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Crankin
11-01-2017, 11:39 AM
To start the month, I forced myself out the door at 9:40 AM, 36 degrees. All thoughts of 20+ miles gone from my mind, I did 12 miles, under increasingly gray skies, but no wind.
I really tried not to overdress, which worked until I had to climb a hill about half a mile long. I had on a light thermal jersey and a sleeveless base layer, so I thought it might be a smidge too cool for just a regular wind jacket. I knew my Assos winter jacket was too warm, so I settled on a Gore jacket that I bought from someone on TE, years ago. It is also a super warm jacket, but, it has pit zips! The sleeves also come off, too. Hands, feet, and legs were fine, but my thermal cap was too much. Should have worn a regular head cover. I felt fine until the hill, and then the sweating commenced. I could unzip the jacket and jersey, which helped, but for me, the quickest way to cool off is on my head. But it was too cool for no head cover, so I suffered. Was not going to take the sleeves off the jacket, for such a short ride. The pit zips were open the whole ride.
About 2 miles from home I saw my friend, Lamar, who I lead rides with, going to work in his car. He moved in with his girlfriend about a year ago, so I never think of him as living near me, as he used to live in the city.
Glad I went, but I do have to get the cool weather dressing better. The temperature is going to moderate overnight, so I may go out at 5 AM, as it's supposed to be 50. Might rain during the night, so the roads will need to be semi-dry, as there are leaves everywhere.

Helene2013
11-01-2017, 02:20 PM
Welllll...after not being on the bike for various reasons since my June 10th challenge, I hopped on my bike on the trainer. Said it would start in November and did. It was fun, but hard after being out of real "gym" time for so long. So I'm back into training. It will be tough getting to where I was when I stopped but will make it. :)

ny biker
11-01-2017, 05:06 PM
Welcome back Helene!

I was going to ride tonight but it there was a chance of light rain which is a no-go for me when temps are in the 50s or even lower. Okay honestly I avoid riding in rain all the time, but definitely when it's cold. And tomorrow should be a tad less cold anyway.

I also feel like I don't know what to wear now and will probably overdress again. I am still not doing as much walking as usual due to the torn ankle tendon, and therefore am not spending as much time outside at night like I usually do. And it's messing me up, not allowing me to remember which layers work and which are too much or too little.

Crankin
11-02-2017, 03:33 AM
I did ride this morning, after watching the hourly forecast like a hawk last night. DH came with me, for a change. I did better with the dressing, erring on the side of being cool, but not cold. It was supposed to be 53, but, it was 49. Humid, though, so it feels warmer. All I wore was a regular long sleeved jersey, with my rain jacket over it. It's a bit heavier than my wind jacket, and there was a chance it would rain. I had a light head cover on, my ears were covered, light long fingered gloves and knickers, which are almost tights on me! I had on wool socks and toe covers, as I thought it would be weird to wear my winter shoes with knickers. My hands felt cool, as did my butt; I could have used the fleece of light weight tights, but, by the end of the ride I was a bit clammy from a climb/sweat, so I just need to remind myself to dress with less layers than I think I need.
DH pushed the pace for me on an early am ride, and I yelled at him several times. We went very slowly up the climb, though, and after that, it's downhill slightly or flat home. 10.6 miles, which for 5 AM is fine.
Probably will not ride to the office tomorrow, as we are leaving for Maine right when I get home at noon. We have a ride planned for Portland on Saturday.

north woods gal
11-02-2017, 08:40 AM
Yes, welcome back, Helene.

Yeah, girls, its that time of year on the how to dress thing (woke up to two inches of wet, slushy snow on the ground this morning, but it's melting). Have found that the cool/cold weather how to dress issue is trickier for road work than trail work, since I'm out in the open on the roads and exposed to the wind, more and, of course, speeds are higher out on the road. For road work, my usual formula of feeling a bit cool for the first couple of miles usually works.

Don't know about anyone else, but I have some spots where I am especially sensitive when I ride in the cold (as in below freezing and way down from there). My face is one. I always take along a face mask or a scarf, since these are easy to stash if I don't need them. My hands and feet, of course, but if they overheat, no big deal, and that's rare, anyway. Usually they're not warm enough. I also find that my chest area above my breasts is especially cold sensitive when I ride. I find that a good vest works for this. Less likely to over-heat than if putting on another full layer and a vest is easy to put on top of other layers. Wish someone would invent a heated bra, though. :)

emily_in_nc
11-02-2017, 05:25 PM
Not having to worry about winter dressing down here in Florida, since we've warmed up again after the two cold fronts. :D Today was short-sleeved jersey and shorts, and after about 15 minutes of slightly chilly into-the-wind, slight downhill at the beginning of today's ride, I warmed up and was just right for the rest of it.

A bit sore, though, due to two weeks off the bike while traveling, a fairly fast-paced 33 miles on Tuesday, and a home yoga-lates workout yesterday, plus lots of walking. My legs were pretty dead today, and I averaged .8 mph slower than Tuesday. Managed 35 miles, but it was not very pretty!

Crankin
11-03-2017, 03:41 AM
It was 60 degrees when I went to the gym at 5:15 am... I didn't ride there, though. She really kicked our butts today and I feel kind of "off."
Of course, since we are going away this weekend. Will be doing a ride by the ocean tomorrow, in Portland, Maine. Probably be in the 40s.
This weather roller coaster is driving me nuts.

ny biker
11-03-2017, 01:32 PM
Yeah, I thought last night would be slightly less cold than the night before, but not very different since the warm days lately have still had cool nights in between. But yesterday was really warm, well into the 70s with more humidity, and last night was great. It was in the low 60s the whole time. I rode 18 miles, was dressed just right. Did the standard of lightweight wool long sleeves under a short sleeved jersey since that combo is a good base for me. For the first few miles I had a vest all zipped up and arm warmers, but once I got warmed up I unzipped the vest and rolled the arm warmers down to my forearms. I also wore unlined tights. But regular gloves, no ear warmers or cap or anything covering my shoes. I wouldn't complain if it stayed like this for a while. But it won't -- the wind is now from the east i.e., the ocean, so clouds have rolled in and tomorrow will be 20 degrees colder and gray with spotty showers.

In addition to the good weather, last night's ride was quiet and uneventful. Except for my knee. The right leg was hurting again above the knee on the inside. I tried to focus on good form, keeping my knee over my foot, but it still got gradually worse as the ride went on.

So now, what to do about it? My saddle did feel too low or maybe too far forward. But it hasn't changed since a few weeks ago when things felt okay. My Speedplay X cleats are old and very worn. Could that cause problems?

I already have a new set of cleats. My plan has been to get new shoes rather than put the new cleats on the current shoes. In part this is because my shoes are also pretty worn out, but mostly because I switched to new insoles with a higher arch earlier this year (which were needed to address the ankle problems) and there really isn't enough room in the shoes for them -- I can barely fasten the velcro straps. So I want to look for something with a larger toe box, or maybe just go up a half size, to get more room for the arch support.

I also want to schedule a bike fit appointment, but will start by looking for shoes this weekend. In addition to having him look at the saddle position, I will need his help putting new cleats on new shoes, since I need them to be at a weird angle for my right foot (related to the ankle surgery I had years ago).

north woods gal
11-04-2017, 12:52 PM
Three inches wet snow on our elevated deck, overnight, but about 2" down on the warmer ground. Soooo ... fat bike heaven!

Ran several of the fat bikes to test their various tires, but with a thin snow like this, any tire does great. Won't be till things get deeper and ice up that tire selection and tire psi gets more important. Anyway, first snow of the yer and the riding was great. This thin snow barely slowed the fat bikes at all. Could do all the same climbs and turns, same as when the trail is dry, though still have to be wary of getting a bit careless on the turns.

