Riding in the New Year: January 2018 Rides

[emily_in_nc]

Hi all! Thought I'd start the new thread even though the earliest I'll be willing to ride in our temps (and I'm in central Florida...lol!) is this coming Sunday. Just way too cold and windy this week, and I know it's much worse everywhere else in the US. I am sure Northwoodsgal will be riding, but maybe not too many of the rest of us! :(

[north woods gal]

Guilty as charged, Emily, though I didn't last too long, yesterday in the sub zero stuff. Had the roads and trails all to myself, though. :)

We are going to get above zero, today, so will try again. Been putting off doing the indoor thing with the trainer as long as I can, but I really do need to at least supplement this Arctic riding with some trainer time, at least.

Believe me, though, I would do just about anything now for some nicer weather. I'm crazy, but I'm not that crazy. For sure, already dreaming about spring and, up here, that's a long way down the road (typically late April or even May). Even 30 degrees would feel like a heat wave, now.

[ny biker]

Several club rides that were scheduled for New Years Day were cancelled in my area due to the cold. It looks like one ride was not cancelled; I know someone who was planning to do it so will have to ask if he actually went, and if anyone else was there. It was 10 degrees when I got home from a NYE party around 1:30-2:00, and 16-18 degrees for my entire drive from NY to Virginia with a lengthy stop to visit a friends in NJ. Significantly colder than average around here. (And did I mention that my car battery is showing signs of giving up the ghost, helped along by frigid temps and too many short drives with the defroster on? For the first half of the drive I had the heat and stereo off in order to make sure the headlights remained bright enough. Of course this sort of thing only happens on major holiday weekends.)

My friend in NJ did go out for a very brief ride, because she likes to start every year with a ride on Jan 1. A few days earlier she and her husband went out for a ride. They are both bike commuters and he does brevets, so they're not strangers to riding in adverse conditions. I suspect that a few other friends who are veteran bike commuters also went out for a short holiday spin.

I was just reading about the storm that is expected to hit the east coast later this week. Looks like Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and DelMarVa beaches are in its path. I am crossing all available fingers and toes that current forecasts hold and the storm stays east of DC. And am also hoping that Long Island is largely spared. It does look like the New England coast will get hammered by a winter "hurricane." And then we all get a blast of polar vortex for the cherry on top. Good thing I took my space heater out of storage.

And so as I said in last month's ride thread, I hope the books I got for Christmas will be good distractions for stationary cycling at the gym. Not sure which I'll start with -- I have a couple of novels that are set in the area where I grew up, plus Carrie Fisher's diary from her days filming the original Star Wars movie (which I still refer to as "the first Star Wars movie" -- never mind this new hope number four thing).

[emily_in_nc]

It is snowing and icing in northern Florida this morning. :eek:

Here in the greater Orlando area, we're getting a chilly rain with temps in the 40s and wind. Miserable. Supposed to go to 31-32 tonight, and we'll be under a freeze watch and a wind chill advisory.

I know this is nothing compared to what most of you are experiencing, but this is Florida, fergoshsakes! :rolleyes:

I'm currently waiting for a break in the rain so I can bundle up and walk to the gym.

[north woods gal]

Been following the weather reports and pretty spooky stuff for some areas. Take care.

[ny biker]

Have I mentioned that my current method of handling bad winter weather is to pretend it's not happening? So I am just not thinking about the imminent snow here. And continuing to hope that the worst of it stays east. The expectation is that tomorrow morning's rush hour will be a mess, because even a small amount of snow will freeze on the roads with such low temps. So I got the new car battery installed today and topped off the gas tank and I will hit up a grocery store on my way home tonight (late, so it probably won't be crowded but the shelves may be empty). And I will be prepared to stay home tomorrow. But I am still planning/hoping I will be able to go to work and then to the gym afterwards.

The temperature went all the way up to 33 this afternoon and it felt positively spring-like in the sun. I guess that's one benefit of the cold -- the next time it hits 40 it will seem warm.

But in the meantime, I hope everyone in the path of this "bombogenesis" storm stays safe and warm.

[Crankin]

I went on a hike with my bike club today. At 20 F at the start and 29 when we finished around 12:45. It did feel positively boiling out! But, it was a beautiful, bluebird day, with sun.
We are in the 8-12 inches zone for snow, so a snow day tomorrow. Unfortunately, Friday and Saturday will be a wind chill feel of -20 or so. Hoping I might get to the local nordic center on Saturday, but really, am targeting Sunday for a trip up to NH. I may try and go out and play in the snow during the storm, though, since it won't be that cold at 25.
Why are people lining up at the grocery store? Really, you don't have enough food for a day? The roads will be fine by Friday morning.

[ny biker]

If the forecast for this area holds, the roads will probably be fine in time for the pm rush tomorrow (which is why I still hope/plan to be able to leave my condo and go to work and the gym). But people here are crazy and they tend to panic at the mere mention of the word "snow." (Except for the ones who had no idea a storm was coming and who walk through a blizzard to buy necessities at the grocery store only to be shocked that the store is closed. These people somehow still exist.)

And snow storms down here are not handled as well as they are farther north. Even when there's a relatively small storm, it can take days for some residential streets to be cleared. And it can take a week or more for some areas to have power restored if high winds cause widespread outages. And then there are the school closings -- some counties will close the schools at the drop of a hat, because they don't want to be responsible for anyone being injured on icy roads or stuck on a school bus in an epic icy-road induced traffic jam. I mean, under the right conditions, a tiny amount of snow can lead to widespread gridlock that turns a 1-hour commute into 8+ hours of sitting in your car wishing you'd filled up the gas tank yesterday.



