Riding in the New Year: January!

[emily_in_nc]

Happy New Year, everyone!

I'll start this month off. Got in a lovely ride on the West Orange Trail this morning, along with seemingly half of the Orlando area. After all the fireworks last night, it's amazing anyone was even awake! Breezy, warm day and felt good.

Ended up with 3414 miles for 2016 and started this year with a nice 35. :)

[north woods gal]

Had a great year, too, but quit counting miles back in August when I switched over to mostly mountain biking. Still, that was some 2700 miles plus all the mountain biking. Close enough.

Just a few laps around the lake on the ice with the fat bike, but got to visit some of the neighbors who were out ice fishing. They report lots of bluegills and some northerns. They offered me some, but I'm not much on eating fish, let alone cleaning them. :)

[azfiddle]

I rounded the year out with about 4800- have to enter a few more rides from December (I use bike journal). I started the year with a very short and very wet ride. There was a window of dry weather and I rode out 4 miles down the bike path and to a nearby park with a Lake. I got pretty well soaked riding back- total of 8 miles.

Heading out now with my husband for an indeterminate length ride... depends on how we feel.

[emily_in_nc]

Rode west into Lake County today on the rolling hills of the South Lake & Lake Minneola Trails. A couple of nice wildlife sightings along the way: Sandhill Cranes across the road, and (a first for me, I think), a gorgeous Gopher Tortoise right on the trail. Was interested to learn more about them, including that they are found almost solely in Florida now, are endangered, and are considered "keystone species", since their burrows provide shelter for many other animal species. Cool-O! This guy was about a foot long.

Another 35 miles today so am up to 105 on the new year so far.

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Good job on the mileage, AZ. I would like to end up with a total more like yours in the coming year, but we shall see.

[rebeccaC]

an image of a wild and free tortoise is a good thing :) lots of bicycling yearly mileage...a double good thing:D
Thinking I'm probably around 4000+ miles with commuting, weekend rides and the few organized rides i did. I don't keep an accurate mileage log though.

Yay puddles!!

Caryl rd has a lot of different looks as the year progresses. That’s one of the reasons I like to ride it before heading home from work in Oxnard. Today it was bare limbs, the strong green color of lemon trees, new plant life in a valley field and the end of a rain storm that left a couple of deep puddles to ride childlike through with my legs up…and back to where I parked my car at the ocean.

A good welcome home first ride of 2017….
https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/413/31942802002_c994197c14_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QEFday)


https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/260/31942807202_4b7f5238d1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QEFeHd)


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https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/388/31715944760_43b310cd56_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QjCvpN)

[emily_in_nc]

Beautiful images, Rebecca!

[north woods gal]

Plus one (as usual), Rebecca. Right now that is about as far from my world as it gets without being on a different planet. Five, below, right now and a stiff wind to boot. Just warms me up seeing your pics. :)

Crazy me, though, I'll likely take the fatties out on the ice, again, because another ice storm (unusual for us) has made my skiing a mess. Love the way the fat bikes can take on any kind snow texture or even ice. They're only limited by snow depth.

[Crankin]

OK, ladies, I actually rode outdoors today. After a soaking rain last night, the roads are clear and the group ride start was close. I did the shorter 31 mile ride, which was good, so I didn't push myself with close to 50. There were only 6 people in our group, and it was on my favorite roads. Apparently, all the indoor riding, tabata, power, hiking, and nordic skiing are keeping me fit for outdoor rides.
But, I really want to ski!!!

[emily_in_nc]

Good job, Crankin! Amazing to me that you were able to ride outdoors in New England in January. Good going!

Today was a much-needed day off for me. DH has got a very cranky hip, so tomorrow may be a solo ride for me, but I'm determined to go, as the weather is due to be rainy Saturday, then chilly Sunday (high in the 50s!?!), so I will probably work on some RV projects over the weekend and hit the trails again when things get warm and sunny again next week. Good thing about cold fronts here is that they never last long.

[azfiddle]

Rebecca- beautiful pictures!

Crankin good for you.

Emily- I passed you in miles today! The last days of my winter vacation plus commuting today have raised my total to 110. I probably dressed warmer than I needed to, but wore my new split mitts, under helmet cap and soft shell jacket. I thought it was going to be 41 but NWS said 46. However, there was probably cool air drainage along the dry riverbed.

I might ride again tomorrow....