When you come to a fork in the trail ... take it.
https://s1.postimg.org/3jvjvd5wen/P1090706.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

My best pal, Star, along for the fun, as always.
https://s1.postimg.org/8dx65no3ov/P1090712.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Crankin
11-04-2017, 12:57 PM
We got to Portland yesterday around 2 and proceeded to commence with the eating and drinking of my birthday weekend. Mashtun for beer and cheese, some walking, and some rest before dinner at a great small plates restaurant.
We did a 21.6 mile ride out to and around Cape Elizabeth and the lighthouses around 11:15. I was dressed mostly right, just seem to be sweating a lot. I changed from my fleece gloves to my light weight long fingered ones at the half way point. I pushed my head cover up over my ears, which helped, but felt cool. It was 50 with bright sun and little wind until we got to the lighthouses. The return was nearer the water, so more wind.
I freaked out on the beginning of the ride, riding through the city. It wasn’t the drivers or traffic, but having to stop at lights, on small hills.
I just suck at this and I am not sure why, as my legs are not weak! Now, it’s in my head. The return did not have any of this and riding over the Casco Bay Bridge both ways was fun. The ride had 1000 ft of climbing, lots of rollers, and it was harder than I had thought.
We got back at 1, changed and then had lunch and 2 mikes of walking.
On to cocktails and dinner.

emily_in_nc
11-04-2017, 03:42 PM
Happy birthday, Crankin! :-)

I know how you feel about stopping on hills at lights -- I have the same worries. Although I rarely have to do this lately, whenever I do, I feel like such a cycling novice, which I'm not even close to, and neither are you, of course. I think it's more about the novelty of that particular situation and not wanting to make a fool of myself in front of others!

Enjoy the eating and drinking and riding and everything else for your special day. :)

north woods gal
11-04-2017, 04:38 PM
Yes, Happy BD,Crankin. Have a good rest after that ride. I know the feeling about starting on a hill. It's really bad on our steep trail sections with the MTBs/fat bikes and adding snow or ice makes it almost impossible in the winter. Usually you can't stand on the pedals to start with snow because that takes much needed weight and therefore traction. Rear tire just spins until you sit down. I'm very careful where I stop in the winter. Can even be tricky on the flats with snow on the trail. Snow changes a lot of things.

Speaking of snow (again, sorry), my snow is already melting. Wah! :( Back to riding dirt. Oh, well, it's only the beginning of our snow season and I actually managed to do my year's best of just over 20 miles of trail riding, today, what with playing with all the bikes, all day long and having so much fun in the new snow. Extra workout with pedaling though the snow, too. All my summer riding paid off.

north woods gal
11-05-2017, 02:15 PM
Our early snow is gone, already, thanks to temps never getting down to freezing, overnight and some rain. Not talking about a heat wave, here. Temps still holding in the 30s and no sunshine, either.

Took advantage of the snow-free trails to ride the Surly Krampus 29er+ while I can. Almost collided with a big 6 point buck deer. Whew! We usually only see bucks during the rut and the rut is in full progress. See does, every day, but rarely bucks. Beautiful animal.

Crankin
11-05-2017, 03:49 PM
No riding today. We skipped the crappy hotel breakfast and went to a lovely French café for brunch. Nice and simple, real French omelet. It was cloudy and slightly warmer this morning, after a very chilly evening, when we walked back from my birthday dinner. That was spectacular, in a restaurant that is in a rennovateed church. Portland has more cool restaurants every time I go there and the people are friendly. We drove home after brunch, so we could relax and read the paper, shop and do laundry at a leisurely pace. I have been having a usual sinus/aches, GI thing on and off for a couple of weeks. I got through the weekend, though and now I feel better. Now DH is saying he is feeling off, too.
Our weather roller coaster continues. Tomorrow is going to be 70, rain, and then increasingly descending temperatures. Next Saturday is our rescheduled 42 mile ride on the south coast of MA/RI. The predicted high is 38-40 :eek:. Now, I have the proper gear for these temps, but I wonder if any of the participants do. We have 6-7 people signed up. My friend, Lamar is doing the registration for this ride, so it's up to him to call it. We already cancelled due to rain in October, so I am sure he will want to ride. DH and I are fine with it, but I am not going to drive 75 miles if only 3 people show up!

ny biker
11-05-2017, 03:56 PM
Be careful NWG! And happy birthday to Crankin. I've modified my weekly night ride several times to eliminate stop signs on hills, especially at intersections with main roads. There are enough things to pay attention to in those situations in order to remain safe, without having to worry about clipping in and out.

Speaking of clipping in and out, I bought new shoes today. They're a different brand (Shimano) which I'm told tends to have a wider toe box than the Bontragers that I'm replacing. But I think I also got them a size larger than the old ones. They might actually be men's shoes; I need to look at the box. They are "last year's style" so I got them at half price. I'm not thrilled with the color -- black -- because my super pale legs look ridiculous in shorts and dark shoes, and black will be hotter in the summer. But then again they won't look filthy like the old white shoes, so pros and cons. Anyway. Now I need to make a fit appointment to get the new cleats put on them, and to discuss the knee pain I've been having in case the old worn cleats were not causing it.

north woods gal
11-05-2017, 04:32 PM
Will do, NY. I take collisions with animals while MTBing, seriously, given that I have had close calls with deer on some of my fast downhill runs and given that fact that bikers and other outdoor folks have been killed when colliding with wildlife. Recently, a guy in an ATV up here collided with a black bear on a back trail and died when he was thrown from the vehicle.

I do keep praying that you'll solve the pain thing. You're on the right track, though, with experimenting and testing different things. Always amazes me how even a tiny adjustment in all the fitting parameters can make such a big difference when we ride as to efficiency and comfort. Seems like I am forever adjusting something on my bikes as I ride the trails. For sure, just a change in shoes makes a difference in bike fit. The more I ride, the more picky I get about the right adjustments.

Crankin
11-06-2017, 03:35 AM
I switched to Shimano shoes from Sidi about 6 years ago. It made a big difference. I do not have wide feet, but the Sidis were just too constricting for me. My feet were burning and hot after like 3 miles. I still have this on longer rides, but not badly, and I can loosen my shoes to make it go away. I need new shoes, too. I am waiting for the new version of my shoes to come out, during the winter. DH bought the new men's version, which is out. He got the screaming hi viz green, but I am not sure if I want to do that. I agree, NY, though that the white shoes seem to have run their "in" phase. Mine look awful. I am ready to go to another color. I loved my red Sidis, but I have not seen red in any Shimano style.
I am feeling better, but I decided to do the right thing and not go to boot camp this morning. Since it was 63 out at 5:15, DH and I went for a fast 2 mile walk in the neighborhood behind our condo. I used the new headlamp we bought a couple of years ago, but I haven't used. It is so much better than the old one. So peaceful out, only one car and one runner. I will rest tomorrow and on Wednesday I am doing a club ride that I have not done, although they've been running it for years. It starts and ends at a Bonsai garden, and we eat there afterwards, with sandwiches the leader's wife picks up for us. This ride includes a 3 mile dirt road and lots of hills in the area I first lived in when I moved to MA. This includes riding by a very smelly pig farm that my kids saw on their first school bus ride here... a shocking thing for 2 kids from the never ending development in Tempe, AZ!

north woods gal
11-07-2017, 08:15 AM
Never got above the freezing point, yesterday, so my trails remained frozen hard. Kind of cool. With all the rain and snow we've had, I could hear the ice crystals breaking up under the tires as I rode. Sounded like I was riding over Rice Krispies at times. Even better, the trails were super fast, probably the fastest they've been this year.

emily_in_nc
11-07-2017, 01:11 PM
We're hogging all the warm weather down here in Florida, NWG! It's been hot and humid, with foggy, cooler mornings. Have done our usual trail ride the past two days, and lots of folks were out and about on the trails. Snowbirds are arriving in Florida daily, so even weekdays on the trail are busier than they had been, but not enough to be a problem (no kids, anyway!) Went over 2800 miles on the year today and looking forward to hitting 3000 in the next couple of weeks!

north woods gal
11-07-2017, 01:28 PM
Good for you, Emily. Even without your injury, earlier in the year, that's impressive. As for the cold weather, at least it's more the norm for us, this time of year. Was getting a little spooked with that heat wave we were having earlier, this fall. Anyway, got two of the fat bikes setup with studded tries, so let it snow. :)

north woods gal
11-08-2017, 08:41 AM
Wow, Sheila, had no idea that you're struggling with your Krampus build. Sorry to hear it. Will keep an eye open for that color. Not crazy about the same old, same old red on mine (my least favorite bike frame color), but otherwise no issues. Bike is a very nice ride, though that, as always, is partly a matter of the tires you run.

