Riding in the Holiday Season: December Rides!

[emily_in_nc]

Guess I'm first to start this month's thread. Rabbit rabbit! :)

This has been a good week of riding for me. For the first time in a loooooong time, I managed to ride five out of the last seven days. Woo-hoo! Today's ride was probably the best of the week, as I had less lower back pain (residual from my pelvic fracture accident way back in '05) than usual, and the day was absolutely gorgeous! Been riding 34-35 miles each time, and the weather has been perfect; sunshine, a bit of breeze, 60s to 72ish at the start and mid-upper 70s at the end. Perfect conditions in my book and so nice to wear short sleeves and shorts at this time of year. Feeling pretty fortunate right about now!

[emily_in_nc]

Monkey Monkey!!

Sounds lovely Emily. Are you still in the South East?


Yes, we've been in the Orlando area since August (when it was killer hot, but I was glad to get back on the bike!) while I get my orthodontia. We'll be here through the spring and possibly next summer (ugh), depending on when I can get my braces off. Hoping for earlier rather than later! Right now is a lovely time of year here, though!

[Crankin]

That is a cool name, Sheila. Too bad I missed you in Atlanta by a week.
It's going to be sunny and 45 today, but our friends want to hike :(. They will be arriving around 11, so I guess if I was really motivated, I could go out and ride now, but it's still really cold.
Looks like we might get some snow next Saturday. Not a big storm, but enough to mess up the roads.

[north woods gal]

Sounds like dreamy weather, Emily, all the more so for being December, now. (Can it really be December, already?) Just thinking about it will help keep warm on my winter riding.

Sheila, that was so very much my pleasure to get it on the bike selection process with you. Works both ways, too. I learned a lot about the Jones bike and am now more convinced than ever in the need to try one before I buy. The geometry is different. Yup, the Salsa is always a safe bet. Love my Pugs and Krampus. I'm sure there will be others in the future.

We've been remarkably dry this past week and after nearly a month of rain, drizzle, fog and snow, that's fine by me. Sunshine and 40, today, so not hard to guess where I'll be.

By the way, the birds are mobbing the bird feeder. Took less than a day after putting them out for the birds to find the goodies. Love it. Can't feed them other times of the year because of the bears in the area, but it makes for a great winter fun activity for us.

[ny biker]

Emily I am jealous of your weather.

Am watching the forecast here -- I think I might be able to get out and ride Tuesday night after work instead of Wednesday, which currently looks to be the day the cold arrives, along with some rain which of course makes the fallen leaves slippery. But in the meantime, tomorrow looks good so I'll be leading a club ride.

Once the cold arrives I think I will have to ride indoors at night. While in NY over Thanksgiving week I visited an old mansion that was decorated for the holidays, and in the gift shop I found a reprint of an old book on "fancy cycling." It looks like it might be good reading for indoor pedaling.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17457024-fancy-cycling-1901

[north woods gal]

Sheila, love that dingle speed setup and that whole minimalist idea. Not sure how much I would use such a bike, but knowing me, I'll bet I'd find a way. :)

The problem with MTBs and geometry and fit is complicated because there are so many techniques and styles of riding in the MTB world, not to mention different bikes, now, for specific types of trail riding. Was nowhere near as complicated in the early MTB days. Can get very confusing and frustrating, for sure. Just no substitute for a test ride. You did well to try a Jones, first. Cheap, they are not.

Have had a great start to the month with 8 miles of trail work, yesterday and 9 miles, today. I pushed it a bit because, after tomorrow's rain and wind and maybe some snow, our temps drop down into the teens for a high the rest of the week. Hoping we don't get too much snow so that I can get more riding done with the 29+ bikes or my faster fatties, but it's just a matter of time before I have to put them away for the winter, anyway, and go with the studded fat monsters.

[Crankin]

Sheila, I'd have to take a vacation to meet up with you guys, but next year at this time, my son will at Ft. Bragg, and he will be there for awhile (years). So, I will be getting down south at least once, maybe more, a year. Columbus, GA was nicer than I thought it would be, but I clearly see why mom son is renting in the historical district and not living on base, and he's within walking distance to a really nice downtown and riverwalk. However, the rest of the city looked not so nice. When we drove in from the airport in Atlanta, we stopped about 2 miles outside of the downtown. A greasy looking young guy in a t shirt with a huge picture of the president and all kinds of nasty stuff walked by, and I got seriously panicked. I just don't see that where I live. A few signs here and there, but after a few other things i noticed when we stopped off the highway for lunch, I was scared.
No cycling this weekend, and I am not happy. Yesterday we did a nice 3.7 mile hike with our friends and today, nothing, except walk a few city blocks to and from the garage to the play we saw. Lots of eating, too.

[ny biker]

I rode yesterday, as planned. A 39-mile club ride with views of the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The sky and water were both a pale blue. The water looks different every time I visit the bay, sometimes dark blue or brown when it's windy but rarely is it so pale. Very pretty. Also it was high tide. There is one point where the road is very close to the water and most of the rocks along the shore there were under water, which I don't often see.