[Sky King]

We have a record 14 inches of snow in Boise... Streets are quite a mess. Some of my Fat Bike friends have been having a blast on the trails. Me, I think I will break out the snow shoes to mail packages today at the Post Office. I thought about going to a spin class but that would involve driving - Wah

[north woods gal]

Yup, sounds like fat bike weather, Sky. Of course, any weather is fat bike weather.

Nine below and the usual scary wind chill advisory warning stuff when I headed out on the fat bike, after breakfast. Nothing new for me, though. Just a matter of dressing, right, which I did not, unfortunately. Definitely too many layers on my leggings and started to overheat, but part of that was the icy, crusty snow out on the lake which required a lot of pedaling effort. Remarkably, though, that stiff snow allowed me to do some trail work in my ski tracks on the fat bike without any skidding out. Overall, only four miles, but I had to huff and puff to get it.

One thing I got to try out was a set of neoprene bar mittens. This set is actually the Bar Mitten brand, but there are many outfits than make them, now. These things are great. Used only a light par of gloves inside these and my hands stayed toasty warm even at these sub zero temps. Should have picked up a set of these a LONG time, ago. Have even seen versions, now, for road bikes.

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[ny biker]

I have zero miles so far this year. Rain, cold, vacation, etc.

I did upload all my rides for last year. Here are the totals, copied verbatim from Ride with GPS.

Number of rides: seventy-seven
Total time riding: 7 days, 10 hours
On your bike for a week? Your butt must be sore.
Distance traveled: 2,275 miles
Amount climbed: 112,580 feet

The month with the most miles was April, due to the training I did for the Tour de Cure in early May.

The total miles was about 400 more than the previous year, I think.

Indoor rides are included in the totals -- the Garmin has a way of computing distance for those, based on cadence and time, I guess.

It will be cold this weekend but I hope/plan to get in at least one indoor workout. Right now we are expecting SNOW OMG SNOW CRISIS CRISIS STAY OFF THE ROADS. Because one inch -- ONE -- is expected to fall tonight. I often say that I hate winter, but I'm starting to think that what I really hate is winter in DC. Because a dusting during rush hour actually can cause epic traffic jams around here.

Anyway I did receive a new Spinervals DVD for Christmas -- the one where Coach Troy rides the ironman course in Lake Placid. It's 3 hours long, far longer than I will ever do in one indoor workout. But the scenery will be nice. So I will use it to focus on for 45-60 minutes or so, then use a different part for another workout, to try to keep things from getting dull.

[emily_in_nc]

After a much-needed day off, I got out for a solo 30 miles today. DH's hip is ailing him, so I'll be on my own until he's healed up and ready to ride again. It was in the 60s, low humidity, breezy, and gorgeous! Also, the kiddos have gone back to school and workerbees back to work, so the trail was much quieter than during the holidays. Still some old farts and the occasional racer boy, but for the most part, miles and miles of nearly no one. Bliss!

[north woods gal]

I can honestly say I didn't see another bike rider, today, too. :)

[rebeccaC]

My before sunrise morning commute today, alone on the bike path…..The low hiss sound of water cutting away from my tires, while rain and perspiration mix on my face with each pedal stroke. Hearing, feeling the rain upon my jacket, my helmet, the sound of rain hitting the road, harmonizing with the sound of my rolling tires, realizing the weather doesn’t slow me down, doesn’t stop me. The bliss of feeling my ride going with the elements, not against them…..

Nwg….thinking your words/rides helped in inspiring me to see/feel that this morning.....thanks :)...

(eta..all cyclists are family)

"in the languid rain
a slender tree
delirious with life"
…… Bashō

Au revoir pour un temps

[north woods gal]

You're very welcome, Rebecca. Have reached that state of bliss, too, when riding in a fresh snowfall and I was the first on the road. It's that same rhythmic noise of tires in the snow as I pedaled. Have also experienced it on the skis or the canoe when conditions were just right. At times, it can be so uplifting that I have stopped, raised my arms to the sky and said a prayer of gratitude and thanks. It's why the biking and so on are more than just hobbies for so many of us. Thanks for sharing your moment.

[azfiddle]

I've been commuting even though it's dark in the morning and the temperatures are a little colder than I'm used to riding in. I rode to work Tuesday to get some planning done, and all three work days this week.