Yeah, just about everything in the MTB world is thru-axle, now. Quick release is pretty much an antique, these days. I think it's a good thing, though. Thru axle setups are more durable and stronger and that's a big plus for trail work. Really doesn't take any longer to remove a wheel, anyway.

I'd strongly recommend going plus, even for road work. Does make for a smoother, more comfy ride. You can cut down on the added wheel weight by going tubeless if you spec out a tubeless ready rim and tire. On plus and fat bikes, getting rid of that tube makes for a substantial reduction in wheel weight. Not just a reduction in weight, by the way. The tire runs smoother without a tube. Gives a little more without that tube in it. Have done tubeless on two of the fat bikes, now, and wish I had done it, sooner. What a difference. Will not buy another MTB/fat bike unless it has tubeless ready rims. Wish my stock Krampus had them.

Also, if I remember right, someone was asking about dropper seat posts. You? Well, my new Norco came with one and I've been riding it for a month, now. Verdict: I can take it or leave it. It is nice to be able to get way low on the bike on the fast downhill runs - gets me a bit more speed - but my runs aren't exactly the stuff you see in the MTB ads. I get a little nutty, but not that nutty. On the really, really steep drops, yeah, I can see the use. On the negative side, dropper posts are heavy. Do add a lot of weight.

If you're going to spend the money ...
Going Jones versus Surly is the difference between going custom and going heavy duty commercial. Have the Jones handlebars on both of my Surly bikes, now, and love them. I'd sure give Jones a call and talk with him. Seems like a nice outfit. Yeah, you'll spend more, but the bike will be built from scratch and done right by someone who can build it the way you want.

Best of luck, girl.

Crankin
11-08-2017, 11:21 AM
Good luck with the build, Sheila.
So, I did not go on the group ride and my ride Saturday is cancelled (thankful for that). DH worked from home, so we did a little ride at 1:00. Somehow, my front light fell off (not sure how this could happen) and I didn't notice until I got home. I have another light, but, it's the "big boy," and although it has 3 settings the flashing mode only works on the highest, which is *very* bright. Personally, I don't care, I know drivers dislike it, but it is pointed down. I usually use it for all riding through the winter anyway, and for all true dark riding. DH actually went out and drove the route, but nothing. I feel stupid, but...
It's going to be 19 tomorrow morning :eek:. Guess I'll be going to spin class. I've been riding every Thursday at 5 am for 2 months, and hopefully, will have a few more times of Thursdays in the 30s or 40s before the roads get sloppy. It didn't take much for my friend to cancel our Saturday ride on the south coast. 25 at the start and wind, by the ocean. His girlfriend was refusing to go. Guess we will hike, or do a short ride around here in the PM.

emily_in_nc
11-08-2017, 01:21 PM
Crankin, 19!?! :eek: :eek: :eek:

I gotta admit, with all its faults (and there are many), I do love Florida...yesterday the pool felt awfully good after our ride!

north woods gal
11-08-2017, 01:43 PM
Pool? Rub it in. Naughty girl, Emily. :) We have ice on the lake, already. Going to see single digits this week for temps. Still ride every day, of course, but, yeah, cold is a factor. Wears me out, quicker. All that bundling up is a hassle, too, but what's a girl to do? Can't just sit in the house all winter.

Sheila, what is this bike going to do, if you don't mind me asking? Trail, road, single track? I considered the Surly ECR, but for strictly trail riding, I went with the Krampus. It's more of a dedicated trail bike with better bottom bracket height and more current trail geometry. The ECR is a heavy duty touring bike designed to carry big loads on rough roads, way out yonder. Overkill for riding trails around the house.

Crankin
11-08-2017, 02:38 PM
Emily, I misspoke. The 19 is Friday morning... tomorrow will be 28. Don't think I want to dress up like a marshmellow, though, so I will still be going to spin.

north woods gal
11-09-2017, 07:14 AM
Two inches of snow, again, last night, so it's definitely that transition season where the snow sits around for a couple days, then melts off. That won't last long, though. By December, those in-between melting periods are gone. Once it snows, it's usually here till spring.

Not sure how much XC skiing I'll get done, this year. The fat biking really cut into it, last year, but mostly because the snow we had was crappy for skiing - crusty, icy or slushy. Had to listen to all my XC pals sing the blues about it, all winter log. Told them to get a fat bike. A fat bike can always go.

For sure, the fat bikes are much less sensitive to snow conditions. Any kind of snow works as long as its not too deep to get though it. No waxing or guessing as to how much glide or kick I'll have on any given day. With the studded tires, I can do almost all the steep climbs and drops on the bike that I can do in the summer and most of those are too steep to do with the skis, anyway. Can even ride out on bare ice on the lake or hard pack snow out on the roads after the plows have been though. That's a no go for the skis. No such thing as too little snow, either.

Even with fat tires that don't have studs, most of the time can do all these things. The studs just add a bit of extra grip and safety when things get super slick. That's why I run a number of fat bikes in the winter, all set up with different types of tires. Can just grab a bike with the right tires and go.

Nothing like riding a bicycle out on the lake in the winter. Just ask my hubby. Star thanks so, too.
https://s33.postimg.org/iu35465db/P1000046.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

north woods gal
11-09-2017, 01:08 PM
The Krampus is a nice match for that kind work, Sheila. Hope you get something built.

Now and then, I wonder if I shouldn't have gotten a Karate Monkey with the 27.5 plus wheels. Would make for a lighter bike with those wheels, but I have too many bikes, as it is. :)

north woods gal
11-09-2017, 01:15 PM
Brrr! Yeah, I did get out and ride in that two inch plus fresh snow, but I waited too long. Should have hit it right away, this morning. Temps have been falling all day and by the time I hit the trail our thermometer said 12 degrees and that was 12 degrees with a gusty 20 mph plus wind. What had been fairly soft snow in the morning is now pretty compressed and crunchy. Pedaling effort to get though it was a factor. Definitely slowed me down. Still did 3.4 miles before calling it quits with numb hands and feet. No slipping or fishtailing on the steepest climbs, though. The fat bike can do.

Crankin
11-09-2017, 01:56 PM
Well, we are getting that weather tonight. Tomorrow, low of 18, high of 30.
I went to spin. It wasn't bad. There was a sub, who was good (the regular one is kind of crappy). She did some bicep work with weights in the middle, with slow peddling, which normally I would say is dumb, but it broke up the time. The rest was normal intervals and hill climbs. She asked if anyone rode outside... I was the only one :(.

ny biker
11-09-2017, 03:15 PM
Well we will not be as cold as Massachusetts and Wisconsin but temps will be dropping for us tonight too, with NW winds to boot. I had thought maybe I could do a rail-trail ride tomorrow with the bike club, since it will at least be sunny, but I wouldn't ride in these conditions in January so not gonna do it in November either. (If the wind was calm, I'd probably give it a try, with plenty of wool and 2 chemical foot warmers per foot.)

Saturday I will get the cleats put on the new shoes and get a cursory bike fit check to see if anything else might be causing the knee pain. It might rise into the 50s on Sunday, so maybe I'll go out and ride then.