There were four of us in all. Temps were in the mid-50s, and we all agreed that it felt a little cool sometimes and a little warm at other times, depending on the amount of shade and how close we were to the water (where it's noticeably cooler). But overall we were never really uncomfortable. I rode without a cap or ear warmers and took off my windproof full-finger gloves because I was too warm with them. The roads were still wet in one area due to early morning rain but nothing dangerous or slippery. Toward the end we rode on the shoulder of a couple of busy roads and there was lots of broken glass so I need to check my tires carefully before I ride again.

Afterwards I went shopping at a large shopping center that is north of where we rode. I took the scenic route driving there, using roads that used to be nice for cycling but now tend to have more traffic than I'm comfortable with.

I suspect that will be our last good day for cycling for a while. The "arctic blast" that is on the way doesn't seem like it will be too cold despite all the freaking out by the TV forecasters, but they are saying we might get snow from "a coastal system" this weekend. It's really too soon to tell at this point, but it's possible. Before that, it now looks like the last warmish evening when I can ride after work (tomorrow) will be rainy. So I'm preparing for some stationary cycling at the gym. It's so hot at the gym -- would it look weird if I brought a small electric fan? Even if it looks weird I think I will...

[ny biker]

Rode forty minutes on the stationary recumbent bike at the gym last night. Not exciting but better than nothing.

I thought the weather would be okay for a short ride on Saturday but now they're saying we'll get snow. Just an inch or two, but that's still not anything I to ride my bike in. And the roads are already being treated with that sticky brine solution to keep them from freezing. Some of the paved trails here will be pre-treated, too. Then it will get colder, too cold for a night ride (for me, at least).

Hoping to get in one more ride outside before heading out of town for the holidays. In the meantime, I'm finishing my Christmas shopping.

[Crankin]

I should have ridden yesterday. I had a day of cancellations, so I didn't go to work until 11:30. I went out for a 3 mile walk and it was cold, but really nice. Oh well. We are getting that snow, tomorrow afternoon, 3-6 inches predicted. Not enough to nordic ski, maybe a snowshoe? I think it will all melt, though. It's supposed to be brutally old next week. I do not think I'll be riding for the club Chanukah party, next Wednesday. In fact, it may be snowing/raining, so I am not sure if even the hike will be a go.
Been going to the gym a lot and hiking, and trying to make myself feel ok, because I am exercising, just have not been riding a lot. I'd like to also, like NY, get one more ride in, before the New Year. It looks like after next week, it may warm a bit. I think i may have to let it go, so I can have a good attitude in March!
And now, those fires in SoCal have reached San Diego. I need to check in on my brother.

[emily_in_nc]

Hope your brother is safe from the fires, Crankin. It is just awful, from watching the news. I simply can't imagine.

I rode Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (34-35 miles each time on our usual bike path route) and took yesterday off to do laundry and work out in the gym. It was chilly and misty out so a good day to skip riding. Today is cloudy but supposed to get warmer with gusty winds starting this afternoon, so we will ride. Weekend and going forward is going to be quite chilly for central Florida with lows in the 40s/50s and highs in the 50s/60s. I know most of you would be thrilled with those conditions, but they are not our cup of tea!

[north woods gal]

Been riding, every day on my trails, with an average of 7 to 8 miles of laps at a time. Will easily break 50 miles for the week.

Winter riding, for sure, but decent as far as winter snow biking goes. Temps in the teens, but no wind the past couple of days and that makes it bearable. After several light dustings of snow, I'm now riding on about 2 inches of snow. That's perfect for fat bike work. Kind of has me in the holiday spirit, in fact. There I am, riding in the snow, more falling as I ride and Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is playing in my head. :)

Hoping the snow stays light for awhile, so that our lake ice gets good and solid, first (snow acts as an insulator). Looking forward to getting some easy miles by riding on the lake, soon.

'Tis the season to be riding ...
https://s18.postimg.org/5s2g8a8o9/IMG_0727.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[azfiddle]

Hi everyone
Been riding to work almost every day- missed a couple days last week because I was fighting off a little cold and had my annual evaluation. I got back in the saddle for the coldest morning since last February- commuted in temps down to 31 degrees.

Weekend rides are shorter than during the weeks before El Tour de Tucson.

Saturday was a fun ride- we rode with a big group in fun outfits and with decorated bikes, to donate toys at a fire station in one of the lower income neighborhoods of Tucson. Nice camaraderie, and 4 tables of toys were donated. The fire station offered some very nice refreshments and lot of appreciation.

This morning's commute was in the mid-50's- 25 degrees warmer than Friday. Tomorrow will depend on what the clouds do tonight. Might be low 40's when I leave, might be mid-50's....

[Crankin]

Pretty sure I will not be getting in any road rides before the end of the year. Unless there's a warm up between the holidays and the roads get a little clearer, I am done. It's going to be frigid for the next few days, so I'll be going to spin, in addition to boot camp. Haven't looked at my mileage, but I know it's really, really low. Right now, I am thinking about x country skiing and motivation for next season!