One of the perks is I get to see beautiful sunrises. Here's one from Thursday:



https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/348/32161144625_1db9091643_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QZYgPx)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/QZYgPx) by Sharon Goldwasser (https://www.flickr.com/photos/133571926@N02/), on Flickr

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5655/32043034281_629e97e651_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QPwVJi)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/QPwVJi) by Sharon Goldwasser (https://www.flickr.com/photos/133571926@N02/), on Flickr

https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/550/32161141345_fb42273c48_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QZYfQZ)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/QZYfQZ) by Sharon Goldwasser (https://www.flickr.com/photos/133571926@N02/), on Flickr

[azfiddle]

And on the way home....

Cows!

https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/634/32161141485_e80e7f8a84_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QZYfTp)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/QZYfTp) by Sharon Goldwasser (https://www.flickr.com/photos/133571926@N02/), on Flickr

[wnyrider]

Seeing the one with the horns would have me nervous and second guessing whether to continue forward! Heck, makes the hair on my arms rise just looking now.

[north woods gal]

I've encountered them on the road, too, but have never been attacked. The biggest danger is that they are so unpredictable. If they panic, you have no idea which way they will jump and they can change course, suddenly. I usually try to gently shoo them off the road and ride by, slowly.

Love the sunrise pics, AZ. What lovely country, too.

Tried more ice riding, today, but the wind was gusting up over 25 mph and the temp was only 5 above. Just brutally cold. I'm crazy, but not that crazy, so cut the ride, short, and headed back home. Will try, again, tomorrow.

[emily_in_nc]

Yeah, I'm not sure what I'd do if I encountered all those cows on the road, particularly the horned ones! We turned around on the Maah-Daah-Hey trail this fall when a herd of cattle were blocking the trail. We just weren't sure what they might do.

Yesterday I had a great 35-mile solo ride west into the hillier Lake County. I love passing this wildlife refuge now that I know about it, and I was rewarded on the way out with some amazing sightings. All behind the fence and very calm....

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[ny biker]

And on the way home....

Cows!

https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/634/32161141485_e80e7f8a84_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QZYfTp)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/QZYfTp) by Sharon Goldwasser (https://www.flickr.com/photos/133571926@N02/), on Flickr


This photo makes me laugh. It would be good for a caption contest.

So today we had snow, just about an inch here but more to the southeast. I found out that one of my friends has ridden for 373 consecutive days. His area got about 8 inches of snow today so he went out today on his old mountain bike which has oversized tires. He says he'll take a break when he hits 400.

[azfiddle]

Not to worry - the cows are just loitering there and not aggressive. They tend to move out of the way and they're used to cyclists since the path runs right through their domain. However, a friend of mine was commuting home after sunset and almost ran in to one a week or two ago, so there's that. I've ridden this path on average three times a week since August and only seen the cows once, but their presence is always detectable....

I'll take this commute route, with the risk of the cows and the occasional rattlesnake in hot weather any day over an urban commute with its risks from traffic or a "dooring" incident. Since they completed this section of the path, my route decreased in distance. It's now between .5 and 2 miles less, depending on whether I took the shorter crappier choice or the longer, mostly safer and smoother route. Previously, the short route was all on roads. The longer routes allowed for about 3 miles on a path, but now I have about 7.5 miles on path and only 2 miles on the open road. And the path passes through 3 miles of beautiful desert (sometimes with cows), along and across the Pantano River wash (usually dry but can carry flash floods that force a detour).

[north woods gal]

I'm with you, AZ. I'll take a crappy trail or side road to a main road with a lot of traffic, any day. My daily commute when I lived in Chicago gave me the option of taking the longer and slower route on a dirt trail though the Forest Preserve or the shorter and faster route on one of the worst stretch of traffic in the area. I almost always took the forest trail even though I probably shouldn't have, because it was isolated and out of sight and there was a lot of crime in the area. Definitely spooky at times, but the main road with its traffic was horrible. There were days when I just gave up and walked my bike though that section of the commute.

[north woods gal]

Been riding the fat bike out on the lake, but those days are numbered, now that snow is piling up. For the last week, only about 3" of snow on top of the ice, but that snow is half ice with the crunchy consistency of Rice Krispie bars. The bikes have absolutely no roll at all and super heavy effort to pedal. Very much the same as the heaviest setting on my trainer when riding indoors. Whew! What a workout. reminds me of one those ice breaker ships plowing though ice on the ocean. More snow on the way, so unless one of the neighbors does a little snowmobiling on the lake, pedaling there is about done. On the other hand, the fatties and I are doing great on local plowed roads. Actually safer than walking on that slick stuff.