Last night I rode 40 minutes on the stationary bike at the gym. So at least I turned some pedals and worked up a sweat. I might go back and do it again tomorrow.

north woods gal
11-10-2017, 07:09 AM
We did officially get down to zero, last night, so I guess it's safe to say winter has arrived. That, and we're forecast to get another 1 to 3 inches of snow, overnight. The NWS predicted there was a 50/50 chance in our location to have a colder and snowier winter than normal, so it's safe to say the money is on the colder and snowier, at least so far.

My ride, yesterday, wore me out faster than I expected. Think I overdid it on bundling up with the leggings. Really hate those things, but have to have them in our winters. Of course, busting through 2 inches of crusty snow takes it's toll, too.

'Tis the season. Oh, well.

Oh, forgot to mention. Saw turkey tracks in the snow, yesterday. Two of them were wandering around on our trails. We do have them in the neighborhood, but they usually hang around up in the highlands. Only see them in our area, now and then. Cool!!

emily_in_nc
11-10-2017, 01:35 PM
Cool about the turkey tracks, NWG -- but the low of zero, not so much. :eek:

I won't complain, but after wearing a sleeveless jersey for yesterday's ride, a "cold" front blew through, and today it was three layers on top (all thin) and into a stiff north wind with overcast skies. Felt downright wintery -- for Florida, that is. Temps in the 60s, so I know that is balmy for most, but given the wind and lack of sunshine, it felt pretty darn chilly after the 80s with sunshine we've been having!

Ended the week with a 38+ mile ride yesterday and 35+ ride today. :)

Crankin
11-11-2017, 04:47 AM
I don't think my riding for 2017 is over, but it was 21 degrees when I got up. We went to a concert last night with the friends we were supposed to lead the ride with today; the wind made it feel like Vermont in January. Not complaining, though, as I wore my North Face long puffy coat and my big infinity scarf for the first time, and we parked quite close to the entrance. It's a jazz benefit for a charity that provides education in Quito, Equador. We went last year and were astounded by the talent of the band. This year, they had a singer from the Berklee College of Music, and the jazz ensemble from the HS where my kids went. So much talent, of which I have none!
Planning a hike today, up the "mountain" we rode by, when we did that tour of the conservation lands on our bikes.

ny biker
11-11-2017, 04:17 PM
I am ready to ride tomorrow. It's supposed to be slightly less cold but I think with little to no sunshine, which means more layers will be needed.

I feel like I have to commit here in order to force myself to get out there. The hard part is usually convincing myself I'll be comfortable after I take off my nice warm ski jacket and start pedaling.

I had the cleats put on the new shoes today. The shoes are a size larger than the old ones, in order to give me enough room in the toe box. After looking at the old cleats and shoes and discussing my foot and knee issues, the fitter decided we should try adding a couple of spacers to the pedals to allow my feet plenty of float without hitting the cranks. He also raised the seat, since it was too low. I don't remember if I lowered it in an attempt to make the new saddle more comfortable; it's possible that the seat slipped down when I went over a bump due to the clamp not being quite tight enough. Then he checked angles and alignment using a plum line, video of me pedaling with dots marking the location of certain bones in my hip and knee and another video with a laser level pointed vertically at my lower leg.

Now I must get out and ride to see what feels good and what needs further adjustment. Of course with the holidays coming up and winter weather making an unwelcome appearance, it may take a while to log enough miles to get everything sorted. But at least we have begun. And my Woolie Boolie socks should fit inside my bike shoes.

Crankin
11-12-2017, 01:55 PM
DH and I rode about 19 miles today; didn't start out so great, when we went downstairs to get ready and DH had a flat. He was all suited up, so he had to undress and change the flat, which delayed us by 15 minutes or so, then he had to put on all of his winter gear. Anyway, it was close to 2 when we got out. Went out in a different direction, which involves a short hill after about 3/4 a mile. Let's just say my legs were screaming from yesterday's hike. But, after that, it was OK. When we left it was 39 degrees and I was a bit sweaty, although my toes were cold, even with Woolie Bullies and winter shoes. We headed out through Maynard and Stow, to our old stomping grounds in Boxborough, where there is much less traffic. After a short rest, we headed on to the second part of the ride, where it started getting cooler and I was not so sweaty. Lots of shadows at this time of year, and despite full sun, the sun was going down already, around 2:45-3. Got home around 3:15, tired, but glad I went.

ny biker
11-12-2017, 03:57 PM
Okay so on Friday I took the regular cotton sheets and blanket off the bed and replaced them with flannel sheets and the down comforter.

Since then I have struggled to get out of bed in the morning. It is just. so. cozy.

So I got a late start today. Then had to get all the winter gear together -- warmest booties, wool cap, chemical toe warmers. Made sure the big orange tote bag of extra layers had a complete inventory of arm warmers, leg warmers, extra socks, glove liners, neck gaitors, various jackets and tights. Had to put plastic wrap inside my new shoes under the insoles to cover the vent holes and then make sure the warmest booties would fit over the larger shoes. (They do, but barely.) I finally started riding around 3 pm. I decided to start at the shopping center where the LBS is located and ride on a rail trail, so it would be easy to shorten the ride if anything hurt. After less than five miles I decided it was too hard to unclip the right foot. I had to turn my foot way too far. So I turned around and headed to the LBS where they lubed the cleat and moved it out about a millimeter. After that it still didn't seem 100% right but I was able to clip out easily enough.

It was cloudy and mid-40s, not too cold actually. I was sweating when I got to the LBS and then was cold when I started riding again. This time I went the other way on the rail trail, rode for a few miles and then turned onto a road with a big hill. This is the start of a 30-mile ride that I do from time to time. But I didn't plan on doing the whole 30 miles (it was 4 pm by this time, less than an hour until sunset). Instead I improvised using roads from the beginning and end of the 30-mile route. I did have good lights with me and was wearing some clothes with reflective bits, since I had a feeling I'd still be riding near sunset. In all I think I rode about 22-23 miles.

So, all the changes we made yesterday with new shoes and cleats plus adjustments to the saddle height and handlebar tilt were generally good. Nothing hurt. My heels were hitting the cranks sometimes, but not always. If the weather holds I will do another test ride in a few days, with more hills.

north woods gal
11-12-2017, 03:58 PM
Atta girl, Sheila. That ride with what you're wearing is part of the MTB attitude to just get out and ride, though I suspect most of us diehard MTBer's do wear bike specific clothing, anyway. I sure do, but have been known to ride in jean short and sandals in the summer. For my really cold weather riding, though, I get much stricter about using bike specific winter clothing, though XC ski clothing doubles, nicely.

Beautiful day, today. Highs only in the 30s, but sunshine and the snow laden woods are truly glorious. Just enough snow to make pedaling harder, but not enough to drag you to a dead stop when you don't pedal. Trails are too slick to actually walk, safely, but not to fat bike, safely. Amazing how the fat bikes can easily handle conditions that are too slick for safe walking.

Crankin
11-13-2017, 04:13 AM
Get some microspikes, North Woods! One of the greatest inventions of all times, in my book, and such a simple thing. I needed them to walk down my driveway to get the mail, before I moved. Just don't get the Yak Tracks brand, which break and generally don't work that well. I wouldn't be able to hike in the late fall/winter/early spring, when there is no snow, if I didn't have these. Sometimes, there's just enough crusty snow and ice to need them, but not enough for snow shoes.
When I went to the gym this morning at 5:15, I saw a rider with a front light as bright as my "big boy" one. Glad there is someone as crazy as me. No, I was not riding today, but I am not done with 5 am rides yet.

Crankin
11-13-2017, 06:21 AM
Microspikes are things you pull on over your hiking boots, so you can walk/hike on icy trails or roads. Northwoods was saying she couldn't walk the trails, but could ride her fat bike.

north woods gal
11-13-2017, 01:40 PM
I do use pull over crampons over my boots to walk the trails in the winter when things get really treacherous and, of course, they're built in to my snowshoes. Kind of clunky, though. Might look into those micro spikes. Sounds like a great idea.