[ny biker]

I also might be done for the year. I only have one more weekend here before I leave town for the holidays. The weather might cooperate on Sunday, but that's still too far off to trust any forecasts. In the meantime the roads are covered with salt and more salt is being put down as they expect minor snow to fall later this week. All that salt is an asthma trigger for me. And just to top things off, I have some sort of cold/cough. Not the usual cold with the progression from sore throat to head congestion and sneezing then maybe a cough -- this one started with a cough along with some minor head congestion.

I also expect my total mileage for the year to be low. I would like to think next year will be better but then again maybe I will need surgery on my ankle, since the torn tendon doesn't hurt a lot but it's not pain-free either.

[emily_in_nc]

We braved some pretty brutal winds to ride today. Temps weren't bad at all -- about 62 at the start and 73 at the end, but the wind was sustained at 20+ and higher gusts. So the way out, we had a tailwind, and that was funnnnn, but that only made the way home that much harder. I was in the drops and easy gears and still lost 1.1 mph in my average speed from the turnaround point. Glad we rode (34 miles), but I could do with a bit less wind! Even at the end it felt a little chilly because of the wind, so the leg warmers and wind vest stayed on the entire ride.

[north woods gal]

Still keeping my "ride everyday" record intact, even though we've had 4 inches of snow this week and are expecting another 4" tomorrow. Temps have not been anything cozy with temps in the single digits or teens when I ride.

Sounds gruesome, I know, but it's really not. It's actually breathtaking beautiful to be riding in the snow covered winter woods and that clean cold air. I also find riding in the snow to be fascinating, too. By riding, every day, I've managed to get a good firm base built up, so, as long as I keep riding after each snow, it compacts down enough to make for an easier ride as I go. The ice and snow takes some of my most dangerous drops and turns out of my choice of trails to ride, but that's oaky. I still have trails that offer some steep, but still safe, climbs/drops.

It's fat bikes, only, now, though I've pushed the 29x3 bikes to their limit in the snow, just to see what they could do. Now too deep even for them. Yup, if it's not fat, it's now tucked away in the shed for the winter and will re-emerge in the spring like our bears. :)

[ny biker]

Still keeping my "ride everyday" record intact, even though we've had 4 inches of snow this week and are expecting another 4" tomorrow. Temps have not been anything cozy with temps in the single digits or teens when I ride.

Sounds gruesome, I know, but it's really not. It's actually breathtaking beautiful to be riding in the snow covered winter woods and that clean cold air. I also find riding in the snow to be fascinating, too. By riding, every day, I've managed to get a good firm base built up, so, as long as I keep riding after each snow, it compacts down enough to make for an easier ride as I go. The ice and snow takes some of my most dangerous drops and turns out of my choice of trails to ride, but that's oaky. I still have trails that offer some steep, but still safe, climbs/drops.

It's fat bikes, only, now. The other bikes are tucked away in the shed for the winter and will re-emerge in the spring like our bears. :)

Brrrr. I will say that it helps me get through the winter weather that I dislike by thinking about people like you who actually do enjoy it.

I assume that shed is not climate controlled -- do you find that the cold temps have any negative effects on the bikes that are stored there? I sometimes keep my mountain bike in a "storage shed" on my balcony (it's really a large plastic patio storage box, but Rubbermaid calls it a shed) but I always take the wheels off and keep them inside because I figure the extreme temperatures are not good for the rubber tires. But that's just an assumption on my part.

[north woods gal]

Brrrr. I will say that it helps me get through the winter weather that I dislike by thinking about people like you who actually do enjoy it.

I assume that shed is not climate controlled -- do you find that the cold temps have any negative effects on the bikes that are stored there? I sometimes keep my mountain bike in a "storage shed" on my balcony (it's really a large plastic patio storage box, but Rubbermaid calls it a shed) but I always take the wheels off and keep them inside because I figure the extreme temperatures are not good for the rubber tires. But that's just an assumption on my part.

Have found no ill effects at all with storage over the winter as long as the bike is totally protected from the snow. I also make sure to lube the chain before storage to prevent any rusting, but that's standard maintenance thing, anyway. About the only thing that needs attention when I pull them out of the shed in the spring, is the tire pressure. Only rarely has a tire gone flat, but that's one way to find out if a tire has a long term leak. :)

Sheila, conditioning is very much a part of it. Absolutely right. Takes a long time, too. If I went from even the 50s to the teens, overnight, I'd be hurting. It's also activity based. If I'm biking or XC skiing, I don't mind it at all. But if I'm just walking across a parking lot while shopping, I really, really notice the cold. No way could I just sit around in this cold for long. Love my bicycling for keeping me slim and trim, but that doesn't leave me with enough body fat to stay comfy in the cold unless I'm active.

As for today's ride ... looking at about 6" of snow, by the time it ends, this afternoon. Will certainly do some peddling, but, first, it's time to do my first XC ski outing for the season. Yippee!

