves.

I ride the road bike. I didn't count the miles from the hybrid, which I ride when I do hills with gravel roads. The sand you mentioned, what the road crews put out for ice and snow, it mostly litters the shoulder of the road where the cyclists go. If the sand is thick I go around it, but mostly I go over it. Where I cycle, on the rural farm roads, the sand isn't so much a concern as the piles of manure in the roads from the farmers fertilizing their fields, or the large clumps of mud the tractors leave on the roads, or the brand new pot holes that develop overnight.

Here is to the next three months, and may we all reach our cycling goals. I love riding with just one layer of clothing. It is so free and exhilerating, so I am looking forward to the warmer months.

Darcy

[crazycanuck]

I'm at 2401km.:) (you can check it out at bikejournal-i'm crazycanuckoz.)

I wanna keep up with Jobob. :)

c

[trekin']

Thanks for the info...I'm trying to envision how you would pedal with all that stuff on, but I'm going to save your post for next winter and see how it goes...

In the meantime, I have set a personal goal of 2000 miles between 3/1 and 11/1, and am already 7% toward that goal, despite the weather and my work schedule, so we'll see what happens! Seeing what everyone has accomplished during the "off" months is an inspiration!

[songlady]

336 outdoor miles to date for 2007. I am pleased considering I did not ride at all between the middle of Jan. and the beginning of March (ok, maybe once :rolleyes: ). We finally got snow around here during that time so I cross country skied for 6-8 weeks. Fun!
I am none too thrilled about our 10 day forecast that calls for snow later in the week and an extended period of 32 degree days :mad:

[GLC1968]

I finished March at 560 miles for the year and while that doesn't sound like much, that was for January and March only. A back problem and bad weather kept me from riding in February...so I feel pretty good about that total.

Oh, and I only count outdoor miles - trainer miles are too dreadful to want to remember! :p

[Brandy]

1585 miles until March 31st...of course, it's sunny southern California!

[Fredwina]

I came in at 1960. and i cosidered riding a century Saturday to get to 2000 even. It is riding weather year round (well, maybe July and August require some planning) and i've done 3 brevets and 1 century..:o

[BikeMomma]

Doesn't crazy stuff = dishes and laundry? :confused:

1,120 myself cuz Jobob made me do it.:p
Oh dang....you're right! What was I thinking???

Crazy is thinking I could have done the full century at the Cinderella with a bad back (fortunately I realized that beforehand and just did the metric). Crazy is the weed-pulling I did tonight. Now I'm sore....sigh.

Really crazy would be jumping out of airplanes, but doc assured me I might be able to try that by the end of the summer. :p ;) :D

You have ALOT of miles there, Miss SK! I need to get all healed so I can catch up!
~BikeMomma

[SadieKate]

Not to worry. Mtb season is here and I'm going out to do drills with Cyndi. We might get 10 miles over 2 hours, maybe. Probably more like 8. You can catch up today with a little work.

BTW, weeding with a bad back? What are you, crazy?

[BikeMomma]

Uh-huh. ;)

[SadieKate]

I meant to tell you that a Peet's is going into downtown Davis. When you come race the crit this July you won't have to drink Starbucks.

You know, friends don't make friends . . . . . .:D

[tattiefritter]

About 500 miles ridden up to end of March for me this year which is ok I suppose, all outdoors - generally riding weather all year round in the UK just some of it is not entirely pleasant. The majority (about 350 I'm guessing) are offroad miles where my average speed is significantly lower than my road average speed so I'm covering a lot less distance for equivalent time and usually more effort :) , a point that was brought home to me yesterday as I got back on my road bike for the first time this year :D so fast!

Need to remember that I won't be logging huge mileage totals unless I do more road than offroad (not likely ;) ) and not get so down about it but I still need to kick things up a bit if I want to make my 2500 goal for this year.

[Chile Pepper]

You ladies put me to shame! And here I thought I was riding a lot. Since late January (and not including Sunday, April 1st) I've put in about 500 km. I'm working on increasing my mileage (kilometerage?), but we're going into winter here. It's a California sort of winter, though, so I should be able to ride through most of it.

[li10up]

Jeeze Darcy, thanks....I was feeling pretty good with my 532 miles but now I see that ain't squat! ;)

Congrats to all you high mileage gals!!

[indysteel]

My first outdoor ride was March 11th (I'm so jealous of those of you who've been riding all year) and I've logged 287 miles so far. I don't keep track of my indoor miles--mostly spinning. If all goes will the rest of the week, I'm hoping to have 412 by Easter.

[Thorn]

We're only about 130 outdoors for the year (about 800 total counting indoor). I was going to whine that it is cold and snowy here, but then I saw Tater's total. Oh, the shame, the shame. Such a wimp I am when the cold comes in or the rains start.

[slinking off now to set higher standards for herself next winter...]