The fat bikes aren't 100% slip proof, of course. Still have to know how to take tight turns and so on when fat biking on the slick stuff. Also, when things get nightmare bad, I do have two fat bikes set up and ready to go with studded tires. One is for hard pack snow and clean ice. Has shallow lugs to keep more surface area close to the snow pack/ice. Runs very fast. The other is a deep-lugged monster for chewing though the deep, slushy stuff, but it's a slow beast to run.

Oh, yeah, tire styles and setting the right tire psi to match the conditions is a much needed skill for fat biking. These tires run at very low psi, typically 5 or even a touch less in the winter to about 10 or 12 for the max in the summer, so even one or two psi makes a huge difference in the way the tire performs. Regular bike tire gauges aren't accurate enough, either, so I use a special low psi gauge that only goes up to 30 psi. Even have to be careful to wait until the tires cools to air temperature in cold weather before measuring pressure. Tires will lose pressure going from a warm house to winter cold. Go too low and you get a pinch flat when running with inner tubes. Another reason I'm going tubeless when I can with the fatties.

Okay, more than anyone probably wanted to know about fat bikes, but they really are different. I'll shut up, now. :)

Crankin
11-13-2017, 04:13 PM
I really don't think I am going to get one, because it just doesn't snow consistently enough here, and the ones I want (Trek or Specialized WSD), that will fit me are not cheap. I will probably try it at a nordic center this year. When it snows, I want to be x country skiing. Plus, if I was fat biking around here, I'd be on fairly difficult trails. I cannot see putting fat bikes on the rack, to drive 2-4 hrs. to get up north, or to western MA. Does this make sense? Given my poor experience with mountain biking, I think getting something else for my 3d bike would be better.
What that will be, I don't know. It's pretty much between a gravel/dirt road bike, a city type bike, or a cheap mountain bike to do both of those.
Northwoods, I used to use snow shoes to go out on hard packed trails with just a couple of inches of snow. It did seem like overkill!

Crankin
11-14-2017, 03:37 AM
I haven't thought that specifically, Sheila. Frankly, it's not in the budget right now. I am leery about buying any of the Salsa/Surley type brands after trying a couple out at Harris Cyclery a few years ago. Not only did the bikes not feel right for me, there was a kind of weird reverse snobbism in the shop. I feel bad saying that about the hallowed home of Sheldon Brown and it has nothing to do with buying a fat bike, but after almost 20 years of riding, I have found that I feel comfortable on a very small range of bikes. Plus, I really think I would not use a fat bike enough to even justify a 1500.00 or less bike.

north woods gal
11-14-2017, 07:47 AM
Crankin, you do what works for you. Wouldn't ever suggest, otherwise. Love my fatties, but, yeah, if you have to throw one on a rack and drive for a couple of hours to really make the most of one, not a great choice. Oh, for sure, you can use them on roads, too, and I do use my Pugsley that way, but it's still most at home back in the woods.

Got a chuckle on that Surly comment. Definitely right on that retro snobbishness thing. Have experienced it, myself. Gets a little nutty, for sure. As a Surly fan, I take it tongue-in-cheek, though. I know better. Have the latest and greatest in modern design MTBs/fatties and have a couple of Surly's, too. I know the difference. When I really want to fly, it's not on the Surlys. :) That's not their niche.

Our weather continues to be snowy, but at least the temps are holding in the 30s. It'll take a lot more to push me indoors on the trainer.

north woods gal
11-15-2017, 11:35 AM
Took the Surly Krampus (steel 29x3 bike) out on the pavement for a spin, today. Our pavement is now snow free, so plenty safe, and I'm running easy rolling Knard tires. Very refreshing ride after all my trail work in the snow and mud with the fat bikes, this month. Weather is still winter-like, with drizzle and temps in the 30s, but figured I better ride clean pavement when I can, now. Last week, our local paved roads were snow covered and will be, again, soon.

Of course, I still had to try riding the Krampus on the trails. It is a great trail bike with the Knards when the trails are dry, which is definitely not the case, right now. Slipped all over the place in the slush and grease (mud on top frozen ground). Way wrong tires with the Knards. Took the Krampus back to the house and got a fat bike. Still had to go easy in the turns and keep those wheels in the vertical, but the fat bike took it all in stride - as usual.

Crankin
11-15-2017, 04:27 PM
I actually did a group ride today. 35 miles, just local roads, but mostly in the opposite direction of most rides I do.
There were 40 riders! A lot of the very fast people, who do not ride in the stated style of our group. But, they stayed just ahead of our leader for the first half, then took off, and reappeared when we regrouped. I felt good until about 8 miles from the end, I volunteered to arrow a turn. I had to wait awhile until the sweep came, as the group slowed a lot. Then, it was a hill, the sun went in, and I should have eaten. I struggled to get past this slow group and finally got on the flattish main road back to the start. I was dying! At one point, I was going around 11.8 in places my speed is usually 17-18. I had also found a headwind. Got back to my car and when I stopped, I realized i needed to eat. Drove to the Indian restaurant, where we celebrated our coordinator’s 75th birthday.
I am
Exhausted.

emily_in_nc
11-16-2017, 04:10 AM
Glad you were able to finish the ride without eating, Crankin! I always carry a small snack (peanut butter bar or something) even on my usual 33-36 mile rides here, since I only drink water (because of wearing braces). I am able to rinse my mouth out after eating with the water. I like to eat my snack about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way into the ride so I don't get too hungry at the end. I know your rides there are harder because of the hills, so all the more reason to eat at some point along the way.

We've had a chilly north to northeast wind lately, and it really does slow me down heading into it, but the benefit is a nice tail wind most of the way back, as we're heading south and west. Been riding M-Tu-Th-Fr. On Wed. and Sun. I've started working out at the gym here in the RV park, which really is pretty decent for an RV park. I take my mat for yoga/abs and use their weights for upper body. Saturday we do a long walk to the farmer's market and leave the bike path to the kiddos!

north woods gal
11-16-2017, 07:55 AM
Yes, good ride, Crankin. It's those rides that push us a bit that teach us the most. Of course, we don't want to take that thinking too far and end up bonking. (Ask me how I know.)

Emily, have to say that gypsy lifestyle sounds cool. Not sure its me, though. The older I get, the more of a homebody I've become.

Been thinking of boots for my winter biking. Since I use flat pedals for all my biking, no need for bike specific shoes. My light thinsulate hiking boots work fine until things get really cold. Then I use cheapo rubber pack boots with liners, but those are a bit on the floppy aide for hard pedaling. May take a look at some of those very high end (and very expensive) winter bicycle boots, even though I don't need the SPD feature.

The bar mitts have pretty much solved the cold hands part of the problem for me. Can use them with standard winter gloves down to zero and below.

Crankin
11-16-2017, 02:00 PM
Oh, I always have a bar in my bag. I had a really good breakfast for before a ride and was thinking how full I still felt, in a good way. I have found I get a sudden shock of hunger, like instantly, instead of building up. I noticed it about a mile or two before I stopped to do the arrow. I had plenty of time to eat then, and I didn't! My fault. I was drinking a bottle with Nuun mixed in, so just electrolytes, no sugar or protein. It was not a hard ride.
I was good and did not go to spin this morning (it was raining). I need the rest.
Northwoods, I have winter cycling shoes, though for road. They are infinitely better than regular shoes or hiking boots, but not for what you do. A long time ago, my husband had some really super insulated mountain biking winter boots. I forget which brand they were, but they are out there. He always commented how warm they were.
Two guys had bar mitts on their bikes yesterday, but said they were overkill for the 42 degree temperatures. They were just too lazy to take them off.

north woods gal
11-16-2017, 04:00 PM
I did look at some 45NRth winter biking boots, today, but nearly had a coronary when I saw the price. $300 plus for a pair of boots? I might consider such I price if I was still going clipless on the pedals, but I'm not. I now run flats on all the bikes, so the ability to add cleats is not a feature I need. Can't see paying for a feature I'll never use. Also, the boots weighed a ton. I'd be worn out just pedaling with them on a trail without snow. Just nuts. Felt like Frankenstein in them. Couldn't see paying for the boots just because they were bike specific.