[Crankin]

So true, North Woods. I chose to go to the gym this morning for a half hour spin/half hour conditioning class, instead of hiking with a group before my bike club's Chanukah party. Why? It's 18 degrees out, with a wind chill of 8. The hike is 4 miles, I've done it 3 times, and they are slow! I have x country skied down to -10 with no issues, but yes, just being out in this type of weather, without vigorous activity is not my favorite.
Now I get to go eat lots of delicious food in about 30 minutes.

[north woods gal]

Well, yesterday's 6 inches of snow nearly doomed my ride every day record. Kept it going by pushing the bike out to our neighborhood road that had just been plowed and doing a couple of miles. No go on the trails until I do some grooming (as in shoveling or the snow blower). Also added in several miles of XC skiing, my first outing of the year.

So, for those of you who are curious about riding a fat bike in the snow, here's a little primer.

5 or 6 inches of snow is, in general, the cutoff point for fat bikes with their 4" plus tires as for snow depth (half of that for plus bikes with their 3" tires). Depends very much on the type of snow, however. A fresh soft, fluffy 6" is very doable with a fat bike, but a fresh, densely packed, fine-grained or mushy 6" is another story. The bike just fishtails like crazy and can't get traction. Interestingly, if I give this new snowfall a few days or a week of "weathering", it can sometimes be ridden. Given enough time and daily fluctuating of temps, it will usually compress and firm up, allowing enough traction, especially if we get a thaw and the snow develops a crust.

Can be ridden is a relative notion, though. When the snow gets this deep, you lose all your roll, as when you stop pedaling, the bike comes to an instant dead stop. You then have a serious problem of getting the bike moving, again, even on level ground. You can't stand on the pedals to mount the bike, because it takes too much weight off the rear wheel and the bike loses traction - the rear wheel just spins underneath you. Usually I try to find a slight downhill slope to get rolling, again, but that sometimes means walking the bike to a better spot. (For this depth, I highly recommend wearing XC ski gaiters. You will be doing some walking.)

Lastly, the number of calories per pedal stroke to keep the bike moving in the heavy stuff goes though the roof. I'm good for maybe a mile and then my legs feel like noodles. It's like setting your indoor trainer at its very max. As mentioned, we're at the limit, here, so when it gets like this, I just wait for our neighborhood roads to get plowed and head out to ride the fat bike on the hard packed snow roads. Those big tires do a great job on a freshly plowed road. Ideal bike for riding plowed ice-packed or snow packed roads, but that's another story. :)

[north woods gal]

I should also mention that plowing though 6" or more of new snow with XC skies is no picnic, either, but I do have the right skis for it. I use true expedition, relatively wide and short Alpina Discovery XC skis. These make a good ski to break the trail (gaiters are a must) and usually after two or three passes on the trail, I'm moving along pretty good. I sometimes use the snowshoes in the same way.

The reason I mention this is that grooming a trail for the fat bikes was first done with snowshoes. Takes a lot of passes with the snowshoes to get the trail fat bike ready, but it is doable. (Another way is with a snowmobile, but have no interest in those beasts.) These days, though, there are machines that do it. If you live in an area with a lot of snow, such as ours, there will likely be some public trails that are groomed for fat bike snow riding, just as there are groomed trails for skiing. As always, though, I'm on my own with my private trails, so off I go to do some work.

[north woods gal]

About 8" of snow, now, in the woods, so barring an unusual winter thaw, I doubt I'll see any green grass until late April or May. That would be in a normal year, but these past few winters have been anything but normal. We all know that global warming is a Chinese hoax, though, right? (What an idiot!)

Still managed to do some trail riding, this week, by using the snowblower and shovel to clear one loop of my trials, but that is a LOT of work and, of course, it lasts only as long as the next snowfall. Doubt I can keep doing it all winter. Will end up doing most of my riding out on our winter roads, sooner or later. Got to keep my ride everyday thing going.

The good news, though, is that the rest of my trail system is great for my XC skiing. Still a great workout and, of course, a joy to do in its own right, but I find that it is not quite as good for my wind as the bike work.

[emily_in_nc]

Sounds chilly, NWG, but I guess that's par for the course this time of year!

We managed three rides this past week, a little better than I thought with the cold fronts and an orthodontist appointment. Friday was the warmest day, and we actually got to ride in shorts and short sleeves, although it was a little chilly at the beginning.

The week coming up we are heating back up again and will have upper 70s to mid 80s (!!?!?!) every day, so it looks like lots of riding in only a single layer of clothing. Love that! :D Sure, it doesn't feel a lot like the week before Christmas, but I prefer it to the alternative.

[rebeccaC]

I always feel better posting about nice weather riding this time of year after someone has just done it….thanks Emily!!!! :)

Yesterday, with Alex and two friends, we went for a ride south on the beach bike path and then into the Palos Verdes hills for some climbing. Perfect weather and just a pleasant day of being with friends. My riding has just been commutes and urban for what seems too long so it felt good to do some harder riding. We’re heading north to Mendocino Ca later this week to spend the holidays with Ellie and some friends. Looking forward to riding roads through giant redwoods again, relaxing and being with good people for 8 days.