So, with a new calendar year I have been looking over the rides I did last year and deleting old rides from my Garmin. I had forgotten that I'd managed to get out for a couple of night rides last January. I don't know if it will warm up enough for that later this month, but I am cautiously optimistic that we will be able to get in a daytime ride or two on weekends.

[Crankin]

My first ride last year was on Wed., Jan. 4th. That sure didin't happen today!

[emily_in_nc]

My first ride last year was on Wed., Jan. 4th. That sure didin't happen today!

LOL -- I looked mine up too when I read your post. Last year it was warm here, and we rode Jan 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6th! Still hoping to ride this Sunday or worst case Monday. It's been seriously chilly and sooooo windy in central Florida. We have walked, but just can't face the wind on the bikes.

[ny biker]

Someone I work with went out for a bike ride last night. Temps were in the high 20s. He had hoped to ride on Jan 1 but it was about 20 degrees and he "didn't have enough clothes."

So we got 0.5 inches of snow. All the schools are closed. East of DC they got a few inches, with higher accumulations near the ocean. The combination of 0.5 inches of snow on my car and a cold wind did not make me happy but I had no trouble getting to work. The highways around here are clear, so I just need to be prepared for icy spots on neighborhood roads when I go home tonight. And the condo association did nothing to clear our parking lot so I will expect that to be icy until Monday when we finally expect temps to rise above freezing. Things might melt a bit when the sun comes out tomorrow but any puddles or slush will freeze up at night.

Meanwhile, local news in NY report 16" in my home town with heavy bands of snow still passing over the area. I'm still waiting to hear from family there. I also heard about 30 foot ocean swells off the NJ coast. And wtf in Boston -- motorists being rescued by boats due to flooding. Those must be some cold flood waters.

It is very windy today. I think it is expected to stay that way through Saturday. I completely agree with you Emily -- even if the temperature was higher I would not be planning a bike ride with these winds.

On the other hand, I have a couple of gift cards for the LBS so I might head there this weekend. I have one helmet that I use for daytime rides and another that I attached small lights to for use at night. After my last night ride I dropped that helmet. It only fell a few feet onto the pavement so it might be okay, but I had been thinking about replacing it anyway with a MIPS helmet. So this seems like a good time to go helmet shopping.

[Crankin]

There is flooding in the usual coastal spots, Scituate, Newburyport, Plum Island, the Cape and pretty much the whole south coast. However, we now have the ocean overflowing the Seaport District in Boston (a first) and several rivers, too, that are close to the coast. Also, one of the T stations is flooded, by the Aquarium.The snow is still going here in the NW suburbs, but winding down. We have at least a foot, probably 15 inches. It's powder, here, though. DH is outside, for a first pass at cleaning off our cars, so it doesn't freeze up. He just has nothing to do now that he doesn't have to snow blow and shovel! The guys who plow and shovel our little condo street have been by a few times.
I wasn't here for the Blizzard of 78, so I guess we are lucky that the storm is moving right out and up the coast. Apparently it got so bad in 78 because it was the same type of storm, which got "stuck" and stayed around for 48 hours. I was here for the No-name storm (A Perfect Storm) which demolished most of the coast, with just rain. It was bad out here, but my DH took my kids out to trick or treat. This is just one reason why I would never live within 10 miles of the ocean.

[north woods gal]

Single digits for highs, these last few days, but, yup, still riding. Really, though, it's not too bad, since I can bail out and be back inside in minutes. Be a lot more serious an issue if I was 15 or even 10 miles out and started have problems with the cold, or worse, a breakdown. I'll wait for more reasonable temps before I head out farther down the road.

I'm usually good for about 45 minutes to an hour in these temps, just fat biking around our trails and neighborhood roads, but it's still a good workout and it is every day. It's basically just enough to keep me in good bicycle shape, anyway, without having to resort to the indoor trainer. (Uugh!)

We've been in something of snow drouth these last couple weeks. What snow we have is getting thin, old and crusty, so the XC ski and, especially the snowmobilers, are crying the blues. The fat bikes actually like the hard packed, crusty stuff, though. Fly right along ... no waxing needed ... dirt's as good as snow ... even ice, no problem ... great winter riding machines, these fat bikes. :)

[ny biker]

My parents are only a couple of miles from the LI Sound but they are on a hill. I never met my grandfather, who had the house built when my father was 12, but he was in the merchant marine as a young man so I suspect he considered flood risk when he chose to live on higher ground. As it turns out, they only got 8" of snow with this storm (the reports of 16" were for a town in New Jersey with the same name as my hometown) but there was some flooding near the sound. The main risk for our family during floods is that it's not possible to go anywhere until the water recedes, and if things are really bad there would be no help from the fire or police department in an emergency.

Around here we're now just waiting for the cold air and wind to go back where they belong. It might actually warm up enough for a night ride later in the week, but the roads right now are white with salt, so regardless of air temp I will need a good cleansing rain before I can do much riding outside. All that salt is bad for the asthma. If we don't get rain, maybe next weekend I'll be able to take the mountain bike out, maybe on the C&O canal towpath.

So, today instead of a bike ride I did the next best thing and went to the LBS. I ordered this helmet in white...