Ended up getting a very similar non-bike specific boot designed for hiking in the snow with the same temp rating, insulation, same sole design, but much lighter in weight and much more comfy, all for less than half the price. Tried them, this afternoon and they worked well with the flat pedals. Problem solved.

Trails were very icy, today. Temps never got above freezing, so all the slush we had the last couple of days is now pure ice and, worse yet, a lot of it is rutted and uneven. The Dillinger studded tires made it a non-issue, though I had to drop the pressure just a bit. Only need those studded tires, now and then, but when I need them, they save the day. Of course, most people wouldn't be crazy enough to ride icy trails, but I am a little nutty, after all.

PS. We saw a herd of does trotting though the yard, this morning, all watching their back trail. From experience watching deer, I knew it could only mean one thing. Sure enough, a few minutes, later, a young buck was following them, nose to the ground. That time of year.

emily_in_nc
11-17-2017, 01:57 PM
PS. We saw a herd of does trotting though the yard, this morning, all watching their back trail. From experience watching deer, I knew it could only mean one thing. Sure enough, a few minutes, later, a young buck was following them, nose to the ground. That time of year.

Cool! I miss having a wooded acreage with deer. Actually, we do still own a small piece of property abutting my folks' mountain vacation home, and there are deer, but we don't get there often. Was just up there in late October and saw a few deer -- we leave field corn out for them when we're there.

Today's ride was lovely! It was a little warmer (two layers up top to start, took off one at my rest stop) and less windy. We're due a couple more cold fronts over the next week, so this may be the last time I get to wear short sleeves on a ride for awhile (though not all winter; after all, this is Florida!)

I went over 3000 miles on the year today! Very thrilled with that considering how much time I missed after my accident.

north woods gal
11-17-2017, 06:05 PM
Congrats, Emily. Now get out and go celebrate!

Did 8 miles of laps on our trails, today. Still some ice in places, some slick areas of frozen ground and, of course, some snowy patches. The safe bet would have been a fat bike, but I was in the mood for something easier rolling, so took a chance and rode the Krampus, instead. The 29x3 Krampus is setup with Surly Knard tires which are anything but aggressive snow or dirt tires. Figured I'd be pushing it and I was right. Good test, though, of what the plus format could do and good practice for me on how to safely ride under challenging conditions. Had one section, couple hundred yards long, that was frozen hard slush. Pretty dicey with the skinny tires, but I managed. Some rear tire fishtailing and rear tire swinging out on tight turns, too, so had to really concentrate on keeping it all in the vertical. Overall, though, very pleased. No crashes. Says a lot for the plus format. I now have a better idea what it can do in a pinch. Such a sweet ride, too. Love the Krampus.

More sleet/snow, tonight, so back to the fatties, tomorrow.

Crankin
11-18-2017, 09:34 AM
Today we are having an early Thanksgiving dinner with my son and family who lives here, so we got out for a short ride around 11. It was about 38, partly cloudy, with no wind. It's going to rain overnight and be quite windy tomorrow, so despite it being close to 60 as predicted, I think I will go to spin early AM.
We did 16 miles over to the other side of town, avoiding shoppers and tourists as much as we could. I've got the right combo of clothing down for the temperature it was today, which I think would be good down to 30. I did use my heated gloves for the first time this year; I have regular ones that would be OK for this temp., but they feel tight and it's hard to shift. I think they may be smalls, as I bought them before I realized I actually have very long fingers and hence, need a medium sized woman's glove. I also did not use a balaclava as DH did, and it was smart. I'd rather have a cold face for a bit, because once I heat up, that cool feeling is key to keeping me from sweating to death.
It's going to be warmer on Tuesday AM, so I may go out for an early AM ride then, too, before we head to FT Benning to have Thanksgiving with my other son.

rebeccaC
11-20-2017, 11:19 PM
Just commuting and my normal urban riding since the tour de pink, which was physically and emotionally a very satisfying three days of riding. We visited friends in Palm Springs this past weekend and rode to Joshua Tree N.P., riding into the southern entrance and riding to the northern entrance where are friends met us to drive back. Felt good to get a long ride in again after three weeks of being content with spending weekends doing other things, plus JT is one of my favorite places to ride!! Perfect day of weather, riding and being together.


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4552/26781051749_ea23659810_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GNxTDx)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/37669189865_5f0605b955_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZoGrLM)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4544/26780922759_f9e8b5cf30_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GNxeiz)

emily_in_nc
11-21-2017, 05:10 AM
Absolutely gorgeous pics, Rebecca! SO clear.

I'm glad to hear that the Tour de Pink was such a positive experience for you!

north woods gal
11-21-2017, 01:38 PM
OMG, Wow! (as usual) on the pics, rebecca. Just seeing them makes me feel warmer and I can sure use some of that, today. 30 mph north winds and highs only in the low 20s.

No snow on the trails, today, but what we did have, earlier, melted then froze into long sections of very slick ice. Trails are about 40% dirt and 60% ice, now. Even the fat bikes with standard snow tires were slipping out on the steep climbs and some fishtailing on the turns. Spooky stuff. Had to head back to the house and get one of the fats setup with studded tires. That did the trick, bit still had to be very careful. Little odd to need studded tires when no snow on either side of the trails, but when I need them, I need them. In the good old pre-fat bike days, I'd have been out of business.

rebeccaC
11-22-2017, 12:14 PM
:) @ Sheila….

Thanks Emily, now the tdp is one of my top favorite ‘needed to do’s’! ...and with more to be ridden! The way you’ve integrated bicycling into your lifestyle always makes me smile and the 3000 miles is another reason I just :)'ed

…..thinking no training plan means a shift to casual urban riding combined with more work/travel time for me for awhile…..well, this is a good time of year for riding in the desert so at least another one.

you’re making me want to sit in a comfy chair with a book and a fire nwg.

north woods gal
11-23-2017, 07:55 AM
Took a spill, yesterday, on the trail, thanks to a patch of weird ice on a turn. Rear tire on the fat bike flew out from under me, so landed on my back and got a sore left shoulder blade area for my troubles. My head skidded a bit on the frozen ground, but the helmet took that out of the injury equation. All in all, pretty minor spill as spills go and I do expect it, now and then, for my kind of riding. Goes with the territory.

Could have been avoided, though. Our snow cover is mostly gone, even on our trails, so rather than grab one of the fat bikes with studded tires and have to give up speed and handling that goes with those rigs, decided, instead, to go with a faster Norco fat bike with ordinary snow/dirt tires, no studs. The problem is that the thawing/freezing cycles we've been having is creating glare ice out out of the wet mud sections. Yep, just when I thought I'd seen it all, we now have not only black ice, but now we have black ice mud to deal with. Yup, looks just like ordinary frozen mud, but it is slick as snot from all the riding I've done on it.

The good news is that I went back to the house and exchanged that Norco with another Norco fat bike with studded tires and kept on riding. That took care of the problem and could turn and climb even on the black ice mud sections. Honestly, my trails, right now, are not safe to ride without studs. Crazy to think I would need studded tires to ride on what appears to be just an ordinary section of frozen dirt trails, but there you go. Who knew?

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Crankin
11-23-2017, 09:52 AM
You, too, Northwoods. No riding for me today. I am in Columbus, GA, visiting my son. We did take a 2-3 mile walk and took our granddaughter to the park.

ny biker
11-23-2017, 08:02 PM
So glad the tdp was a good experience for you, Rebecca.

I've been in NY since early Saturday morning. I did get a ride in after work last Wednesday night. I was overdressed again. The two previous nights I was cold when I left work, and I dressed for that only to find it was warmer and more humid than expected. Nonetheless it was a good ride. The new shoes and pedals seem okay, for short rides at least.