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4681/39124365501_47575206ba_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/22BhAMT)

a very nice rv campground next to the beach and bike path at Dockweiler state park for you Emily :)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4736/38414445304_9ca055d782_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21wy5fu)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4638/24263993587_e895836bd2_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CY8iX2)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4639/38242400745_3133f46acc_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21gmioZ)



btw…Alex starts IVF procedures next month and we are soooooo looking forward to that!!!!!!

[north woods gal]

I always feel better posting about nice weather riding this time of year after someone has just done it….thanks Emily!!!! :)...

Hey, I feel better, too. :)

Seriously, I do. Love my snow biking, but the snow adds even more of a challenge to an already challenging type of riding. You have to be on full, red alert to just make it down the trail. Loose your concentration for even an instant and you risk stalling or worse. Relaxing, it is not. Right, now, I'd give just about anything for a nice clean section of pavement on a sunny, warm day.

Those pics, Rebecca, relax me and warm me right up. Brightens up my day. Thanks.

[emily_in_nc]

Great pics, Rebecca! That bike path looks wonderful, as does the RV park. Maybe someday.... As long as I am in braces, I'm kinda stuck in Florida. Not that I mind being here this time of year, but it was a bit tough in August-September.

[Geonz]

My commute should get me to my 6000 miles for the year today :) :)

[north woods gal]

Lost my record, yesterday. Was shoveling off the trail and next thing I knew it was too dark to ride the trail, safely (get's dark very early, up here). Not to mention I was totally pooped out from all that shoveling, anyway. Oh, well. Kind of nutty to think I have to ride each and every day in this weather. Some real cold headed our way by the ned of the week, with single digit and sub zero stuff.

On a brighter note, we have Common Redpolls at the feeder! They're strictly a northern bird that wanders a lot in the winter. Some winters, don't see a one. Other winters, see them a lot.

Not a great pic, but shows what the Common Redpoll looks like for you folks that live south of us.
https://s31.postimg.org/b2l47ejy3/P1040694.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[emily_in_nc]

NWG, thank you for sharing your photos of Common Redpolls. I had never heard of them until our one winter in Wisconsin many years ago, but they graced our feeders every day, and I so enjoyed feeding and seeing them!

The past two days have been very very warm for December rides, but we've lucked out as the wind has finally died for a bit. Very enjoyable. Just strange to be in sleeveless jerseys and 80 degree temps in mid-December, though it's to get a bit cooler next week.

Congratulations on 6000 miles, Sue -- that's a lot! I went over 3500 yesterday. Should be quite a bit more, but with my enforced layoff this spring/summer, I missed a few months. I'm still quite happy with this total and will get a few more rides in before the new year.

[Crankin]

Congrats on the mileage, everyone. I am still hoping to get one more ride in, it may be tomorrow afternoon. I will still go to my class at the gym, half spin, half conditioning, but then I have my office holiday party at lunch time. I normally wouldn't be there on Wednesdays, so after lunch, it will be around 40 and I may go for a ride, if it's not too windy. It was 49 today, but of course, I was working.
I'm just happy I got to x country ski Sunday.

[north woods gal]

Ooops, missed that Sue. 6000 miles is one heck of a year. Congrats.

Good ride, today, but mostly on paved neighborhood roads. Temp was warm enough to break up some of the snow pack and traction was very good. Not much for miles, only 7, but riding snow is different, plus added in 3 miles on my trails.

Our forecast high temp for Christmas is zero. Note self: time to setup the indoor trainer.

[ny biker]

Catching up.

Best of luck with the IVF, Rebecca!

Congrats Sue! And hats off to you, NWG, for getting outside for activity every day.

Happy Chanukah to Crankin and anyone else who celebrates! (I hope I spelled that right!)

I personally love seeing pics from and reading about winter rides in areas that are still warm.

I managed to get out and ride last night. We've had warm-ish weather for a few days, but I wasn't able to do any cycling over the weekend for a couple of reasons. I've had a cold which caused lots of coughing. We also had a tiny bit of snow that fell during rush hour on Friday, so all the roads in the area were heavily salted, and road salt is a minor asthma trigger for me. And on top of everything else I had lots of shopping and other things to do to get ready for Christmas. So conditions were not good for bike rides. But yesterday things were better. It was the warmest day of the bunch, topping out near 60, and the forecast was for temps to stay in the low 50s until late at night. My cough has finally subsided, and most of the road salt has dissipated.

Even at 50 degrees it was still chilly when I started around 8:45 pm, but I warmed up quickly. In fact it was so nice that I extended things a bit. I did notice more of a chill as I got near the Potomac River, and again near the end it was a bit colder. But overall I was comfortable. It was nice to see all the holiday lights that people have put up. At the end of the ride my Garmin showed that I'd ridden just under 20 miles, so I did a few laps around the parking lot to make it an even 20. Normally I do some 20ish mile night rides over the summer and shorter rides this time of year, but this year has not been normal at all.

