May rides, may they all be wonderful

[north woods gal]

May day, today, and it's summer up here with temps in the 70s. All my trails are open, at last, and I'm riding trails I haven't even been able to see since last fall. Still some snow cover, but, I swear, I can see the snow disappear even as I watch it. :)

The last few days have been combo rides, with some neighborhood riding paved roads with my husband and then me going solo on the trails. The trails are all dirt, but still very soft and slow for riding, even in the dry sections. That will change as things continue to dry and I get things packed down a bit with my riding. All fat bike riding on the trails, so far. Keeps the soft trails from getting too rutted and way, way easier too pedal in the gooey stuff than a skinnier tire bike such as my 29 plus Surly Krampus. Can't wait for things to firm up and give the Krampus a good workout, though. Been riding fat bikes all winter. Need a little variety in my trail riding and the Krampus is a purebred trail bike, after all.

Have a great month, everyone! Let summer begin.

[emily_in_nc]

Wow, nwg, hard to imagine you having 70s up there -- what a change! So glad that you were able to ride some different trails. I hope your snow will continue to melt fast, though I know what mud season is, and it's not pretty.

Had a good May Day ride today on our usual route. A bit breezy but temps in the low to upper 70s over the course of three hours (same as in Wisconsin -- crazy!), sunshine, and continued low humidity, which won't last much longer here in central Florida! 36.3 miles on our ride, plus an extra mile or so cruising around the RV park on my cruiser bike later to take trash and go up to the office. Loving this weather!

[north woods gal]

Been another strange weather year, for sure. 70s for us is actually summer weather, not typical early May weather. We could still get snow. Have seen it, before.

I'm hoping to get out and do more road miles, this week, to give the trails a chance to dry a bit. Just wanted to ride a bit on the newly opened trails. One of my goals for this summer is to strike more of a balance between trail riding and road riding. I think both types of riding have their health benefits. I'm really more of an all around bicyclist at heart, anyway. Love all kinds of riding. Especially looking for more more gravel roads in the area to ride to add to the fun. Certainly have the bikes for them. Might sound crazy to you gals that have no choice but to ride in congested areas, but I also want to ride into our little town for some riding and shopping, maybe stop for a coffee, just noodling around. Be a nice change of pace to be around people and, yes, even some traffic, too, compared to my usual solo rides back in the woods or out on our lightly traveled rural roads where it's uncommon to see another bicyclist. Don't laugh, but I do get lonely out there on some of those rural roads. Sometimes a little spooked, too. Just me.

[emily_in_nc]

I get this, nwg. Although I relish light traffic days on the roads and bike paths, I also know what riding on deserted roads feels like. It can be a bit eerie at times, and as a woman, I remember a few rural solo rides where I felt a bit nervous when a pickup truck with a yahoo or two passed me. Only once I was harrassed, but it is a rather vulnerable feeling on occasion. Aside from that, sometimes it's just fun to see other cyclists out enjoying the same activity you are; there's a sense of camraderie. I always wave and/or say "good morning" to other riders here and notice that only about half reciprocate. But the friendly ones always leave me pedaling along with a smile on my face! :)

Our ride today will be a short one -- taking our Boston Terrier, Paisley, for a re-check at the vet in a few minutes. Did laundry all morning. Back to our usual longer rides tomorrow.

[Crankin]