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-accessories/bike-helmets/bontrager-velocis-mips-road-helmet/p/14897/?colorCode=black

...and used a gift card from Christmas to help pay for it. I was able to try it on in the store but they didn't have the color I wanted in stock there. It seemed pretty comfortable and I like that it comes with a removable visor.

[Crankin]

Why is the weather not cooperating? I am glad we will have some normal weather in the 30s for a few days, but Friday we leave for Franconia, NH for the long weekend and x-country skiing. It will be 36 and raining, even up there. Saturday, even worse, 27 and freezing drizzle. With a 2 foot base of snow, Saturday might be salvageable with good grooming, but with the freezing rain, ugh. It will be close 60 here on Friday, but pouring out, so, even if I was at home, I couldn't ride.

[ny biker]

Well it's still a week away, so things might change between now and then. For us it just says 40% or 50% chance of rain for Thursday-Saturday. Then colder again, though not as bad as this recent cold snap has been.

[Crankin]

We are thinking of rescheduling... the forecast is looking worse and worse. We have been going to this inn for years, so it hould be doable.


ETA:
OK, our friend (the male half) does not want to cancel, citing the strict cancellation policy... which we know they would make an exception for us. So we will take the "make the best out of it" attitude. Hopefully, our new snow shoes will arrive before we leave, as that is usually doable when skiing is not. They are scheduled to be here Wednesday.
At least, I will get to ski today and Wednesday.

On a cycling note, we have decided to do a semi supported trip of Prince Edward County, Ontario, this summer. We were getting frustrated deciding on other, bigger trips. We had thought about a trip to Santa Fe, but I don't do well at altitude and I don't want that to ruin something that is expensive. We will take our time driving up there, have our own bikes, and the company will transport our luggage and have emergency back up. We did a trip like this in Vermont and we really liked it.

[ny biker]

Sounds like fun. Planning spring and summer cycling is one of my favorite things to do in January and February. I was updating my calendar yesterday with some rides that I do every year (and four concerts that I have tickets to). I don't think I'll be doing any bike trips, though, not even an overnighter.

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, that does sound like some awful weather for your NH weekend. Sorry about that! Hope it will be better than expected.

It was finally warmer today, and I could have ridden (DH did), but it was so windy, and I had a long list of other errands/chores planned already, that I decided to wait until tomorrow. It will be in the 60s, still breezy but not as much wind as today. I can't wait! It is very rare for us to miss a full week of cycling due to weather, and we have just done so -- not a great start to the new year. But there will be lots more time to ride, and it could have been so much worse. It was 9 degrees again in western NC, where my mother lives, this morning. They have just had brutal temps, so we're very very glad we aren't there.

[north woods gal]

Glad to hear everyone survived the recent cold and snow. We got into double digits above zero, today, for the first time since Xmas. May even get to the freezing mark, this week. Feels like a heat wave compared to what we've had.

I did miss one day of riding, this week, with a cold/flu bug that hit me like a ton of bricks. Probably should not have done any riding until it was completely, gone, but, as always, I HATE being trapped inside the house all day, so did just a little riding after that first day for peace of mind, even though I shouldn't have. Rode strong, today, though. Trails are hard and fast - no new snow for quite a long time, now. Average speed on the trails is close to what I get in the summer.

I'm back in the saddle, again.

[ny biker]

Take care of yourself, NWG. I just spent the holidays taking my parents to doctors and picking up prescriptions after bad colds turned into bronchitis.

We will finally see temps above freezing tomorrow but are expecting freezing rain. (I don't want to be trapped at home -- would almost rather go to work and sleep in my office if I can't drive home. It's quieter at work, really quite pleasant after everyone else leaves.)

[north woods gal]

For sure, once your immune system gets compromised, it's open season for all kinds of bugs. I don't get anywhere near as many colds, though, now that I'm retired and home, more. I think it also helps to get outside every day.

That freezing drizzle stuff is the pits. May get some of that on Thursday, followed by snow. No word on how much, yet. 20s for highs the next couple days, though, so definitely prime snow bike weather. You know where I'll be. :)

[ny biker]

Highs in the 20s are a heat wave for you!

The forecast here is weird. Advisories for freezing rain over the whole area, with DC and the close-in suburbs expected to be affected during the pm rush hour. Some school districts closed and others closing early. Yet Weatherbug is only saying rain where I live, vs freezing rain in the area where I work. So I am working from home today. Still hoping I'll be able to get out tonight for an appointment with my trainer at the gym in DC. I typically deal with the noisy upstairs neighbors by not coming home until after they go to bed, and would prefer to get out for a few hours tonight while they are stomping around after coming home from work.

[north woods gal]

Been there, done that with the apartment living thing. No complaints, though. Sometimes it is the most practical living option in the city.

Up, here, though, the only things you'll hear at night might be the winds in the pines, an occasional owl calling or our neighborhood coyote pack having a good song session. This time of year, sometimes even get to hear the ice on the lake moaning and groaning. :)

[emily_in_nc]

Finally! Got out for my first two rides of the year yesterday and today -- woo hoo!

Yesterday: cloudy, breezy, shorts but two layers on top (wool for the top layer) and wore it the entire time. Legs were feeling it after 34 miles and eight days off the bike!

Today: Supposed to thunderstorm but just got a couple of sprinkles, mixed clouds and some sun, still very breezy but from a different direction, got away with shorts and two layers up top, the first of which was peeled off after an hour, so short sleeves for the last hour+ of the ride. Yay! 30 miles and legs felt really tired due to the ride yesterday.

So good to be riding again in 2018!