So now I'm done for the year, as I'm heading out of town soon for the holidays and won't be back until late on Jan 1.

[north woods gal]

What a relief to see everyone, again. I couldn't pull the site up for several days, now. Kept getting a "couldn't connect with the server message". Anyone else have this problem?

Anyway, yes, crazy me, I'm still riding every day and we're now into some serious cold as in below zero for a high temp. Minus 23, last night, for a low. Won't even try to explain why anyone would be riding in such weather, but just as an interesting thing to share, when riding in sub zero cold, some things kick in that are unique to that kind of cold.

The most noticeable thing when riding on the hard pack snow or even clean pavement in sub zero cold is the increased rolling resistance with the tires. On a local road, for instance, my usual top speed rolling down the hill in warm weather or even moderate cold weather is about 18 mph with the fat bike. In sub zero cold, same snow conditions and road, same bike, same tire pressure, my max speed on this hill drops to about 13 mph. That's a huge decrease! With that added rolling resistance, even riding a short 5 miles on the road becomes a serious workout. I lose at least two, maybe three, gears to maintain my usual pace. On the trail, bike handling also changes.

The one good thing about this kind of cold, though, is that the snow hardens up nice, allowing me to ride in snow that is too deep when it is warmer. Can also ride out on the lake, now.

If all goes well, will finish the month with only two days missed on the riding. One of those days, was spent shoveling snow on my trails and one of those days was a glorious day in fresh snow with the XC skis. Just couldn't pull off the skis and go bike riding.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. Please think of me when you're riding in more sane weather. Send some my way. :)

[Crankin]

The only riding I have been doing is spin class. I go to one that's only 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of core/body work. It's on Wednesdays and Fridays, so when I can't do an outdoor activity, I go to this. Done a few hour long spin classes in the past month. Will look at my Garmin on Friday, to see my total miles, and at this point, it's fine. I am thoroughly enjoying xcountry skiing and snow shoeing/hiking in the winter and looking forward to renewed motivation and maybe a century this year.
Glad the forum is back.

[emily_in_nc]

Glad to have our forum back!

I've been keeping up the regular rides here in generally warm, usually sunny Florida! The past two mornings have required tights and wool jerseys over a regular jersey, but mid-way I am able to peel off the outer layers. Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler and cloudy, so that's our laundry and errand day. Looks like I'll end up just crossing over 3700 miles for the year when all is said and done. No complaints about that! Next week looks like a chilly and possibly rainy (which we really need; it's been so dry) start to the new year, so I may be taking a riding break for awhile. Glad there's a gym here in our RV park, and we can always bundle up and take walks even when we don't feel like riding.

[shootingstar]

I've done only baby short rides under 12 km. Vancouver has had some snow, ice and now it's cold with rain at 2 degrees C which is not pleasant for cycling. I'd rather cycle -10 to -15 degrees C with dry pavement.

[rebeccaC]

From some of our daily rides in the Mendocino area. It was colder than I’m use to, low 50’s, but getting into more comfortable low 60’s by the afternoons. Such an incredibly beautiful area with good riding roads, little traffic and interesting views on our rides.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4645/39315328432_183f6be4c5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/22Uakqd)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4597/25475971028_8b1e0f69e4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EPe1BN)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4589/39315329522_ea3e0fd7b7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/22UakK1)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4727/39315330412_bb1c3dba23_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/22Uam1m)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4637/39315331972_b6227307e7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/22Uamtf)


on the walkway going to the Mendocino art centre's fiber art instructional area...and for the teachers here!!!..and for deena wherever she is.....
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4636/38638831374_ba8eee6cbd_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21So7pQ)


the view from our bedroom deck.....i couldn't ask for more. Ellie has 8 acre's of this beauty....Alex is trying hard to get her thinking of selling us 1 to build on.....i hope she succeeds :)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4679/39315330912_7539ed787a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/22Uam9Y)

Thanks ny!!!....i’m hopeful about bringing another person that’s part of Alex into this world!!!!!!!!!!!


a wonderful new year of rides for all..............

[north woods gal]

Love your photography, rebecca - as always. Very much appreciated by this north woods gal, all the more this time of year. Thank-you.

Whoo Hoo! May get above zero (F), today! Regular heat wave. Ride, cowgirl, ride.

[Crankin]

I actually didn't x country ski today, as the wind chill was about -20... of course, the wind has stopped, but I am going to be nordic skiing all weekend, so instead, I went to spin. So boring, and who the hell does weights while sitting on a bike? The worst was when the instructor had everyone use a lot of resistance to climb, and told everyone to move their whole body, so they could turn the pedals. Everyone, except myself and one of my regulars who comes on my rides... so nice to see this. She's a lovely woman, even older than me:). I complimented her in the locker room and she told me she listens to people like me, and not the bad advice from people like that instructor.
Oh well, I sweat and got some movement in.