I have experienced that scary, rural road feeling, too. We used to do a ride named the "Chicken Ride," as it went by a chicken farm. The ride starts on the edge of western MA, about an hour and 10 minutes from here. It's a really, really hard ride, but near the end, you are a road that is pretty flat to rolling and it feels like you are in the Deep South or Appalachia. Surprisingly, once you get just a little bit west of where I live, Massachusetts is very rural, punctuated by some small, older, industrial cities, or larger small towns, often around colleges or vacation areas. We were riding with our friends, and of course DH and the male half of our friend couple were ahead. I could not see them. My friend was far behind me. This was way before GPS; I had a cue sheet, andI knew they would wait at turns, but I got really freaked out when 2 guys in a pick up (of course) bearing right wing stickers and a gun rack pulled out of a ramshackle house, scaring me. They slowed when they got beside me and yelled all kinds of stuff. All I remember is when they yelled, "Nice azz!" When I got to the turn where DH was waiting, I told him, and it turned out they had yelled the same thing to DH and our friend! This was in 2005, so they may not have ever seen lycra. We still joke about this today.
Jealous of all of your riding. It's going to be 87 here today, but I had my colonoscopy this morning, so no riding today, or yesterday. Just starting to feel human, and I may go for a walk, before dinner. I will be out doing an early AM ride, when it will be in the 60s at 5:30 AM!

[north woods gal]

87 degrees, already? That's just nuts. Oh, I can handle 87 if I have time to adjust, but we just had a major snowstorm only a couple weeks, ago. Right now 60s feels hot.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with being harassed and your feelings about riding solo in remote places. It does make me feel better to know that I'm not being too sensitive. I do think a woman traveling solo in a remote area is vulnerable. A few years, back, when I was getting back into trail riding, I did a lot of trail riding back in a remote area not too far from us. Honestly, I could travel miles down logging roads, far from access roads, that hadn't seen a footprint in years. Just finding me if I ran into trouble would have been a challenge. Exciting and neat to be in such unspoiled places, but than I would stop and ask myself what an old gal like me was doing all alone in such places. Really not smart. It also violated one of the basic rules of wilderness travel about never traveling alone. Finally got to me and I called it quits on those kinds of rides. Wonder Woman I am not.

My solution was to build my own trails right at home on our property. Not as "adventurous, to be sure, but so much safer. Would love to go back to those remote places, but not going to do it solo if I do.

[rebeccaC]

nwg....no no....you are a wonder woman!!!....i thought we settled that already...
I’m picky about the rural roads I ride and my favorite long isolated ones just have a way of making me happy even when alone. I prepare well for personal safety and communication issues but I’ve haven’t needed it so far, mostly cuz of the roads i can pick...well maybe some faith as a backup too. I had more initial worry about biking and photographing in south central and east L.A. but found in that kind riding just stopping and interacting with people in an open and honest way is a big asset. I can also understand the reluctance of others too though....now getting nasty stuff said from a vehicle and once a breast grab has only happened to me in very urban riding.


Shelia, hoping something simple like exercises for and massaging your trapezius muscles helps.....in anycase it’s good for supporting the neck/head when riding.

Still solely on the fixie and just urban riding. Having the pedalling imperative focusing attention on fluid and smooth leg movements, especially on downhills, will help in my climbing too....plus track stands are easier now :)

Too many work and volunteer commitments have ended weekend riding for a couple more weeks. :(

[Crankin]

I had a wonderful very early AM ride this morning. Went to bed early (even early for me) and DH and I were out the door by 5:15 am. It was actually still a bit dark. I usually do these rides alone, so it was nice to have company. We chose a route that would take us across the highway that splits my town, around the perimeter of Concord Center, and back through West Concord. Only 10 miles, but flat except for a small hill in there beginning. This is sort of like the first early AM rides I did from my house on the other side of town, without the added thrill of having to climb the 10-13% grade to get home! It was a fast pace for me, especially at that time day, but I felt better we we returned. Pollen counts through the roof and the air quality is a bit off, too. I took my inhaler, as a precaution.
It's going to thunder/rain this afternoon, so I won't commute. Tomorrow, probably ride to the gym and to work, because it's going to be a repeat of thunderstorms in the afternoon, so I won't be able to ride when I get home at noon.
North Woods, 87 is about 15-20 degrees above normal for this time of year. We took the cover off of the AC compressor when we got home, so it will be cool when I get home from work. It's really humid, today, also, and was already 70 when we got home from our ride around 6 AM.