[ny biker]

Yay Emily!

Our weather is warmer, finally, but still very January for the most part, with icy roads and sidewalks on Monday, then fog followed by a brief daytime warmup in the sun, then colder again at night, now cloudy and damp and chilly, with warmer temps and rain on the way. And then it gets colder again for the weekend, though not as bad as the recent arctic blast. It might be possible to get out for a short ride on Saturday, but it looks like the temperature will drop throughout the day, and I won't be surprised if it will be windy as the cold front moves in. So I will look for an opportunity to get out but am not counting on it.

Meanwhile, I am planning to hit the stationary bike at the gym tonight. Boring but better than nothing.

[north woods gal]

Temps have been hovering in the 30s for a couple days, now. Not enough to do any serious melting, but still enough to change the hard packed snow from sub-zero sticky to warmer slick. Just to be safe, rode one of the studded tire fat bikes, today. Looks like we may be in for ice storm, too, so I'll probably be going with studded tires for awhile. :( They do work, though, and are especially useful for doing steep climbs on the hardpack or tight turns.

[Crankin]

Trying to keep track of the impending weather is driving me nuts. We've pretty much accepted our vacation this MLK weekend will be R&R!
But, today was lovely. I drove one hour and 10 minutes and met my friend at Northfield Mountain Recreation Area, a wonderful place, run by a power company. We've been going there for 6-7 years, and now our friends live about 30 minutes from it. As the name implies, most of the nordic skiing here is up, up, up, or down, although they do have some fields for skiing. Also, fabulous snow shoeing and hiking, as well as mountain biking. A few miles away, they have a boat launch and nature programs. We skied for about 3 hours total, mostly climbing and long descents. It was 20 when we started and about 33 at 1:15 when we finished. When I got home, it was 37. No wind and bright sun. Tomorrow is going to be 50.

[Geonz]

I *did* get out 1/1 because the busses don't run and ... I wanted provisions. So about 2 miles for the grocery run.

Then commuted the next Wednesday because it was 15 degrees in the morning and that was a heat wave... though going home there were some Not Much Fun tenth of a mile stretches where I had to take the lane 'cause of snow... wasn't bad, just wasn't the usual easy peasy.

Then... snow and ice and back on the bus... and it *wasn't* so bad that everythign was cancelled so I could chat w/ the regulars who know I"m a foul weather rider. Talked about singing and losing Willie SUmmerville an awesome gospel song leader last year and just doin' the people connecting thing. Yesterday's freezing fog ... but today FIFTY DEGREES! I even got out for two perimeter laps at lunch ...

... and I"m thinking of doing Calvin's CHallenge... which means I better turn on the afterburners...

[ny biker]

The 50 degrees reached us today. Right now would be perfect for a bike ride. Except right now is a work day. I'm sure my retired friends are in heaven, but not me. Not sure when the rain will start tonight -- TV news says pm commute, Weatherbug says later -- but it's irrelevant since tonight I am making up the session with my personal trainer that I canceled due to ice on Monday.

The latest for the weekend is that the cold air will hit very early Saturday morning. So it probably will be too cold for a bike ride on Saturday.

I have not gotten the indoor trainer out of storage because I was planning to have the new floors installed in my condo (finally) so I'm supposed to be putting things into storage, not taking them out. But the holidays made it really easy to procrastinate a bit longer with the floors, and now the earliest it would be scheduled is March. So I think I will take the trainer out of storage now. I rode 40 minutes on the stationary bike at the gym last night, which was okay, but the gym is too overheated for a good interval workout. (I am still waiting for someone to explain to me why gyms are always so overheated in the winter. Hello we are exercising! We provide our own heat! Think of the money you'd save on utility bills if you didn't have it so hot that I am sweating while standing still!)

[ny biker]

One more day of wintry weather and then better conditions are on the way. We got a dusting of snow today, but with temps below freezing the roads are all white with salt. So we are expecting good riding weather this weekend but I may still be stuck indoors if the roads are not clear by then. And with no rain in the forecast, they might not be clear. We'll see. Right now I'm coughing quite a bit just from driving on the salted roads.

In the meantime, the indoor trainer is sitting in the middle of my living room right now. I programmed the thermostat to not warm up my apartment tonight. So when I get home I will set the bike up and get in a workout.

[north woods gal]

Hope you can get out for a ride, N.Y.

One thing I really, really don't miss about bicycling in the city is the road salt. That stuff does nasty things to bike parts. They use sand on our rural roads, up here, instead of salt. That I can take.

My trainer sits ready and waiting for me to use it, if and when, but have managed to get outside and ride, even in some crazy cold weather, so haven't used it, yet. Yup, that's right. I'm still bicycling, daily, and have set a personal record for days of bicycling in below zero weather and the winter isn't even over, yet. To be sure, they are SHORT rides, but they are rides. :)

[Crankin]

It's going to be really warm here this weekend, like 50 or so. We got about 5 inches of snow today, but it was hovering at freezing, so not sure what the next couple of days will hold. The local nordic ski place says they'll be open tomorrow, not sure about Friday, when I am not working. I am tentatively supposed to meet my friend in western MA Friday, but I have to wait to get a better idea of the conditions there, about 65 miles west of here.
It looks like my choices this weekend will be riding or snow shoeing. I am afraid the roads will be a mess of melting snow and of course, I'd have to clean my bike... we will see.

