it's practically official now [Archive] - Women's Cycling Discussion Forums

caligurl

03-10-2006, 07:29 AM

:rolleyes:

ok... only as official as a weather forcast can be.. but our weather forcast "officially" calls for snow for overnight/tomorrow!

Tonight: A few rain showers this evening mixing with snow showers overnight. Low near 35F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 60%. A slushy accumulation of around one inch.

Tomorrow: Rain and snow in the morning. Rain showers and perhaps a rumble of thunder in the afternoon. High 52F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 60%.

:eek: fortunately i had already figured out i couldn't (wouldn't) ride saturday with just the rain and COLD forcast! however.. if it snows... i will want to take the mountain bike out for a short neighborhood ride! :cool: cuz i said when i bought it.. that i would like to give it a go in the snow just once!!!!!! so we'll see if i WIMP out or not (cuz i hate the cold... in case you haven't figured that out yet!)

snow.. in the desert! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: (yes.. we've had snow before.. just not too often... it's quite pretty... well.. snow usually is pretty! here's some pics (http://www.caligurl.com/blog/snow.html) from our last snow!)

Nanci

03-10-2006, 07:32 AM

Friday night low 60F, Saturday high 83F, 50% clouds, 10% chance of rain, max wind 6 mph, low of 60F! It's about time!!

Nanci

caligurl

03-10-2006, 07:34 AM

:p :p :p :p :p :p

i have enough other riding days i can gloat about... so i'll let you have yours!

:p :p :p :p :p :p

Brandi

03-10-2006, 07:38 AM

I don't think your dog knows what to make of it! I live on the central coast and they are saying snow down to1500 feet. Of coarse I am at sea level here but I will be able to look out at our foothills and see snow. We have a had a lot of hail so far with this one. It started hailing this morning right when our cats went outside they all came ripping back in like the world was coming to an end!

Yup no riding this weekend for us. Let me know how the mountain bike thing goes maybe I will ride up to our foothills and give it a try!

bikerchick68

03-10-2006, 07:46 AM

caligurl

03-10-2006, 07:47 AM

the "funny" thing is.. tyler LOVED the snow! as does brie... that day she was so comical.. she went out and was lifting a foot up and holding it up as if to say "what's this stuff" in my yard!

but when we would take them to big bear (http://www.desertsamoyeds.com/snow.html).. they had a BLAST!

Jo-n-NY

03-10-2006, 07:52 AM

caligurl

03-10-2006, 07:53 AM

ugh! no riding here either... I promised my best friend we'd do lunch and a movie on Sunday... I shoulda qualified that statement cause now she desperately wants to see Failure to Launch... I HATE CHICK FLICKS! :mad: LOL... but I love my friend... so I'm buying a large popcorn and sitting thru it... sigh... :o

I'm very concerned that my CAM goal may be blown already... if I don't get a century next week it's over already! :( I just have so many other commitments that for me it's not about being physically able... it's about having enough time!

from the previews on tv this morning.... i wanted to go see it (well... ok.. ANY excuse for movie popcorn WITH butter!) but then i went to yahoo movies and viewers are giving it a D average.. now granted that was about four people.... plus getting hubby to go... well.. that would take too much effort on my part.. my interest is getting piqued (spelling) by libertine.. i LOVE LOVE LOVE johnny depp.. but not too sure about the storyline...

hmmmm i wouldn't worry about the CAM.. except i know it's a goal of yours... and of course.. i'm sure you'll feel bad for not meeting a goal.. i never set out do to CAM... just a lot of centuries! i ended up with more than 12 last year.. just not one in each month.. does that make the ones i did any less "important" or "special" than doing one a month? so maybe look at it that way?

caligurl

03-10-2006, 07:56 AM

Caligirl, I will say enjoy the snow out there, and be sure it does not blow in the eastern direction. I am so not a cold weather person. They call for warm coming in today, maybe 70???? I better feel warmth when I go out for lunch.

I am happy, tomorrow should be in the 50's. Yes, I will get reaqainted with my clippless pedals out side since I have only used them on the trainer since my fall.

Your pics are lovely. What beautiful scenery. However, that snowfall would be called a dusting over here. Enjoy your snow, go for a ride even if it is just 20 minutes or so and did I say, Keep it on your side? :D

~ JoAnn

joann... i heard on the today show this morning that NY was gonna have nice weather! i actually grew up in upstate.. so i'm quite familiar with what "real" snow is! :D :D :D :D :D snow days with no school!! woo hoo! (and i've even gotten snowed in when back there visiting!) i get excited about it cuz i rarely see it now! (i'm griping about the snow.. but i'm actually kinda happy about it too.. just wish it wasn't the weekend and screwing up a good road bike ride! *sigh*

Brandi

03-10-2006, 08:01 AM

I am a dork! What is a CAM? I am new to all this touring,comp stuff. Don't know the lingo. I only have three friends who ride with me. My husband and my other best friend and none of know any of that stuff, yet.