I drove up to NY after work on Friday (after working until 10 pm). My siblings from the west coast are here, celebrating my mother's birthday in addition to the holiday. We saw a show on Broadway (Beautiful, the Carole King musical), have gone out to dinner several times, and are having a big birthday dinner on Saturday. Lots of food, zero exercise. In all I will be here for 10 days, covering two weekends.

I'm hoping for good riding weather when I get back, for short rides at least.

north woods gal
11-25-2017, 07:29 AM
Nice thaw, yesterday, with temps up into the 50s. Whoo hoo! Of course, the trails turned a little muddy.

Before
https://s18.postimg.org/oczb6k17t/P1090764.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

On sponge bath, 5 minutes, later
https://s18.postimg.org/gk8nesdax/P1090766.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Back to below freezing for a high, today, so should be able to keep things a bit cleaner.

azfiddle
11-25-2017, 02:26 PM
Hi everyone.... been riding almost every day in November but just haven't been posting. I've been commuting 4-5 days a week and was riding some long rides to prep for El Tour de Tucson last weekend. I rode the whole 106 miles, raised money for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). There was a pretty steep minimum commitment ($750 for a "day rider"). But boy did they take care of us. Three dinners at a posh hotel/resort. My husband and I paid for a one night stay. They transported the bikes and set them up near the start, then drove us to and from the start/finish. Great aid stations which were only for JDRF riders. And really, we got a much better understanding of how tough it is to live with Type 1 diabetes, and how the money raised by the JDRF rides has helped bring new advances that are helping people right now. We were glad to be part of it- I joined the ride in support of a co-worker's son who was diagnosed 2 years at age 5. Tough stuff- he's a little hero though!

azfiddle
11-25-2017, 02:27 PM
I've done a couple short rides this week, chasing a Couch's Kingbird which was way out of range in Arizona, and then today did a 40 mile ride to look for a Least Grebe, also way out of range. I saw the kingbird on Thursday on the third try- the grebe was easy- just a longer ride and a half mile walk to the pond.

north woods gal
11-25-2017, 04:09 PM
Nice to see posting, again, AZ. Way cool on the Couch's. That would be a life bird for me.

emily_in_nc
11-26-2017, 01:05 PM
Very cool about the birds, az!

Finally got out for a ride today after too many days off due to weather, Thanksgiving, other chores. We normally don't ride on the weekends as the bike paths are full of other people, but it was too pretty not to go today. Sure enough, lots of cyclists plus a few runners and walkers, but very few kids on tiny bikes, which was a good thing.

34.2 miles

Crankin
11-26-2017, 05:02 PM
Got back from my trip later last night, but woke up at 6:30. It was certainly warm enough to ride (48), but with winds gusting to 30 mph, I had no desire. We did a 4.6 mile hike locally, in a place that is pretty flat, but truly the rockiest, most full of roots place we've hiked. You have to pay attention. It really helps with balance and flexibility, but although the rocks didn't get me, a root that was extended up like an upside down U did! My foot went right in and when I went to step forward, down I went. Not a face plant and all I could think was, oh no, I just recovered from 2 bike crashes on each knee. But, it mostly hit my left shin and the side of my right knee, almost past the knee. We continued on, more slowly and then sped up again. I've iced twice and while it's sore, no terrible bruising, just swelling a bit, which Arnica is working on. I will be able to go to my class tomorrow.
Hoping to ride early am on Tuesday and do the club ride on Wednesday.

north woods gal
11-27-2017, 07:38 AM
Sorry to hear about the spill, Crankin. That sure sounds like fat bike territory to me. Those big tires do take the sting out of roots. Lots of them in our area.

Interesting to hear about the soreness, Sheila. I was experiencing all manner of soreness earlier in the year when I was still running drop bar bikes along with and my flat bar bikes, mostly because I got out of drop bar bike riding shape. Does take me awhile to get back in shape to handle the drop bar bike position if I lay off too long. In the end, though, figured it wasn't worth the hassle of running two different bike styles, so sold off the drop bar bikes and now run flat bar bikes for all my riding, which is mostly trail riding, anyway. For road work, found that the Jones bars allow a multitude of hand positions, so makes flat bar road riding very doable.

Speaking of the Jones bar, took my Krampus with the Jones bar for my trail work, yesterday. My other 29+ bike, the aluminum Stashe, being a lighter bike with lighter rims and wheels, is a bit faster and more nimble, but it's nowhere near as smooth as the steel Krampus. The Krampus is a limousine on the trails, by comparison. Preaching to the choir with you, of course. :)

emily_in_nc
11-27-2017, 01:54 PM
Ouch Crankin! Hope the pain is brief. Falling is no fun (ask me how I know...oops, you know how I know!) :D

Crankin
11-27-2017, 03:44 PM
Northwoods, I was *hiking*, not mountain biking when I fell. Even at my best, I would not have mountain biked at this location. One of the few people we saw on the hike was mountain biking, or should I say walking. He was walking when we first saw him, he got on his bike, rode over a bridge, and then dismounted to go down a set of steps. I was nervous, as he did not look like an expert and was relieved he got off before the steps.
My legs are fine, no more sore than yesterday. Any pain I felt in my bootcamp class today was not from the fall! I think I will keep to my regular schedule and take a rest day tomorrow. The club ride Wednesday is a nice 29 mile very local ride. But... it goes up a very hard 3 part climb of 2.8 miles in my old town. I have not done the whole thing in that direction in 5-6 years. Was just thinking that DH had me go up this climb on my 3d or 4th ride, all those years ago. Of course, I was on a mountain bike, with very low gears, but it was pretty cruel of him, in retrospect. I did it, though.
It will be fine, the faster guys are going off separately, from a different location, at a faster pace, with more miles. I will be one of the faster people in the group because of this. It gives me a temporary feeling of being tough. Until I look at the competition.

north woods gal
11-28-2017, 06:53 AM
Understood on the hiking part, Crankin, not to worry. Some of my worst "spills" have been when walking, too. Icy roads and me walking do not get along, though it's much better now that I wear ice crampons.

Oh, yeah, crazy as I am about my mountain biking, I do know when I'm over my head ... sort of. :) Always have to try, at least. Have some sections of trails in our area where I still walk the bike. My backyard trails are all doable, though when icy or snowy, only marginally so, even with studded tires.

My skill level is much better, now, than it was just two years, ago. Get a chuckle, now, at the spots that gave me shivers when I first started. The biggest challenge for me switching over to mostly trail riding, though, was developing the leg strength to handle the sudden bursts of speed needed to navigate the really steep stuff, not to mention navigating the twists, turns, rocks and such on the way up. All my road biking did not prepare me for that. The two types of riding are quite different in their physical demands, though no less challenging in their own ways. I still have to work my way up to do long road rides, for instance. No way could I handle a 50 mile ride, right now, without a bit of road time, prior, even though I ride trails, every day.

Okay, I'm rambling, now. Back to our program. :)

north woods gal
11-28-2017, 05:20 PM
Whoa! Took two spills in one day with the fat bikes. That's a first. Both times I got nailed dropping down steep sections and trying to make a turn while doing it. Today's mud condition was the killer. The upper couple of inches of mud has thawed, but it's still frozen, underneath. Even my most aggressive fat tires couldn't hold. Kept trail riding, but stayed off the steep stuff. No problems, after that.

I suppose it was out of frustration or maybe I needed a change of pace, so added some air to the tires on the Krampus to make it more road worthy, then hit the pavement/gravel for a delightful, though short, 15 miles on the road. Wind was pretty gnarly, gusting at 30 mph plus, but it felt so good to be out in the open and out of the woods, taking in the sunshine (yeah, we had sun) and sights, relaxing and allowing my thoughts to wander a bit (big no no on the trails), that I didn't mind at all. Have to say, I do misss that zen like state that I get while riding on the road, just letting those miles roll ob by. Love technical trail work, but it can sometimes be a bit too intense.