[shootingstar]

Lost my record, yesterday. Was shoveling off the trail and next thing I knew it was too dark to ride the trail, safely (get's dark very early, up here). Not to mention I was totally pooped out from all that shoveling, anyway. Oh, well. Kind of nutty to think I have to ride each and every day in this weather. Some real cold headed our way by the ned of the week, with single digit and sub zero stuff.

On a brighter note, we have Common Redpolls at the feeder! They're strictly a northern bird that wanders a lot in the winter. Some winters, don't see a one. Other winters, see them a lot.

Not a great pic, but shows what the Common Redpoll looks like for you folks that live south of us.
https://s31.postimg.org/b2l47ejy3/P1040694.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Redpoll birds are incredibly hardy: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/how-birds-survive-winter-1.4465936

"They can survive up to 20 hours without access to food, even if temperatures drop to -54 C," Keating said.
Redpolls have specially designed esophageal pouches that allow them to hold on to seeds, then later slowly digest them to provide them with energy to maintain their core at a balmy 40 C — "kinda like throwing logs on a fireplace."
"Their internal temperature can be 73 degrees warmer than the surrounding air, with the two extremes being separated by less than a half a centimetre layer of feathers."

[north woods gal]

For sure, very hard birds. Have to be, to hang around in the winter, up here. :)

Speaking of birds, have had a Northern Shrike hanging around our neighborhood the last couple of weeks, running a route of all the local bird feeders. Another very interesting bird, basically a song bird turned predator. When the Shrike is around, the birds at the feeder react the same way as when a hawk is around, namely, all activity ceases and the birds wait until the Shrike is gone before moving.

[emily_in_nc]

I need 8 more miles to hit 3700 for the year. We'd planned to ride today, but it was (in the morning and still is in the afternoon) in the low 50s with a brisk north breeze, full cloud cover, and mist in the air, so we bailed. We took a 6 mile walk instead, in many layers. Warmed up as we went and enjoyed it. The weekend looks a little nicer, still chillier than normal for central Florida, but sunny, at least. I normally avoid the bike paths on weekends because of all the kids and tourists, so I may just do a short road ride to get my miles. Next week looks cold pretty much every day, so not sure how much riding I'll get done the first week of the new year.

Yes, I do realize that my idea of "cold" is a bit skewed. :D

[north woods gal]

Emily, I'm in awe of that mileage for the year, considering what you've overcome. Even without that, I'd be tickled to get that many miles in for the year. My riding has changed to mostly trail riding, now, so doubt I'll ever see those kinds of miles, again. Well, never say never, of course. Who ever knows what tomorrow may bring?

Our snow is now hard as a rock given our steady sub zero temps, so that's actually a good thing for my fat bike riding. I can ride faster. Not so great for the XC skiing, though. Means I will definitely need to rewax the skis and I've been to busy with the biking to get around to it.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, I'm in awe of that mileage for the year, considering what you've overcome. Even without that, I'd be tickled to get that many miles in for the year. My riding has changed to mostly trail riding, now, so doubt I'll ever see those kinds of miles, again. Well, never say never, of course. Who ever knows what tomorrow may bring?

Awww, thanks, NWG. Really, though, I did have a bit of an advantage since we were in Florida for much of the year. I missed out on riding from late April through early August due to my injuries, and that is probably equivalent to what I used to miss during the winter in NC. I'd get out from time to time, but overall, the winter season was too cold for my blood!

It was chilly today so I deferred riding until tomorrow, which isn't due to be a lot warmer, but the sun will be out, and I am determined to get that 8 miles in; if not more.

[ny biker]

Well I finally uploaded all of this year's rides from my Garmin. My total mileage for the year was just 1370. Oh well, it was what it was. As Lance Armstrong would say: Onward.

DC weather forecasters are expecting colder than normal temps for January, for the first couple of weeks at least. I got three books for Christmas and am hoping they will be good distractions while riding the stationary bike at the gym.

Happy New Year to all!

[north woods gal]

Happy New Year to all of you, too.

Won't get above zero, today, but ride I will, even for just a short one, then right back in to warmup. :) Will end the month with only two days missed on the biking.

[emily_in_nc]

Today was sunny and a little chilly but the warmest day of the next week, and I wanted to get my 8+ miles to make 3700+ for the year, so we headed out in layers and 50-something degrees into a north wind. It warmed to around 64 during the ride and was altogether quite pleasant, although I prefer warmer temps and fewer layers. Still, the sunshine was lovely, and I certainly can't complain compared to the rest of the country!

Ended up doing 34.45 miles today and 3726 for the year!

[north woods gal]

Great way to end the year, Emily. That's quite the comeback.

Did get a short ride in, today, so I'm done for the year. Onward to 2018!

[ny biker]

Way to go, Emily!

NWG, what do you wear for rides in such cold weather?

[north woods gal]

Thanks for asking. Okay, here goes. Way, way different than any other kind of bicycling.

