weather in your neck of the woods?

[Brandi]

We have had no rain here in California for some time now. Our temps have been kinda chilly in the mornings around the low 40's but afternoons have been in the high 60's. I know my friends in Iowa have been blessed with really good weather too as well as in Virginia. What is up with winter? I am going camping before it goes away!

[missjean]

It's quite mild here in southern NH, 42* right now, about 10* above normal. It looks like it'll stay above normal for the rest of the week. Good for riding, which I will do shortly, but the ski areas are hurting.
I like a nice cold, brisk winter with snow, so this winter has been a let down for xc skiing so far, but, I do like the lower heating bill!

[Crankin]

Pretty much the same here. It was 44 today, partly sunny. I went on a 4 mile hilly hike. I sorely need a mental break from riding. Yesterday was 54 and when I was riding, I saw as many cyclists as in the summer.
I want snow.

[Pax]

Mid 40's here in IL, it should be snowing and in the 20's OR clear skies with single digits at this time of year. Really odd, but I'm loving it.

[Catrin]

Pretty much the same here. It was 44 today, partly sunny. I went on a 4 mile hilly hike. I sorely need a mental break from riding. Yesterday was 54 and when I was riding, I saw as many cyclists as in the summer.
I want snow.

Same here, pretty much. I had my 7 mile hike yesterday, today I rode for awhile. It was nice..as tempting as it is to ride every day the temps are warm enough, I've decided that since it is winter that I won't ride outside more than once a week. It is the time of the year to do other things, like hiking mountain bike trails - but sometimes it is just too hard to resist my Gunnar's seductive glances :cool:

[climbergirl]

Mid-30s the last day or two, 45 on Friday! And mid-40s again at least through Tuesday or so here in Minnesota, which, well, I'm a recent transplant, but even *I* know this is NOT normal!

Went on an 11-mile ride yesterday on the "snow/commuter" bike and it was gorgeous! Hoping to get another ride in tomorrow or Tuesday before more snow comes and/or it cools down again!

Honestly, though, all the abnormal weather does have me a little worried, in the bigger sense of things...

[nscrbug]

Same story here, too. I'm in IL...western burbs of Chicago, and we've really only had 2 weekends that I considered "unsuitable" for riding. We rode 40 miles this morning...it was pretty darn cold at the start (24 degrees), but when we finished it was almost comfortable. Yesterday, we rode 56 miles. This is the first January ever, since I started cycling seriously, that I have ever ridden in. I am sort of starting to feel like I could use a mental break from cycling. I'm worried that I might start to get burned out pretty soon. Not that I'm wishing for a blizzard or anything like that...maybe just enough for a couple of weeks off. :D

[smittykitty]

Beautiful, sunny, 50 degrees. Great day for a ride. If only we didn't both have terrible colds:( Bummer to give up such a great day, but we both decided it just wasn't a good day for us to be on our bikes. We wouldn't have had a good ride. Darn.

[smittykitty]

I should add ...... in the Pacific NW!

[Catrin]

... I am sort of starting to feel like I could use a mental break from cycling. I'm worried that I might start to get burned out pretty soon. Not that I'm wishing for a blizzard or anything like that...maybe just enough for a couple of weeks off. :D

This is why I am limiting my outdoor riding right now. I still spin, but I don't want to burn out close to spring :eek: Of course my healing whiplash injury helps me to "be good" since I want to be able to get fully back into the swing of things come spring.

[goldfinch]

80s yesterday and 80s today in the eastern Rio Grande Valley. Too dry. There has not been enough rain here this past year and it is very brown. Fewer birds, I think because it is too dry.

There is some chance of rain tomorrow. For the sake of the valley I hope it rains.

[DebW]

I went canoeing on a local river yesterday, then did a 10 mile ride. Definitely odd weather when you can canoe on a river in January.

[Crankin]

Ha, we were joking about taking the canoe out on Warner's Pond, in west Concord.

[ridebikeme]

Yes, absolutely crazy weather all the way around. Regardless of all of the cycling stories that I've heard ( including some of my own) I think the most amazing is Debs canoeing tale... simply amazing.

Yesterday I went to the XC Nationals . It's amazing how much energy they used simply to host all of these races with so very little snow. It was wonderful though to see all of the energy, and spectators that truly were enjoying the day!

[SheFly]

ridebikeme - I heard about that, and had to inquire about recent snowfall in Rumford. Found out they MADE the snow for the course! It's not just here in the US either - we were recently watching the Tour de Ski in Germany, and they had to make the snow for the 3km prologue time trial course.

I've decided to make lemonade :D. Yes, I would like some snow, but we don't have any. So, I'm taking advantage and have finally reignited the PASSION for riding that I'd somehow lost. Had a TERRIFIC MTB ride on Saturday in sunshine and 60 degree temps (in New England - SO not normal) and then a 50 mile road ride with our junior team yesterday - temps in the 40s.

Ironically, I'm off to Florida this weekend to visit my parents. Temps are forecasted to be in the mid 50s. Sigh.

SheFly

[limewave]

Normally we'd have quite a bit of lake-effect snow by now. But yesterday was sunny and mid-40's. GORGEOUS. I went for a trail run in the AM. The parking lot at the state park was packed! Tons of people jogging, hiking, walking their dogs. I have never seen it that busy before.

Then I took the kids for a bike ride in the afternoon and we played outside until the sunset! I couldn't believe how mild the weather was.

Supposed to start trending cold and blustery towards the end of the week. We'll see. I'm okay with a mild winter. Last winter dragged on forever.

[Norse]

Last year we had over 1' of snow on the ground at this time. This year, nada. We grilled outside last night. My x-country skis and snowshoes continue to gather dust.

[ridebikeme]

Shefly,

Sounds like a great weekend!! The roads are somewhat clear here, although you would definitely have to pick your route and time of day very carefully. I'm glad to hear that your passion for your MTB is returning!:D

The Nationals went well, although it's hard for me to imagine that they are at the beginning of January! IT seems that they don't put a whole lot of emphasis on them from the managing groups... Iactually had a conversation about this with the race director back in December at a waxing clinic. He mentioned the conflicts with the World Cup races, although there generally is a weekend in January that is a bit later and doesn't interfere. At any rate, it was great to see the competitors and all of the energy that it created!

Have a great time in the Sunshine State!