[IFjane]

838 so far this year. Mostly January & March. Now health problems are keeping me off the bike. :( :( With any luck it's only temporary.

I forget to post at BikeJournal! jeez....need to get over there and put my miles in. :rolleyes:

[Kano]

I have been sulking a bit -- all these impressive numbers, and mine's around 53.

BUT

I realized this morning that this is 53 miles more than last year at this time! That made me feel much better!

IFJane -- little bit of a health thing keeping me off this week, I hope yours proves as temporary as mine should! (I have a cold that seems to never want to give in! got it from my grandson, the Booger King! Really a bummer, since the weather is FABULOUS here in Boise)

Karen in Boise

[jobob]

I realized this morning that this is 53 miles more than last year at this time! That made me feel much better! Well there you go ! And next year you'll look back and realize you've done more. Progress is good, it doesn't have to be made in quantum leaps.

[pooks]

Oh, I like that way of thinking. Since I didn't even have a bike this time last year!

[IFjane]

IFJane -- little bit of a health thing keeping me off this week, I hope yours proves as temporary as mine should! (I have a cold that seems to never want to give in! got it from my grandson, the Booger King! Really a bummer, since the weather is FABULOUS here in Boise)

Karen in Boise

Karen - thanks so much for your good thoughts. Mine is age-related (menopause). I always thought that if I could have two children with no medication that I could go also through this change without any. What was I thinking???:eek: :eek: Hopefully things are more under control and I can get back on the bike and away from the bathroom! (My apologies for the hijack.)

To get back on topic - Karen, this time last year I had only gotten out on the bike for the first time on March 12 & had under 100 miles. This year was completely different. Next year is your year! ;)

[Velobambina]

In my opinion, any miles during the winter---especially if you live where it gets cold---are good miles.

Unfortunately, I missed a lot of outdoor riding in Feb due to snow/icy trail conditions. For the first three months of '07, I logged about 1186 miles outside.

Wouldn't you know it: a winter blast has hit us again and it's expected to be below freezing during my morning rides this coming weekend. Maybe snow flurries tonite and tomorrow, too. ugggghhhhh. It'll be time to bundle up again. The one positive is that the cold keeps the fair weather folks (usually the ones w/out much savvy about safety, common courtesy, etc) off the trail. ;)

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

You gals' mileage so far is inspiring!!!

I'm new here, but hope I can soak up some of this!! We also had snow n ice for about 6-7 weeks this year (off n on) - that's my story and I'm stickin to it! :P

So far:
January 93
February 54 (ugh!)
March 308 (hello early Spring!!)
April 75 so far

only 530.... I've got a long way to go to catch up!! :rolleyes:

[Geonz]

1401 at the turn of the month - February was a low-mileage month 'cause I was at a conference for 5 days and we had this little blizzard around Valentine's Day. THat's when I ordered studded tyres ... but it hasn't snowed since. Next winter, though...

It's back down doing the freezing thing but I'm still doing the commute and errands...

[Kano]

Karen - thanks so much for your good thoughts. Mine is age-related (menopause). I always thought that if I could have two children with no medication that I could go also through this change without any. What was I thinking???:eek: :eek: Hopefully things are more under control and I can get back on the bike and away from the bathroom! (My apologies for the hijack.)

To get back on topic - Karen, this time last year I had only gotten out on the bike for the first time on March 12 & had under 100 miles. This year was completely different. Next year is your year! ;)

My sympathies, IFJane! Like you, I've got this idea I can do it my ownself too, and I'll keep on hoping for now!

I AM planning on more early season miles next year -- and more and more and more miles this year too! Definitely going to top my 960 or so from last year!

Karen in Boise

[Kano]

Oh, I like that way of thinking. Since I didn't even have a bike this time last year!

Me too, Pooks! April 23, that's my first anniversary on my bike!

Karen in Boise

[Kano]

Well there you go ! And next year you'll look back and realize you've done more. Progress is good, it doesn't have to be made in quantum leaps.

There's probably some sort of mathematical thing that could make zero miles last year and 53 miles this year into some sort of quantum leap type statistic! I'll let the folks who are into that sort of thing work it out -- just not my thing, I'd rather ride!

Anyway, it sure was good to find a way to turn my tiny number around -- the competitive spirit and the nasty lingering cold had me feeling pretty down about my mileage!

Karen in Boise

[BikeMomma]

I meant to tell you that a Peet's is going into downtown Davis. When you come race the crit this July you won't have to drink Starbucks.

You know, friends don't make friends . . . . . .:D
Right on! I'm there! If I podium, I'll buy ya one on me! :D

[SadieKate]

Maybe I should put up a prime. First tall brunette from Atwater across the line. You think you could win that one? :D But doesn't it need to be Starbucks?

[BikeMomma]

Naaaa. I'm branching out -- being adventurous. :D Peets is actually purty dang good.
I might be able to win that....if it's an almond latte. :p