[emily_in_nc]

After three days off due to rain and chilly north wind (though nothing like what most of the US has been dealing with), I hit the trail again today for 31 miles. Much milder today: 59F to 69F during my ride. Very few folks on the trail as I guess even those temps are pretty chilly for native Floridians, but it felt fine to me in long-sleeve jersey and light wind vest + shorts. Removed the vest for 2nd half of the ride. A gorgeous day.

Gradually, gradually too, I am feeling stronger. Been riding this same trail since Thanksgiving, and now I notice that it is "easy" for me most of the time, so long as the wind isn't too strong in my face, so I feel good about that. Average speed very slowly increasing as well. Lots of good weather coming in the days ahead, so I anticipate many more rides in the near future.

Poor DH is on the injured-reserve list with hip bursitis, so I'm flying solo lately.

[north woods gal]

I'm mostly solo, too, Emily, because of my hubby's disabilities, though he is good for short rides and we do those a lot for the sake of having fun, together.

As for my fat biking, well, it's strictly out on plowed roads, now. Have gotten almost a foot of new snow these last few days and its still snowing. Fat bikes are wonderful bikes, but they are not snow plows. :) I will keep riding the plowed roads, though or maybe try some of the area groomed fat bike trails. In the meantime, it's skis and snowshoes on my backyard trails.

[ny biker]

I still have 0 miles for this month (and year). I posted a ride on our club's schedule for this coming Saturday a few days ago because the long-range forecast looked decent. But now they are saying it will be in the 30s with a chance of "wintry mix" on Saturday. So I will be canceling that ride. Unfortunately with "wintry mix" I won't be able to get out to run errands either, and will likely be trapped in the house with the noisy upstairs neighbors all day. Oh well, January.

I haven't even wanted to look at my bike lately. But today the very cold air is gone and we had rain last night which washed away a lot of the road salt. And it's sunny and in the 50s at the moment, and I'm jealous of the people I know who are out riding right now. More rain is possible tonight but tomorrow night might be good for a ride after work. Fingers crossed. If they start pre-treating the roads tomorrow in advance of Saturday's weather, I might not be able to ride since salt is an asthma trigger for me, and the brine solution they use just makes you feel like you're riding through glue.

[Crankin]

Yeah, I just got back from a group hike and it's 53 out! I'd love to ride, but the roads are wet with all kinds of stuff from melting snow and I don't want to clean my bike. I saw one cyclist on my way home from the hike and I was surprised I only saw one.

[ny biker]

Well alrighty then. We had amazing spring-like weather yesterday, up to 70 degrees in spots. It was windy and somewhat humid, but still a great day to get outside. I planned to do the usual evening hill ride after work. So of course after several days of quiet nothingness at work, all hell broke lose yesterday afternoon and I didn't leave office until 8 pm. And that was before I finished everything I needed to do. By the time I got to the community center where I start the ride, topped off the tires, wondered if I was wearing too much, yada yada, it was 8:30 when I rolled out. Yes I was wearing too much. It was in the 60s and did not cool down at all while I was out, as it often does as night. But by taking off my gloves and toe covers and rolling up my long sleeves, I was able to stay comfortable the whole time. I rode 17.6 miles and my legs felt every inch of elevation gain after about a month off the bike. But it was rejuvenating to feel like I was riding in springtime.

(After I got home I logged onto my work pc and finished up the stuff that I still needed to do. But it was almost 11 pm by the time I got home -- I left the bike and half the gear in the car. Oh well, there's time enough to sleep while the freezing rain is falling tomorrow.)

[north woods gal]

Wow! 70 degrees in January? That would actually be considered something of a disaster, here, given our dependence on winter sports. With our 10" of snow, this last week, it's been one big winter sports party, up here. :) Have to say, though, it's only January and I'm dreaming of riding, come spring, when the snow is gone. Oh, how I would love riding without getting all bundled up like I was on an expedition to the north pole, right now. 70 degrees seems like such a far away thing at the moment. Sigh!

But I have been riding, almost daily, out on the roads for at least four or five miles on the fat bikes and combining that with some daily skiing or snowshoeing, so I am getting out and having fun. Did four miles on the bike and another 4 on the skis, yesterday.