[emily_in_nc]

We've had some chilly mornings here in central Florida lately, though afternoons have been nice. Since we prefer to leave on our rides no later than 10:30 am (traffic gets a lot worse later), we have to go when it's still chilly (to we wimps!) Yesterday we actually took off on a ride with temps below 60 (I know, LOL, for those of you in most of the US! :D) I was wearing tights, wool socks, base layer + Ibex jersey + wind jacket, and ear band. By the end of the ride, the temps had risen to 69, but I still had on all my clothes, though had vented at the neck. I would have peeled layers off, but the wind kicked up big time and was in our face for the return trip, so that made it feel cooler. This morning we had a freeze and are under a wind chill advisory with feels like temps in the 20s. :eek: High is to be 54, but that won't be until 3 pm or so. No riding for us today!

[ny biker]

NWG I am impressed!

Emily, I would have been dressed similarly. And yes that cold wind makes a big difference.

I rode 45 minutes on the trainer last night. The first 20 minutes flew by, and after that I couldn't wait to be finished. I was listening to my own music while watching the video of Coach Troy cycling in Lake Placid. It was my first time using this spinning video. I was hoping for beautiful scenery but most of the frame was pavement and Coach Troy, with just some pine trees around the edges. And somehow it was all down hill or flat. It's a long video since he was riding the bike part of an ironman course, so I'm hoping other parts are more interesting and challenging. Anyway I got in a decent workout, which was the whole point.

Still not sure what I'll do this weekend. Re: Crankin's point about having to clean the bike, I also hate having to clean up after riding in messy conditions. I take my bike to the shop once a year for a cleaning and tune up; I used to do it in January when they're not busy, but then was reluctant to ride outside in February and March when the roads tend to be a mess. So now I wait until March for the big cleaning.

NWG, how often do you have to clean your bikes, with all your winter riding?

[north woods gal]

I store the bikes in our cold room, so the temp stay below freezing, most of the winter. That means the snow and moisture never melts on the bikes, so cleaning is only needed, every now and then. Dry snow tends to be much easier on a bike than liquid moisture as long as it doesn't get a chance to melt. In really cold weather, it doesn't stick to the bikes, much, other than some on the tires. I do use a broom, though, to brush off any snow before bring the bike, indoors. Now, if I stored the bikes at room temp, I'd have to get pretty religious about wiping them down after every use in the snow, same as riding in the rain. They rust real quick after a ride in the snow if that snow gets a chance to melt.

The other reason for storing the fat bikes at cold temps is to maintain predictable tire pressures. This time of year, I usually run the tires at only 8 psi or so, sometimes even lower. One psi makes a lot of difference in the way the bike deals with the ice and snow and the way it handles. I usually check tire psi before every ride to match conditions. Higher psi makes for faster speeds and better handling, lower psi makes for better traction, but harder pedaling. Takes a special low psi gauge to be properly accurate and, of course, lots of experience as to what psi to use for given snow conditions. Tire design is also part of the equation. Some designs do better in some conditions, not as well in others. That's why I use several different fat bikes with different tires for snow riding. All in all, it's kind of the equivalent of knowing what wax to use on the skis for a given type of snow, though not quite as involved. Changing psi is a lot easier than waxing skis. :)

If I stored the bikes at room temp and set tire pressure when the tires are at room temp, I can actually lose enough tire pressure after the tires adjust to the cold air to drastically change the psi, even enough to cause a pinch flat on tires where I'm using tubes. (Ask me how I know.) Oh, yeah, snow biking is a very different world than regular biking.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, I would have been dressed similarly. And yes that cold wind makes a big difference.


Thanks! It's funny watching all the different levels of clothing people have on on our rides here. On the day I described above where we had all the layers, we saw people dressed like us and people wearing shorts and short-sleeves (brrrrr!) I am sure some folks who live here just don't own winter cycling wear, and some people just hate to wear it. I really hate bundling up for rides and much, much prefer to wear shorts and a single jersey on top, but I hate being cold!

Today is still up in the air whether it will be warm enough to ride by 11 am. We won't go if it's not 55 by then. If we miss today, every other day for the next week looks much milder, so we'll make it up later!

Sorry you're having to ride on the trainer, NY. We used to have to do that during the winter in NC, and anything over 45 minutes is excruciatingly boring and tough to me!

[Crankin]

I haven't been on the trainer since 2015... part of it is now my trainer would have to be in the unfinished basement, as opposed to a beautiful loft, with views of the trees. In 2016, I rode through the winter; it was warm. Last year, I rode at least once in January and February. However, I decided to substitute other outdoor activity. Even though I was doing all the winter sports before, hard sessions on the trainer interfered. I do go to a spin class usually once a week, but for now the only indoor stuff I do regularly is my 2x a week boot camp.
I need to be outside and feel the fresh air and light. Like today, I went to my class at 5:30 AM and then did a shorter hike on a local trail for about 45 minutes later in the day. Now I am ready for an afternoon of errands. My limit on the trainer is 30 minutes.
Everyone is different about riding in the cold, so yes, I also many different clothing combos. I tend to overdress, so now I am trying to live with being cold for a few minutes, or else I overheat. I sweat profusely and that, combined with cold is a bad recipe. Emily, what you wore would be my clothing for low 50s, high 40s and depending on wind and sun, maybe a short sleeved base layer instead. I usually have to bring 2 levels of head cover to deal with temperatures in the 50s, as well as gloves.
I find I have a much better attitude to start riding again in March, when I really take time away (Jan-Feb). But, we might ride this weekend, that is if my street is rid of ice and slush. The main roads are fine.