For the legs, an outer windproof insulated bike specific legging with thermal underwear leggings underneath. Over the top of both, my padded shorts. It's important to use the shorts over the top to tuck in everything tight in the crotch area. Too much loose fabric, there, and the fabric hangs up on the seat when you mount the bike. This is actually a big deal, because mounting the bike in the snow is no easy feat since the tires have so little roll. You've got to hit the seat and the pedals, hard, simultaneously, with the bike almost stationary underneath you. You can't stand on the pedals, either, to get started. All that gets you is a rear tire sliding out in the snow. Have to have that weight on the seat for the sake of traction.

For the feet, standard, non-bike specific thermal pac boots with two layers of socks. This is why so many of us up here have ditched our clipless setups and gone with flat pedals. You can buy bike specific winter pac boots with the clipless setup, but they are insanely expensive and the ones I've seen are even heavier than standard pac boots, plus clipless is a regular pain the ### in the snow. Always getting clogged up. Even have a cheapo set of pacs from Wal-mart that work just fine. Even with these boots, I'm only good for two hours, max, at below zero temps.

Top is an old bike specific winter jacket I bought, years, ago, in Chicago. Use as many layers of fleece tops underneath as needed. Over-dressing, here, is always tricky. Even in below zero temps, I can over-dress and start to sweat after a time. That's a big no-no when it's below zero.

For the hands, I use standard, non-bike specific wool mittens underneath neoprene bike bar mitts. This is a super setup and has eliminated the cold hands problem, entirely. Mittens work fine with today's thumb shifters, all the more so on the 1x setups that most of my bikes have. No shifting needed on the left hand with a 1x.

Face and neck area are the biggest headaches. In below zero temps, any exposed skin is asking to get frostbite. I will use a balaclava if need be, but I hate them when riding. Always seem to need repositioning as a I ride. Can usually do just as well with the right stocking cap and a set of biking ear muffs and a scarf. I like the scarf. I can use it and adjust it to my liking easier then the balaclava. Lastly, in serious below zero, good ski goggles are an absolute must. Your eyes and face will take a real beating, otherwise. Same ones I use for my XC skiing. In fact, a lot of these clothing items are also used for my XC skiing. And of course, all this MUST be used with the helmet. Going down in the ice and snow at some point is almost a sure thing. I NEVER rode without a helmet. NEVER. No matter what the weather.

For sure, getting ready and dressed for a ride is not spontaneous just hop on the bike and ride thing. I've got it down to a fifteen to twenty minutes thing, now, though, when you're new to this, you'll need more time.

Lastly, yes, getting this bundled up and trying to ride robs you of a lot of efficiency. You will burn up a lot more calories per pedal cycle, not to mention the bike, itself, operating at very low efficiency. Trust me, a five mile ride on even hard pack snow, even with that snow on a paved road, is a REAL workout. My average speed on the same trails I ride in the summer gets cut in half in the winter. If you're out of shape, you won't last long in snow riding. My daily riding and conditioning in warm weather really pays off, here.

Okay, by now you may be wondering why on earth anyone would go to this much effort just to ride bike in the snow and cold. What can I say? I love the challenge. Everything in my technique gets trickier in the snow - turns, climbs just staying on the narrow trail through the snow. Virtually zero margin of error, now.

More than that, however, there's just something about hearing that crunch of the tires in the snow as I pedal, the enchanting solitude and quiet of the woods in the winter, that beautiful clean cold air. Heaven help me, I love it so.

[Crankin]

It all makes sense, North Woods.
So, my bike group is doing a hike on Wednesday, and the leader actually downloaded it into a Ride with GPS file. So, after downloading it, I checked my paltry mileage totals for the year.
1,884. Actually, about 100 more than I thought, but my lowest total since either 2003 or 2004.
There you go. I still did lots of rides, just short ones, as well as hiking, and going back to my old gym, with boot camp. On to 2018.

[rebeccaC]

Definitely not my best year or even close to my usual mileage…..a year of different challenges.

Nwg…I get the challenge part cuz that’s why I’ve liked climbing and long hard rides….thinking my current comfort zone means the riding in extreme cold makes me happy to live where I do though. :).....you do indeed inspire though!!!!!!!!



More than that, however, there's just something about hearing that crunch of the tires in the snow as I pedal, the enchanting solitude and quiet of the woods in the winter, that beautiful clean cold air. Heaven help me, I love it so.

Quiet roads that head towards the clouds (Santa Monica/San Gabriel/Sierra mountains) with the only sounds being my breathing and bike, the beautiful surrounding landscape slowly going by and muscular effort going up and the relaxed muscular feeling going down…..then there’s the solitude and silence of riding in the desert (Mojave) and the peacefulness of riding the beach bike path at 3 am…..or even exploring the unexpected of a wrong turn….it’s all about being in the moment and feeling good about it.

[north woods gal]

Beautifully expressed, Rebecca. We can all list and appreciate the practical advantages of bicycling, but it's that soul enriching, haunting beauty aspect that makes it a lifestyle and a world of its own for so many of us.