[north woods gal]

Hubby has been working on a project to install wood flooring the spare bedroom, this morning, the last room in the house that has carpeting. (Carpeting is impossible to keep clean with our dogs and our outdoor lifestyle.) Unfortunately, by helping him rip out the old carpeting, my allergies about floored (:))me. Finally had to get outside and get some fresh air.

Decided to actually see how fast a fat bike can go, so did ten miles around the area on our snow packed roads, with several hills putting me in the lowest gear. Really pretty stoked that I was able to push the Surly Pugsley as fast as I did. Actually managed just a hair under 12 mph for an average speed. Now, that's pretty doggy for a road bike, but I'd say pretty respectable for a fattie and on snow pack, at that.

Was also fun to get out on the Pug with its steel frame and more traditional MTB geometry. Just love its no frills, just basic bike style. Might be a little silly to talk about a fat bike being a classic and traditional, given that fat bikes are still relatively new in the bike world, but, hey, after all, the Pugsley was the first commercial success as a fat bike. It's the one that started it all. Picked it up, earlier in the year, only slightly used from a pal. It's a 2016, the last year for the Pug as a complete bike. It's now only available as a frame. Couldn't pass it up.

http://i67.tinypic.com/kalhya.jpg

[azfiddle]

I did a full week of commuting last week, and Saturday took the day off from cycling to take a group of students birding (Sandhill cranes, hawks, waterfowl). Then Sunday it rained all day, so no riding. Today I rode just about 20 miles. It was definitely a casual ride, interrupted by a long walk in one of the parks to look for a few birds with my husband, who met me there with the car. I think the high was 58 today, and a lot of clouds so it never really felt warm.

[ny biker]

Ha. AZ, your weather on Monday was our weather here today. It did feel warm in the sun when I left the house this morning but was cloudy with a brisk NW wind when I got to work. So I've got everything here for a post-work bike ride, but with that cold wind I am lacking the motivation. I am leaning toward an indoor workout tonight instead. I do wish there was a good flat route that I could ride instead of the hills that I usually do, but I don't know any around here that are low-traffic. I might start playing around on ridewithgps to see if I can come up with something that will work. Regular hill rides are good but sometimes I just want an easy flat ride.

[north woods gal]

We're in a warm spell of sorts, with highs in the uppers 30s all week and even some rain in the forecast. That's definitely not good for skiing and it pretty much puts me out of action on the frozen snowmobile trails I've been using to go off road with the fat bike. The good news is that some of the county roads are showing enough clear pavement, now, to maybe, just maybe, allow me to do a little road work with the regular mountain bikes or maybe even one of the gravel/road bikes. If not, the fat bikes are still an option and have been riding them every day out on the slushy roads. Love my fat bikes. If not for them, I'd be stuck indoors on the trainer for my winter riding. Yuk!

[Crankin]

We've had drizzle all day, some slush, temperature around 35. Still misty out and there's a good chance of black ice in the AM. Of course, the day I go to the gym at 5:30. I just went out and put ice melt down on the front step, walk, and around my car. It's only .8 mile to the gym when I leave my street, and that will be treated by the town. I's the .2 mile of my condo's street that is privately plowed/treated. Today, they were out at 5 am, but it has not been the case before this. I went to spin today, that makes it 2 days in a row.
I will probably go x country ski Friday, leaving to go up to Windblown from work around 11:30. It takes about an hour. I don't care if I only ski for 1.5 hours or 2, maybe. They had 5 inches of powder and will be open. If I go then, it will be nicer, cheaper, and less people.
Going to be 45- 50 here on Saturday. Will definitely be out on the road on my bike.

[emily_in_nc]

I haven't been posting my Florida rides here since it's just the same old, same old (!!!) Gorgeous weather, temps in the 70s, lovely 30-35 mile rides about 4x a week. It's supposed to get much cooler next week, but not by anyone's standards here! :D

[north woods gal]

Hey, send some of that same old, same old up here. :)

We're getting some of that odd rain/freezing rain/slushy weather that Crankin is getting. Not good for snow sports and not normal for us in January. If it continues, though, I may get enough thawing to push the fat bikes back on to the deep woods trails. In the meantime, rained all day yesterday, so said the heck with it and had a nice workout indoors on the trainer. Rain in January! Just nuts.