[Geonz]

I'm impressed w/ 45 on the trainer!

I *found* the trainer last night (well, my friend did... it was propped between a door and furniture so "lost in plain sight.")

50 degrees this a.m. and the storms were through in time for me to ride in... on the bike that the generator light doesn't work on because the Transport was so cruddified in the last 50 degrees and stormy episode that when it froze, everything froze. Even when it melted, it... has issues. It's at the shop to stick nuts in the basket holder, put on new rear brake pads (we talked about changing that wheel but... not yet... ) and general maintenance.

Yes, my stupid generator light blinks on if there's a big bump. I need to figure out which contact needs to learn how to actually contact...

... and I shall endeavor to clean this bike 'cause today is sloppy, too... at least a 3-minute swab down of the chain. I'm having serious "not enough bikes" with only my longbike (that I'm riding) and my 7500FX hybrid in Known Riding Condition.

I chatted up Larry Varney about getting one of his trikes but I'm not ready to spend 4K on a vehicle.


NWG I am impressed!

Emily, I would have been dressed similarly. And yes that cold wind makes a big difference.

I rode 45 minutes on the trainer last night. The first 20 minutes flew by, and after that I couldn't wait to be finished. I was listening to my own music while watching the video of Coach Troy cycling in Lake Placid. It was my first time using this spinning video. I was hoping for beautiful scenery but most of the frame was pavement and Coach Troy, with just some pine trees around the edges. And somehow it was all down hill or flat. It's a long video since he was riding the bike part of an ironman course, so I'm hoping other parts are more interesting and challenging. Anyway I got in a decent workout, which was the whole point.

Still not sure what I'll do this weekend. Re: Crankin's point about having to clean the bike, I also hate having to clean up after riding in messy conditions. I take my bike to the shop once a year for a cleaning and tune up; I used to do it in January when they're not busy, but then was reluctant to ride outside in February and March when the roads tend to be a mess. So now I wait until March for the big cleaning.

NWG, how often do you have to clean your bikes, with all your winter riding?

[north woods gal]

Winter storm starting this morning. Forecast is for 9" by tomorrow morning, so headed out right after breakfast to ride the trails before the snow got too deep. Even biked out onto the lake ice and did some riding, there.

Actually, kind of fun to ride in a snowstorm when you are only minutes away from your back door. Not so much fun, of course, if you have to ride in a snowstorm out of neccessity. Done that one, too, back in my commuting days.

Been doing so much riding in the snow, this year, that it seems like a lifetime, ago, when I was riding on dry trails in warm weather. If anyone has some current pics of their riding in warm weather, would sure warm me up to see them. :)

[rebeccaC]

Just commutes and urban riding for me…..we did have a good rain storm come through which made for two days of interesting commutes. Our storms are nicer than the other ones posted about this month :)…..50’s/60’s with even heavy rain is nicer than cold and snow...well, for me! Yesterday I rode into downtown L.A. for some photography and to spend time handing out personal hygiene kits (hand/face wipes, sanitizer, deodorant, lip balm, menstrual pads and tampons, also multivitamins and advil) to homeless women. The appreciation given is always an uplifting emotion!

nwg..here’s a photo from yesterday’s ride to show what downtown L.A.’s January is like :)

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4673/25977485298_8312b2a6f5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Fzxpky)

and of course a stop at salt and straw on the way home
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4620/25978250458_bb645ff32a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FzBjMY)


leaving tomorrow for some work in the mojave desert and that will give me a couple of good rides on some of my favourite roads

[emily_in_nc]

Salt and Straw...lucky you! Drooling...

We've had two wonderfully warm riding days with temps in the 70s even at the mid-morning starts! Amazing how much difference a 90-degree shift in the wind can make, though. Yesterday, SE winds made for a fast and fun ride, but today's SW bluster made our return trip a real slog, as we're pretty much heading NE out and SW back, in general (with some twists and turns along the way). Still, thrilled to be able to wear shorts and SS jerseys for two days, at least! Tomorrow is our laundry, gym, and errand day, and by Thursday, we'll be layering once again...such is winter in Florida. At least there's no snow or ice to contend with!

[north woods gal]

Thanks for the pics, rebecca. January and flowers. What will they think of next? :)

Our storm didn't quite live up to the forecasted 9" of snow. It was more like 5", but it was a very fine grained snow and driven by a strong wind. 5" of snow is still in the doable range for the fat bikes - usually - but this was nasty. Lots of fishtailing, even with my most aggressive tire bike. I might try some shoveling or even break out the snow-blower, but keeping up with Ma Nature as far as trying to clear trails is a losing battle for me and the hubby. Way too physical for both of us at our age. Looks like I'll be mostly fat biking riding our local roads after the plows have come through. Let them do the work.

I did use the fresh snow for some cross country skiing, though. At least the skis don't care about the snow depth, other than it takes a lot of work to break the trail, initially. With each pass, though, the skiing gets easier.

So, bottom line, looks like the rest of our long winter is going to be more of an equal mix between the skis and the bikes.

[ny biker]

I followed that snow storm on social media, as it hit the day a relative moved (i.e., drove his pickup truck) from Nebraska to Chicago. Fortunately the worse road conditions were farther north and he made it okay, with mostly rain. Then the storm passed through here yesterday, all rain, which was a good thing because it washed most of the salt from the roads.