Could have easily doubled that distance but the sun was already low in the sky and didn't want to risk being out too late. The Krampus was bought to be my do it all bike and it's delivered for me, big time. Rescued me from an otherwise rough day, today. Okay, it's no speed demon on the road (though it's no dog, either), but it sure is smooth and sweet and it shifts and pedals so easy. Just eats up those miles and laughs at what few hills we have on our roads. Love it.

https://s18.postimg.org/z81fgkiwp/P1090492.jpg (https://postimages.org/)


Combination of road and trail miles made for a 22 plus mile day.

emily_in_nc
11-29-2017, 04:19 AM
Good job, NWG! Glad a road ride took your mind off the falls and technical trails for a bit. I totally understand how on trails you have to keep your mind focused on what you are doing at all times. That can be good, as it helps keep your mind off worries and problems, but it can also be very tiring. Road riding, I do some of my best thinking, but sometimes I can get into my head a bit too much (worries), depending on what is going on in my life at the moment.

We rode Sunday/Monday, took yesterday off to do chores and errands, and will hit the road again today. Getting some warmer weather again now, so no layers required as they were a few days ago and last week. Nice to be able to wear shorts and short-sleeves in almost December! :D

north woods gal
11-29-2017, 07:19 AM
Thanks, folks. I'm fine, just bump and bruise sort of falls, nothing serious. Fortunately, both spills took place at the very top of the descents before I had gathered any speed. On a good day, have clocked myself up to 18 mph on both by the time I hit the bottom. With all the trees, brush, rocks and debris along the trails, a crash at that speed could be fatal.

Yeah, I really did enjoy the road work. It included a mile of tricky gravel/sand, but even that wasn't as intense as trail riding, and, of course, the Krampus is completely at home on the gravel. As you say, Sheila, nice to be able to go anywhere you want with such a bike. As a matter of fact, when I got home with the Krampus, just added another mile of trail work to make it a combination pavement, gravel/sand road and trail ride. The only time the Krampus or other plus bikes can't keep up with fat bikes is on the roughest trails or when conditions go really extreme - deep mud, snow, sand or when things get really icy. I dream about a cross continent adventure trip and doubt it'll ever happen for me, now, but if I did attempt such a ride, the Krampus or ECR would be my bike of choice.

Crankin
11-29-2017, 10:03 AM
Your ride sounded perfect and glad you are not hurt, north woods!
So, I woke up around 6:45, which is late for me. Sometimes, when I sleep later, I wake up feeling horrible. Not sure why, or if it's that when this happens, my body is telling me to rest. We've had crazy temperature fluctuations, and of course I was away in a place that was fairly cold at night (35) and in the AM, but warming up to 60-ish during the day. Perfect, in my mind, but it plays with my allergies. I waited to have my coffee, to see how I felt, downloaded the group ride on my GPS, but I kind of knew I wouldn't be going. DH is working from home today, and since it is unbelievably warm (57 right now) for this time of year, he planned to ride. So, we set out to do a pretty flat route, I always enjoy. Planning what to wear was tough. It was breezy, with a couple of good gusts, too. I had to stop at mile 8 or 9, to take my head cover off, and, I unzipped a lot more. Shoud have worn knickers instead of light tights and a vest instead of my jacket. After we stopped, we were heading into a stiff cross breeze and I felt like crap. Up to this point, my average was over 15, but I couldn't maintain it, and I asked DH to slow. I did fine going up the one small hill, but every other little false flat felt like torture to me. DH and I got separated near home, as we had a series of traffic things, a huge wide load truck pulling a boat, a truck stopped, a guy who almost right hooked me (I was on guard at this point though and stopped to let the jerk turn, with no signal. I knew he was going to do it). I let him get ahead on the last 2 miles as I crawled home at 12 mph. We did about 19 miles and my average was still ok.
Even though I suffered through some of it, I am really glad I went, since it's almost December and it was above 55 when we were out there. The temperature is already starting to go down and it is really windy out there. I don't think I am going to get to ride this weekend. Our friends are coming to stay over for our theatre weekend, and though it's going to be in the 40s, which we are fine with, they don't really ride in the cold, below 50. So, I guess we will hike.

north woods gal
11-30-2017, 08:28 AM
Glad you got out, Crankin. Yeah, in-betweener kind of weather can be tough to guess as to what to wear. Our weather, up here, seems less prone to radical changes than in other places I've lived.

Almost forgot about sharing the road with jerks in vehicles. Don't see much of that, up here, and that's just fine with me. I'm very fortunate in that regard. Chicago was really nasty that way. Could never let down my guard for a second.

Hard overnight freezes have solidified the mud on the trails, so no spills, yesterday. Plus, being frozen hard, the trail was very fast. Yes, trails can vary in how "fast" they are, one day to the next. On my long downhill runs, I have trees at the bottom which I use as markers to see how far I can get without having to pedal. Super hard trails are tooth rattlers, though. That's the other side of the coin. All part of the fun, though.

Crankin
11-30-2017, 11:35 AM
You were brave for riding in Chicago. This is just a small congested area in the little village center of west Concord. It is busy at rush hours, lunchtime (which it was), or when the commuter rail stops. We can avoid it, but it is the most direct way home. A mile or so, you are in rural suburbia!

ny biker
11-30-2017, 12:43 PM
I rode last night, for the first time since before Thanksgiving. Didn't get started until 10 pm(!). Before leaving work I posted a club ride for Sunday and created the cue sheet in Excel, but when I tried to save it I discovered that all the directories on my pc had been set to "Read only." WTF? As near as I can tell this was due to an update to Windows 10 that occurred while I was out of town. In all I wasted about an hour dealing with it -- figuring out what settings to change and having to reboot which meant I lost the Excel file that I was unable to save. So I repeat, WTF, Microsoft? Then when I finally got out of the office and to the community center where I start the ride, I was a bit disorganized after two weeks off the bike, and the tires needed air, and I was hungry so I needed a snack, etc etc.

Anyway. On all my recent night rides, I was overdressed. Yesterday we almost hit 70 for the high temp so I figured it wouldn't be cold for a night ride. Ha ha. It turned out that last night was the weather I was dressing for on those other rides -- in the 40s, dry and cold. But of course I was wearing fewer layers because high temp of 70. Fortunately I warmed up eventually, but not until after I decided to shortcut the route a bit. In all I rode 16 miles. I finished around 11:30.

Next week we are due for "wintry weather." I don't know yet if that means winter precip or just colder temps. Seriously hoping for the latter. So it might be too cold to ride at night. I have more layers that I can put on, but after a while it is just so hard to move with all those layers, I feel like kid brother Randy in "A Christmas Story" when he can't put his arms down.

north woods gal
11-30-2017, 02:04 PM
NY, if you ever want any winter weather, I'm there for you. Just holler. :)

Actually, can't complain about our weather this week. Highs have been just above freezing all week and it's been dry, too. Very windy, today, though. Had to dodge a lot of downed limbs. Looks like tomorrow is going to be a trail cleanup day.

Put up our bird feeders, today. We only feed birds in the winter as a way to keep bears from becoming a nuisance. Will take them down next March. Sometimes takes a day or two for the birds to get out the word that our feeders are up. Now the wait begins ...

north woods gal
12-01-2017, 12:49 PM
Whoo hoo! Great month for me. Despite rain, snow, ice, mud and cold, I managed to ride every day in November. Never missed a single day. Also broke 200 miles of riding trails/singletrack on the MTBs and fat bikes. That's a first for me. Did some road miles, too.

On to December.

emily_in_nc
12-01-2017, 04:26 PM
Whoo hoo! Great month for me. Despite rain, snow, ice, mud and cold, I managed to ride every day in November. Never missed a single day. Also broke 200 miles of riding trails/singletrack on the MTBs and fat bikes. That's a first for me. Did some road miles, too.

On to December.

Congrats, NWG -- that would be impressive even if you lived in a temperate area. Living where you do, it's super-duper-crazy impressive! :p :D :)

ny biker
12-02-2017, 05:05 PM
Yes NWG I am impressed! Way to go!