Nanci

03-10-2006, 08:04 AM

CAM- century a month. It was bikerchick's goal for the year. I can't remember if personal centuries are allowed or not. BUT IF THEY ARE!!! You need to call in sick and do one the first nice day you get before the end of the month!!

The rules for, I can't remember if it's ultramarathon cycling or randonneurs usa, but one of those has a similar official event, and you _are_ allowed two make-up dates.

Nanci

bikerchick68

03-10-2006, 08:07 AM

cali... yeah you're right... but I hate it when I don't meet a goal... my goal for next year is to NOT HAVE a goal... and just ride for the joy of it! ;)

Brandi... CAM is an acronym for Century A Month... my goal for 06 is to ride a century every month of the year... Jan and Feb are complete, but March is suddenly an issue... the first weekend I couldn't do a cent due to some voulnteer work that I have been doing for a long time... now rain, and the last weekend I'll be traveling... so it's next weekend hopefully! Otherwise I'm already SOL. :o

bikerchick68

03-10-2006, 08:08 AM

nanci... yeah, I read that... they also allow anything over 90 miles to be an official century... somehow for me I need to see the computer roll over 100! Shortest century was 100.1... and I had to ride around the block 3 times to make it happen! :D

caligurl

03-10-2006, 08:09 AM

that's me this year... NO GOALS! i'm just riding... riding to ride.. riding to eat (i love to eat :rolleyes: which can be seen by the 6 pounds i've added :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: )

oh wait.. i do have one goal... KOM... :D ok... so other than that i have no specific goals!

Brandi

03-10-2006, 08:23 AM

That's funny you ride around the block! So is this a personal goal? Or by doing this do you qualify for something else. And how long is a century again?

caligurl

03-10-2006, 08:25 AM

i've ridden around the block to tack on a bit too! if i set a ride goal that day.... and i fall short when i get home... i head down the street or around the block! :D i did that a LOT last year when i was working so hard to stay in the top 100 on bikejournal last year! :rolleyes:

normally when people just say "century" they mean 100 miles..

however if they say metric century.. then it's... 63 i believe (100 kilometer...)

ok.. just did converter... it's 62.13712 miles for a metric

bikerchick is talking about the 100 miles centuries!

Susie

03-10-2006, 08:27 AM

I'm going to have to ride in this stuff. I've been signed up for the Solvang Century since December and my friends have decided that we still have to go. Luckily, I've managed to talk them in to looking for a hotel room rather than camping, which was our original plan. I had to compromise, though, and agree to ride the 50 miler instead of the full 100 (which has higher climbs and will definitely be in some kind of white stuff).

Think nice warm thoughts for us tomorrow.

Susie

Brandi

03-10-2006, 08:28 AM

How far do yo ride a day average? that is when you can ride and not dodging rain and snow and what not.

caligurl

03-10-2006, 08:31 AM

bikerchick68

03-10-2006, 08:33 AM

Susie... oh man, warm and dry thoughts coming your way... last year Solvang was absolutely beautiful... hope maybe you'll all get a 6 hour window of no rain!

Brandi... I typically ride a miniumum of 30-40 miles anytime I get on the bike... but sometimes during the summer I'll just go for an hour and get 15/16/17 miles in... just a quick spin...

I have learned what kind of rider I am... I am not a natural climber and I am not a sprinter... but what I do well is maintain a steady pace for a long time... so I'm a decent distance rider... :)

slinkedog

03-10-2006, 08:33 AM

Susie... be careful! Lots of black ice in the SC mountains, from what I hear. I hope you get a good ride in. It's actually sunny right now!

bikerchick68

03-10-2006, 08:35 AM

OH! and yes, this is just a personal goal... I'm not trying to qualify for anything... :)

Brandi

03-10-2006, 08:49 AM

I do about 16 to 17 a day too and try for longer rides on the weekends. Not this weekend of coarse. Is that good? avarage maybe as far as a daily workout? I need to build up cause of my tour in sept so i double up as much as i can in this weather.

bikerchick68

03-10-2006, 09:48 AM

what tour are you doing in Sept? are you riding specifically to train for this tour?

Susie

03-10-2006, 09:51 AM

I am soooo HAPPY. There are so many cancellations for the Solvang ride tomorrow, that we managed to get a hotel room right near the start!