[Crankin]

It's 50 degrees out!
DH and I went for a 17 mile ride, starting out at 46 degrees. I was pretty much dressed correctly and we waited until the sun came out. The roads were actually not as gross as I thought and really no water on the road. The ride had a bit more climbing than I remembered, but just small ups and downs, but enough at this time of year to make me want to not hammer. DH is recovering from a bad cold and said he wanted to go slowly, but he just never has an intuitive idea of his speed and he never looks at it while riding. After the third little climb where I was going at what would be my in summer shape speed of 12-13 on these climbs I yelled! He wasn't really going fast overall, but I need to build up. Anyway, pleasant, and any ride in January or February is a bonus. I didn't see as many other riders as I expected, but we stayed away from Concord Center, which is a destination/start point for a lot of riders.
We also made the decision to do a cycling trip to northern Spain this year. It's the "Coastal Camino" route, from Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela. In all honesty, I am not doing it for the pilgrimage aspect, but we love the company that leads it, we love Spain, and it is cool enough in northern Spain to cycle there in the summer, as opposed to Andalusia, where I almost died from heat in May. The trip is at the end of June, so I now have a goal and I need to silence the negative voices in my head.

[emily_in_nc]

That sounds like a great trip, Crankin! More and more of my online contacts have gone to Spain recently; really makes me want to get there someday, once we're dogless for a bit, so we can stay longer than we would leave Paisley. I may get tips from you at that point!

[north woods gal]

Had to cut my fat biking out on our ice and snow covered roads a bit short. This is the fourth day in a row with temps in the high 30s and all the ice is now covered with water. Very, very dangerous. For the first time, this winter, actually had the big fat tires slip just a little bit while climbing some hills. I do have experience with this stuff, but didn't feel like the risk was worth it. Finished up with some indoor work on the trainer.

[north woods gal]

Well, just isn't in me to quit, so tried again out in the slick black ice, today. This time, though, went with a different fat bike for the sake of different tires to see if that would make a difference. It did. Yesterday, rode the Blackboro with the Surly Lou tires. These are a great snow tire, with tall aggressive lugs, but I figured those tall lugs weren't getting me enough tire contact with the ice. Today rode the Norco with the Maxxis Collosus tires. These are a shallow lug tire with more widely spaced lugs. Makes for low rolling resistance, so a very fast hard surface trail tire. Did the trick. More pavement contact, so no slippage at all on the same patches of ice. Tires do make a difference.

The Norco is a great ride, anyway. It rides more like a nimble trail bike than a fat bike, even fun to ride on pavement. I suspect this one will be my main mountain bike for trail work when the snow is gone.
http://i66.tinypic.com/2qdvfxk.jpg

[emily_in_nc]

You are amazing NWG! I would so be using the cold, ice, and snow as an excuse to work on indoor projects! Heck, I even use "cool" days here in Florida as such. :D

Today was super blustery and windy with a cold front coming through later today, so we did exactly that, I painted while DH did some woodworking projects around the RV. It would have been too much wind to ride in. Supposed to get some pretty wicked thunderstorms in the early evening tonight (hopefully no tornadoes), and then much cooler tomorrow. I plan to do more painting. Tu-Th look good for rides, then another cold front comes through. I see more projects in my future!

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. Just remember, though, that's where I bonked from heat, this summer, on our visit to Florida. Probably just as well that I stay up here where I belong. :)

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks, Emily. Just remember, though, that's where I bonked from heat, this summer, on our visit to Florida. Probably just as well that I stay up here where I belong. :)

:D :D :D

We had a super blustery day today. Even the Canadians in the site next to us didn't ride, and they are more hardcore than us; they ride every single day with very few exceptions, while we're more on the 3-4 times a week plan. I know they must have been bored since they don't seem to be doing any projects. We at least have plenty of projects to do. I painted our little hall today.

I was hoping to ride tomorrow, but DH got an appointment at a tire place, as we have one that leaks air whenever we have a cold night (not often here but happened quite a bit in the fall), so we need to get it checked and either repaired or replaced. That means putting everything away, unhooking, and taking our 32' motorhome over to the tire place. Ugh. Looks like it will be Wed. before I can ride again. Haven't gotten to ride since Friday, so that is a bummer to me. :(

[north woods gal]

Hope you can out, Emily. We spent all day, yesterday, doing errands and got home at dark, so the first day this month I never got out to either ride, snowshoe or ski. Ruined my string.

Made up for it, today, by riding the fat bike out for an 11 mile run. Our roads are mostly clear, now, but with so much sand and gravel along the edges, the fat bike gives me a margin of safety if I need to hug the shoulder. (Our county uses sand and gravel on the roads, not salt. Very good thing.)