I ended up with no bike ride last weekend. I did the women's march on Saturday, which was a beautiful warm and sunny day. Then I was going to go for a ride on Sunday but just couldn't get motivated. I have to learn a bunch of new IT-related things for work as quickly as possible, and I think that contributed to my preference to stay inside. Also it was cloudy and just cool enough to make me unsure as to how many layers of clothes I would need. And as Crankin said, not getting in much cycling in January-February helps me start out with a better attitude in March.

I do still need exercise, though, so will hit the indoor trainer again tonight. This time I will try a different portion of Coach Troy's Lake Placid video. But first I have more work-related training videos to watch.

[Geonz]

Well, today . it's a good thing to have spare sweatpants in the office cabinet, fortunately *two* sweatpants because it was 28 degrees on the ride home.
Tomorrow should get to 48 :-) Might get out for the lunch laps...

[rebeccaC]

I always enjoy being/working in the California high desert, especially with its closeness to the Eastern Sierra’s. I got a couple of good rides in this past week. When in the area my favourite is always the Sierra’s Whitney Portal Rd. It reminds me of the beauty of the French Alps. Few cars this time of year makes it even better. I rode along the base of the mountains and then Whitney Portal Rd into the foothills of Mount Whitney. Just 41 miles and 4700+ ft of gain but with many moments of taking in the medative calmness of the views and then just being in my body on the climbs. A needed balance to my usual urban riding…..

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4707/26043512158_b430c5cce9_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FFnNPG)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4710/39916441231_20b596f46c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23PhciZ)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4604/26043506788_d3d1cc0648_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FFnMe7)


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4754/39916440251_6ce6ec2704_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23Phc26)

And on the ride back down, views of the very different landscape of the high desert.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4663/26043510978_f39988d71e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FFnNtm)


When in the area I always stop at the Japanese WW2 internment camp at Manzanar. Lessons learned from the irrational fear/hate and ignorance of that time should be on more people’s minds in the U.S., now especially…….

The Manzanar cemetery obelisk which honors those who died while being held in the camp. The Kanji characters read ‘soul consoling tower’
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4673/39916442251_470e729c0f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23PhcBz)

[emily_in_nc]

What a beautiful place to ride, Rebecca. Unlike when most of us take pictures, your photographs really DO do it justice. Thank you, as always, for sharing your views and insights!

[north woods gal]

Plus one on your pics, rebecca. Wow! Oh Wow! Oh Wow!

We actually hit a hot forty degrees, yesterday. Got a little snow melting and didn't have to bundle up with the clothes to my usual winter extreme. Parts of our neighborhood paved roads are down to bare pavement, now. Almost forgot what it was like to ride on dry pavement. :) I do keep some of my backyard trails cleared of snow, thanks mostly to a snowblower and some shoveling, so yesterday was a combo ride of road and trail. Of course, I know better than to think we are anywhere close to being spring, but it sure was nice.

[Crankin]

Yup, it feels like March, and we even have the wind. Currently 51 degrees, but with sustained winds of 15 mph and gusts up to 30. So, no riding. Yes, I am a wind weenie. Did see a small group of riders I know out earlier this afternoon, and a couple of solo riders. We walked to the village for lunch, and back, around 4 miles. Plan to get out there tomorrow, even for an hour on the bike. Then, we are hiking with our son and granddaughter.

[rebeccaC]

Thanks Emily....nwg, thanks and happy to read of a warmer day for you!!!!

Being gone for a few days I want to be lazy and just be with alex today. We did ride to the farmers market this morning for veggie’s, fruits and cheese. Now a blood orange, tangerine, fresh burrata, spinach and arugula salad with toasted olive bread and a marathon of netflix’s black mirror with alex ftw :)

[emily_in_nc]

Yup, it feels like March, and we even have the wind. Currently 51 degrees, but with sustained winds of 15 mph and gusts up to 30. So, no riding. Yes, I am a wind weenie. Did see a small group of riders I know out earlier this afternoon, and a couple of solo riders. We walked to the village for lunch, and back, around 4 miles. Plan to get out there tomorrow, even for an hour on the bike. Then, we are hiking with our son and granddaughter.

We had wind like that on Thursday and Friday -- sustained were between 15-20 and gusts to 30. Crazily, we rode, but it was only fun when we had a tailwind, about 25% of the rides, and brutal hard most of the time. On both rides I had much lower than usual average speeds, no surprise! I guess a small benefit of riding in such wind is that today, when the winds were "only" in the 10 mph range (with gusts to maybe 15), I had a much faster average speed and felt so much stronger on the same route. What doesn't kill ya', right? :rolleyes:

[north woods gal]

Well, after all my best and most courageous efforts to keep riding in the snow, no matter what, I have to throw in the towel and admit defeat - at least, temporarily. Our midweek thaw melted snow on my trails, then froze back to glare ice at various spots in the trail. Slickest ice I've ever seen. Even the studded fat bike tires at their lowest psi dumped me, twice, this morning. No warning. Just instantly down. No injuries, though, thanks to falling in the snow and thanks to going deliberately slow, but when studded fat bike tires can't stay upright, time to head indoors on the trainer. Love my snow biking, but not enough to risk a serious injury.

[emily_in_nc]

Smart, NWG. So glad you weren't hurt, but glad you are smart enough not to risk injury on that ice. Spring WILL come, even in the north woods!

In the meantime, hope the inside trainer rides aren't too unbearable. Hang in there!

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. I really do hate riding, indoors, but I hate getting injured, worse and you know better than most of us how rough that can be. Did I mention that you're an inspiration to me in that regard? You really are. You get my vote for the tough cookie award.