I don't have to camp tonight ... I don't have to camp tonight ... I don't have to camp tonight!

Susie

bikerchick68

03-10-2006, 10:02 AM

wooohoooo! a hotel will be soooooo much more comfortable under these conditions... you guys be safe out there... remember all the little stuff like the striping is like ice in the rain, and braking takes longer... hope it's a great ride for you...

caligurl

03-10-2006, 11:02 AM

take some little packets of hot chocolate with you for after the ride (ok... maybe take a bottle of something stronger! lol!) to warm you up!

tprevost

03-10-2006, 11:55 AM

We lived up near you before moving to SoCal 5 years ago. There's a really nice ride out of Aptos in May that you should do if you haven't already; its called Strawberry Fields Forever. It has 25, metric, and full century routes. Just thought I'd throw that out there!

Good luck this weekend - glad you got a hotel; much more comfortable for sure! Be sure to let us know how the day went and BE SAFE!!!

Caligurl - I'll be looking out the window whining about the weather too :( Even though we need the rain; I'm ready for the heat!

Cold.... burrrrrrrrr!!!

Tracy

bikerHen

03-10-2006, 12:46 PM

I have just one suggestion. Get toe warmers! The chemical kind. REI, Walmart or any outdoor shop. They make a huge difference. Really! :D Bikerhen

Susie

03-10-2006, 12:51 PM

I did El Tour de Tucson in November and we had to wait in the pitch cold dark of the desert for the start. It was really cold, but no one wanted to put too many clothes on because we'd just be peeling it off by 9:00am and then have to carry it the rest of the way. I actually bought some of those disposable hand warmer packets that people use skiing. I put one down my job bra, one in a back jersey pocket, and shifted one between my hands. It worked like a charm, so I bought a bunch for tomorrow's ride. Let's see -- one in my helmet (under the fleece beanie), one in my job bra, one in my back jersey pocket, one in each of my tight legs .....

Susie

Susie

03-12-2006, 09:31 AM

I have to say -- I survived the Solvang half century and it wasn't so bad. We started out in overcast conditions. Unfortunately, about 12 miles in to the ride, the rain started. It quickly turned to sleet and then into hail. The hail stones were about the size of peas and hurt quite a bit. I actually had to stop, get off the bike, and stand with my back to the hail (it was coming down a bit sideways right into my face while I was riding) and wait it out. After that, it was just on and off rain and bits of sun. My bike is totally covered in mud (even the saddle) and I'm about ready to take my cycling clothes out of the plastic bag I put them in to have a look.

I stayed pretty comfortable, except when my shoes, toe warmers, and tights were soaked through. Then I was probably colder than I've ever been in my life. Luckily, those disposable hand warmers did their thing and warmed me back up (one between the each of the toe covers and shoes, and one down each thigh in my tights). On top I had a simple capilene long sleeved undershirt, a long sleeved jersey made out of regular thin jersey material and one of those plastic non-breathable cycling rain jackets with vents in the arm pits. On my head I wore some thin ear warmers (kind of like a headband), a cycling cap, and then my helmet. The top half of me was really happy all day.

I'm very glad I just did the 50 miles (many of the century riders did this as well). There was snow not too much higher up from our course and the word at the start was that there was a flipped over car in the snow on the pass that the 100 milers had to cross.

Lessons learned:

1. hail hurts
2. those non breathable cheap plastic coats do just great if it's cold enough out
3. disposable hand warmers can be really helpful
4. I don't drink nearly as much when it's cold out
5. Keep moving -- going slow or stopping gets you shivering very quickly
6. Hot showers are the best thing ever invented
7. Hail hurts

Ride time (for 50 miles): 2 hrs, 53 min (including the stop for hail and helping some guy who had no clue how to fix a flat)

Susie

Brandi

03-12-2006, 10:04 AM

What brand of hand warmers are you using. Need to get some for a trip in sept for just in case thing.

tprevost

03-12-2006, 10:22 AM

Great Job Susie!

I did a Cinderella one year that was like that! It took me an hour ride home with the heater as high as it would go, plus a LONG HOT shower (as you mentioned ;) ) AND curling up w/down comforter and heater on HIGH. Basically it took me the rest of the day to get warm again! It sounds like those little heater thingys were perfect! I'll have to go grab a few to keep on hand! Brandi, I think you can get them at sporting goods stores/ski shops etc. I've gotten them at REI before but that was a long time ago.

Congrats on your ride and getting it done! :D

Tracy

tprevost

03-12-2006, 10:23 AM

ps. went to see Failure to Launch yesterday - very cute; even DH was laughing!