Did try one of my favorite gravels roads, too. It was not clear. Lots of slush, so some fishtailing, but not too bad. Got half a mile in, though, and the road was covered all the way across with a huge pond of slushy ice water. With the temp in the 20s, some snow falling and a cold northwest wind, I was already cold enough. Headed back home and hubby made me a latte, right way. :)

[north woods gal]

On a wildlife note, finally saw Pine Siskins at the feeder, this week. Been a little lacking in our usually variety of birds, this winter, so nice to see.

Also, we get otters that use our lake for feeding in the winter and, sure enough, they showed up, too. Love watching them dive in their holes in the ice and play and slide around on the ice. Amazing animals.

[azfiddle]

Well, I'm still kind of cold weather wimp. The last storm dropped the early morning temperatures from low 40's down to 29-30. I haven't been able to persuade myself to face the freeze and ride to work. So just one commute so far this week and one post work ride of just 6 miles. Maybe I can convince myself to go out Friday when the low is supposed to be 32...or maybe I will surprise myself tomorrow (but I'm not too enthusiastic).

[Catrin]

Well, I'm still kind of cold weather wimp. The last storm dropped the early morning temperatures from low 40's down to 29-30. I haven't been able to persuade myself to face the freeze and ride to work. So just one commute so far this week and one post work ride of just 6 miles. Maybe I can convince myself to go out Friday when the low is supposed to be 32...or maybe I will surprise myself tomorrow (but I'm not too enthusiastic).

Nothing wrong with not liking to ride in the cold weather - that's what I always told myself :cool: Our bodies all seem to have different tolerance levels for comfortable outdoors exercise conditions. My cold-air induced asthma probably contributes to that, but I'm also noted that I appear to have a higher tolerance to exercising outside in very hot/humid conditions over some of my REALLY cold-air temp riding friends. The trick is to find that balance that works for us.

[north woods gal]

So right, Catrin. Very much what we get acclimated to do, too. I get outdoors every day in the winter to enjoy our winter sports - it's one of the big reasons we retired, up here. After awhile, cold is just, well, cold. No big deal. If I came from a warm climate with no time to acclimate, be another story. Same way on the other end. For instance, I found myself way out of my element in the Florida heat and humidity when I bicycled in Florida, this last September. I think I could adapt to that kind of heat, though, given enough time. Just way too much of a shock to the system for me, coming from a place where 80s is as hot as it ever gets in the summer.

Of course, bicycling in extremes of weather is also very much a matter of attitude and psychology, not to mention perspective and background. I'm sure some folks think I'm nuts for biking in our winters, but I'm in awe of folks who can bicycle in extreme heat.

[north woods gal]

Another wildlife update. Just saw two big coyotes running across the yard in the snow. Need to keep an eye on the dogs. Coyotes will kill them if they corner a dog in the woods.

[emily_in_nc]

Finally got out for rides (34+ and 36+ miles) these past two days after rain, wind, and then RV maintenance day. Nice weather -- highs in 70s though a little chilly starting out both days. Another front coming through tonight, then five days of cooler weather for us. Not sure how much we'll get out. I don't mind riding in 60s, but I draw the line below that. And I much prefer to ride in the morning, so a day with a high of 62 here is not going to hit that til maybe 4 pm, when traffic is at its worst. We'll see. Might be doing a lot of walking and projects instead.

[azfiddle]

This is a non-ride report. I coudn't get up and out on the cold days. The weekend doesn't look too great either- I am helping a friend finishing grouting tile this morning and when it warms it's going to be breezy (maybe 15-20 with gusts over that) and then I'm leaving for Phoenix at 2:15 for a music session. Maybe I'll get out for an hour in spite of the wind. Tomorrow is even windier, with gusts to 40. Gusts to 30 blow me around the road, so that doesn't look too promising. But the weather for commuting next week looks pretty good.

[Crankin]

Wind=no riding for me. I think shorter people are more prone to feeling the effects of wind.
Sometimes you just have to go with the way you feel.