Onwards to spring ... some day. :)

[rebeccaC]

You get my vote for the tough cookie award.

i want two votes....one for each of you :).....and it's not a defeat, it's wisdom :)

beautiful day here...middle 70's made for a nice ride to the office for a couple of hours of work

[Crankin]

Good choice, NWG. I take a pragmatic attitude toward activity at this time of year. As long as I am doing something, it's good. This mindset helps me to dive back into riding full time.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks, Emily. I really do hate riding, indoors, but I hate getting injured, worse and you know better than most of us how rough that can be. Did I mention that you're an inspiration to me in that regard? You really are. You get my vote for the tough cookie award.

Well, thank you! I am inspired by you as well. I could never ride in the conditions you face for most of the year. You are fierce!

And rebeccaC, you get a huge warrior vote from me as well. You have been through far more than I have, and your spirit remains so strong (as well as your body...those are some major climbs you do!)

This is one of the reasons I love TE -- inspiring women!

[Geonz]

Well, after all my best and most courageous efforts to keep riding in the snow, no matter what, I have to throw in the towel and admit defeat - at least, temporarily. Our midweek thaw melted snow on my trails, then froze back to glare ice at various spots in the trail. Slickest ice I've ever seen. Even the studded fat bike tires at their lowest psi dumped me, twice, this morning. No warning. Just instantly down. No injuries, though, thanks to falling in the snow and thanks to going deliberately slow, but when studded fat bike tires can't stay upright, time to head indoors on the trainer. Love my snow biking, but not enough to risk a serious injury.

Glare ice ... pretty impossible! Glad they were soft landings!! I rolled my eyes at our radio guy saying we might have a "few, light flurries." Sorry, dude, they're *sticking* -- that's at least "heavy flurries" :) Still, it was enough below freezing on the lightly traveled roads so it hadn't slicked up... I just got my Transport back from the shop w/ hydraulic brakes on the back and stopping is much much much much better than before w/ worn-out brake pads and crud in the cables :)

[north woods gal]

Thanks, all. The landings were in the snow because our snow depth is so tall (thigh high, now) on both sides of the narrow trails I've cleared, there's nowhere else to fall. :) Now, had I been riding out on the road, it would have been bad. Bouncing off pavement is not fun. Been there, done that one.

Yes, rebecca, you get my vote for tough cookie, too. Make it a double.

Might grab the XC skis and try out on the lake, today. Pretty safe skiing on the wide expanse of flats. I'll be outdoors and that sure beats sitting on the trainer, indoors. Have I mentioned how much I HATE being trapped indoors all day?

[ny biker]

Hello all. Catching up again. Those photos really are beautiful, Rebecca.

Last week I had planned to do some indoor training. That did not happen, due to working very late several nights. On Saturday I got out and enjoyed the 60-degree sunshine with a 35-mile club ride. We had some wind gusts but (a) they were from the south, much better than from the north this time of year!, and (b) the wind was not constant for our afternoon ride, whereas friends who rode in the morning reported steady winds during their entire rides. So we really had great conditions and were happy to be wearing vests and arm warmers in January.

My legs were not happy, though. I've only been off the bike for a month, but it felt more like a year. From the very first hill I felt a total lack of strength. I had ridden the same route back in October and I swear the hills somehow have grown since then. But everyone I rode with had been taking a winter break from the bike, so we all just enjoyed being outside instead of trying to hammer.

We had a rest stop at a park where a group of scouts were camping for the weekend. Apparently they do this every year, including years when we have lots of snow. Chapeau to them! They were planning an "Iron Chef" competition for dinner.

After the ride my legs were aching as I drove around running errands. Too much lactic acid. I usually only feel that way after long, challenging rides. So this was my inspiration to get more exercise while I wait for spring weather. I'm going to increase the leg exercises when I do weight training and will have to shift into a higher gear on the indoor rides.

[Crankin]

We wimped out because of the wind; I don't like it, but DH hates it even more. Next time he wimps out, I am going. We did walk our usual 4 mile RT to the village and had lunch. It rained overnight on Saturday and though it was warm, still, the roads were wet during the short time window I had to ride on Sunday. We went to my son's in the afternoon and brought hiking shoes for what I thought would be an easy walk on the trails by his house. So, me, DH, DS, and granddaughter in a very fancy backpack/carrier set out for what turned out to be a 3 mile hike around the local pond, with some small hills. There was still a bit of ice in places, but it was mostly just mud or hard packed. He lives in a much more urban area, and it kind of amazed me this was right there. We've been to the pond (it's a beach for the residents), but I had no idea there were trails. When we got to the end of the loop, a couple and their 2 kids were letting their younger son ride his bike around the lot. With no helmet. DH and DS begged me not to open my big mouth, so I didn't. But, it was hard.

[emily_in_nc]

I hear ya, Crankin. Whenever I see kids riding bikes without helmets, I feel like yelling at the parents, or at least speaking to them about it calmly. But beng unrelated, I keep my mouth shut. It is hard!

The wind bothers me more than DH. I think because I'm so light, I get blown around more than DH; he has more power to battle through the gusts. We skipped riding yesterday because it was in the low 50s with a stiff north breeze. So, I did laundry and went to the gym instead. Today looks to be in the mid-50s to around 60 with an east wind, not quite as high, so we'll pull on the tights and layers and get out there around 10:30. At least it's sunny!