Brandi

03-12-2006, 10:40 AM

Ordered my ID tags by the way. The last line I put "Just breath". I forget to sometimes. That is why I take yoga.:D
And right on doing the Solvang ride Susie. My husband and I have had two chances to go out and ride but we keep chickeningout when we look at the temp outside. We live about an hour and alf from solvange. Hey what is the ride called I might do it next year.
Is it open registration?

Susie

03-12-2006, 04:52 PM

To answer everyone's questions:

Tprevost -- I'm already signed up for the Strawberry Fields full century. I did the Surf City ride in September, which is a very similar course. I'm really looking forward to doing Strawberry Fields in May.

Brandi -- I was wearing Terry full fingered gloves (http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=14148). As far as hand warmers, I bought Heat Factory mini warmers at my local outdoor store, but you can find them on http://www.heatfactory.ca/warmer.html. Basically, you open the package, squeeze the packet of stuff, and it heats right up and stays warm for up to 8 hours. You can tuck them just about anywhere and they really work (my toes can vouch for them). And Solvang is open registration. There were many folks actually registering the morning of the ride, which suprised me. If I hadn't have already spent the money, I wouldn't have gone. Conditions were way too nasty.

I have only one thing left to clean. I never knew that helmets could get so muddy on a road ride!

Susie

Bike Goddess

03-12-2006, 05:03 PM

Susie- Congrats on sticking it out! I don't know if I would have lasted as long as you did given the hail, sleet, and rain. I did the century last year, and what a big difference the weather makes in a ride! No one expected this to happen so late in the season.!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

For a detailed report on the full century go to: www.bikejournal.com There is a good report on the forum page from some guys who finished it. Rand does a good narrative.

Maybe next year I'll come down and do it! It was one of my favorite centuries last year. Of course we had sun and really nice conditions as well!:) :) :) :) :)

tprevost

03-12-2006, 05:30 PM

Susie,

I SO wish I could go up and do the Strawberry Fields ride too! I did the metric twice but then we moved and well.... that was that! My DH's employer is in Santa Cruz (I was born and raised in bay area) and when I'm reminded of all the great rides sometimes I wanna move back! :D

Tracy

ps. get a couple of pics if you can so I can live vicariously through you! ;)

jobob

03-12-2006, 05:30 PM

Wow, Susie, what an accomplishment.

Those chemical warmer packs are a great idea. I might head over to my local REI and stock up on some, heaven knows how long this weather is going to last, and the Cinderella is only a couple of weeks away.

Here's what REI carries online, and I imagine the REI stores will carry them too. They don't cost much and they'd be worth their weight in gold on a cold and funky day.

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Search?storeId=8000&query=*&cat=40003911&vcat=REI_SEARCH:C

tprevost

03-12-2006, 05:34 PM

Brandi,

There is a "windmill century" 7/22 up in Los Alamos. I'm going to do the century - here's the link if you want to check it out:

http://www.tailwindsbc.org/WindMill/

I'm staying in Solvang and will be hitting the day spa afterwards! ;)

Tracy

DeniseGoldberg

03-12-2006, 05:41 PM

Here's what REI carries online, and I imagine the REI stores will carry them too. They don't cost much and they'd be worth their weight in gold on a cold and funky day.
Those Heat Treat warmers are great - they were a constant companion for my feet all winter. You're right, they are pretty inexpensive - even more so if you go in with a friend and buy 10 or more at a time since REI offers a 20% discount at that volume (I usually split my orders with one of my co-workers who also bikes through the winter). I hope that all of us (both sides of the country!) lose those cold days pretty fast - although I can't complain about this weekend here in the northeast. Three decent riding days...

--- Denise

caligurl

03-13-2006, 08:51 AM

GREAT JOB, susie!

i didn't even ride saturday! it was actually "nice" here in the morning.. but cold... BRRRRRRRRRRR so i decided we needed to go shopping instead! as we headed down the hill.. we first have to head UP... and hit snow! SOOOO pretty! but i was scared to death in our new car! not even 2 weeks old.. i just knew some idiot would hit us.. fortunately everyone was going slow!

got down the hill and of course.. changed back to rain.. but still cold for palm springs/palm desert.. again... BRRRRRRR

when we headed back up the hill.. i guess it had snowed off and on all day and was snowing as we went back home! it was dark.. but i could still see how pretty all the desert vegetation looked with snow hanging on it! again.. everyone was driving slow! phew! got home and no snow.. just wet ground.. so it had rained at some point (or snowed and melted.. but i think it was just rain here... about 2000 feet)

i would have never even started the ride in your weather conditions much less kept going!

i may have to get some of those warmers in anticipation of BA being cold again this year!

again... GREAT JOB!