[north woods gal]

I agree. Those kinds of winds can be dangerous for bicycling, especially if you are bicycling in a high traffic area. Have also found that super light road bikes with skinny tires are especially vulnerable to losing control with strong gusts, but one big plus with road bikes or drop bar bikes is that you can squeeze down into a lower position. My Salsa Fargo with its 2.2" tires has proven to be a very stable ride in gusty winds out on the highway and the MTB like lower gearing also helps. In fact, we have enough pavement showing through the snow, now, that I may take it for a spin, today.
http://i65.tinypic.com/vy16pl.jpg

[emily_in_nc]

It's as cold in central Florida as in NC today. Cloudy and low 50s = no riding for me! I hadn't planned on it, though. We never ride Saturdays because usually the excellent bike paths here are just full of novice riders (kids and adults), roller bladers, runners, dog walkers, you know the drill. We try to ride four days during the week. This past week we only managed three due to cold, windy weather at the beginning of the week. Looks like this coming week will be chilly too. I'd be thrilled if we get three rides in (probably Wed-Thur-Fri because of the cold front). Getting indoor projects done and walking to stores. Tomorrow I'll do my yoga/light weights workout inside our motorhome.

[north woods gal]

Good and bad, today. First, the bad. Took a bad spill out on the road with the fat bike when I hit a patch of unseen black ice, unseen because the skiff of snow that had fallen earlier made it impossible to tell clean pavement from iced over pavement underneath. Not my worst spill by any means, but bruised shoulder and elbow. Ouch! I'll feel it in the morning. Time to be thinking fat tires with studs and, yes, they do make such things.

Now for the good which followed after my spill. Retreated from the road to try my luck out on the lake ice and discovered to my delight that all the snow had crusted over to the point where I could roll on top of it at good speed. Did four laps around the lake for a total of about six miles, all the while with snow falling. If we don't get more than a few inches of snow, overnight, should still be good tomorrow. Balmy 16 degrees, too.

Yup, winter snow biking at its best. Star, our Border Collie and my constant companion, thought so, too.
http://i64.tinypic.com/2q0o8d1.jpg

[emily_in_nc]

Ouch, nwg! Hope the pain isn't too bad tomorrow. Amazed you still managed to ride after that.

Balmy 16 degrees!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

We are chilly down here in Florida. 40s the last few mornings has me in fleece and wool! No riding either. Might get out tomorrow.

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. No blood and nothing broke, so just some soreness, mostly the right shoulder. Have had much worse. If you put in enough miles, sooner or later, you go down. Just part of bicycling. :)

As for the temperature, hey, no kidding, 16 degrees is actually a nice temp for winter snow sports as long as the wind isn't blowing too hard. Sounds a little nutty if you don't do snow sports, but those of us that ski and play in the snow have a different outlook on winter. Come on up and join in the fun.

[Catrin]

Glad you're ok!

[north woods gal]

Thanks. Went skiing instead of biking, yesterday, and stayed on the level trails to play it safe, but still a bit sore in the shoulder and ribs, today, so took the day off, no exercise of any kind, other than the usual house cleaning and some shopping errands. Not the way to start the new month the way I would like, but not going to beat myself up over it. Sometimes my old body needs a little more time to catch up with my forever young brain. :)

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks. Went skiing instead of biking, yesterday, and stayed on the level trails to play it safe, but still a bit sore in the shoulder and ribs, today, so took the day off, no exercise of any kind, other than the usual house cleaning and some shopping errands. Not the way to start the new month the way I would like, but not going to beat myself up over it. Sometimes my old body needs a little more time to catch up with my forever young brain. :)

Yes, we all need a bit more recovery time as we get older anyway, even if we don't have an injury. I find that I usually come back stronger on the bike after a few days off, so I don't beat myself up to ride every day. Hope you heal up quickly, though!

The past two weeks I've only managed three rides a week between cold fronts that blow in with high wind (the biggest issue) and sometimes rain. I got out yesterday for a nice 30-miler, and will ride today and tomorrow as well. Once a cold front passes, the weather is pleasantly spring-like, with birds singing, flowers blooming, sunshine, and not too humid. Most of my rides have been in the 60s, temp-wise. I could take a few degrees warmer, but it's certainly tolerable. Looks like we're warm again until late next week, so I should get quite a few rides in between now and a week from tomorrow. :-)

[ny biker]

I managed to ride twice in January, both times a short hilly after-work ride on days that were on the warm side, for winter. Other than that, I pretty much decided I would be better off taking a break than forcing myself out into the cold. There were days when part of me knew I'd be comfortable enough once I got going, but oh hell it's January and I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy riding in the spring more if I don't do it now. For about a week I took a complete break from all exercise, not due to a decision made in advance, just on a day-by-day basis of feeling lazy and not wanting to deal with an overheated gym.