[emily_in_nc]

Just heard on the Weather Channel that NYC was 90F yesterday. Much hotter than here in Florida; we were something like 82! So, I can see why you're getting such above-normal temps, Crankin. I suspect they won't last for long in New England.

We are supposed to hit 90 here in central Florida for the first time this year tomorrow. I am not looking forward to it. We've had really nice weather for the past month-ish. Still not too humid or hot, but that is about to change. It's May now, so not at all unexpected. This is the latest we have stayed in this area (due to my orthodontia), and I'm not really looking forward to it, but hopefully I'll be acclimated. And at least there's a very nice pool for cooling down after rides!

[north woods gal]

Sheila, good for you on the road biking. I really like the idea of mixing things up on the types of biking, but not sure I'm up to contorting my body back and forth between flat bars and drop bars, anymore. These old joints get achy enough when I wake up in the morning. :)

My sister-in-law in Philadelphia reports 90 degrees, too. Were in the 70s, again, but that is also well above normal for us, too. All but a few isolated patches of snow are left, now, but it was only three weeks, ago, that we had the biggest snowstorm of the year with over two feet of snow still in the ground. About the fastest I've seen the snow disappear. Have to wonder what summer will bring.

Star is having a hard time adjusting so rapidly to the unusual heat. She still has her winter coat. She did find one lone mound of snow, though, and rolled in in it, giving herself a snow bath. Border Collies don't do well in hot weather so I halve to keep an eye on her..

No precipitation for awhile, now, so my trails are drying out, nicely. Did combo ride just short 20 miles, today, spaced out over several sorter rides on different bikes though out the day. Half road and half trail work. Best ride of the day was with the Surly ECR on a very rough and sand/gravel road. It's a nearby local road, though, not at all isolated, with several homes along it, so I feel very safe riding it. Nice practice road and a lot of fun to ride, because it changes all the time. Never know what to expect. It would swallow a skinny bike, even a drop bar gravel bike or a cyclocross bike, but the ECR just took it in stride. No fishtailing at all, even in the deeper sand sections. That bike is just about unstoppable.

Happy to report that we heard our first frogs singing, today. Our north woods are famous for spring frog orchestra music. In a couple weeks it will be almost deafening at night. Real north woods treat. Even better, a loon on our lake had been calling at night. Nothing for me is quite as beautiful and dreamlike as the call of the loon on a calm night. Such primitive beauty. If you've never heard loon music, your really missing something.

[Crankin]

Yes, the sounds of the "peepers" in our wetlands is deafening after dark. They were a little late in getting started this year, but they are full blown now.
So,the forecast looked like it would be raining both at the time I go to the gym and to work. But, I got up at 4:45 and saw it wasn't going to rain until 7, so I rode there, with my rain jacket in my bag (the class is over at 6:30 and it takes me 8 minutes or so to ride there). No rain, though. When I got home, I looked at the radar and now it looks like the rain is all south of here. It's warm, cloudy, and humid though. I will be riding to work in about 45 minutes, with the same strategy. If it's not raining when I leave at noon, I will take a longer route home, so I'll have 10 miles for the day.
Planning on a long ride tomorrow, where, I don't know.

[emily_in_nc]

nwg, I have only heard a loon maybe once in my life, other than on TV. I agree -- what a haunting and goosebump-inducing sound. I do envy you that!

When we lived in the woods in NC, we built a small garden pond, which the peepers found pretty quickly. It was under our master bedroom window, and on what we called "party nights", the peepers were deafening, and we'd have to wear earplugs. I loved hearing them, but not when I had to be up for work the next morning!

[Crankin]

Well, I can't sleep with the windows open, or I'll be in allergy hell. So, I don't hear the peepers in my bedroom. If the AC isn't on, I have the ceiling fan on, to keep me cool. It went on last week, and won't go off until the beginning of October.
So, it was spritzing very mildly when I rode into work. I wore my rain jacket, but I am not sure I needed to. I was sweaty a bit. It was actually raining when I rode home, but not enough to make me call my DH to come get me. It was a steady light rain, and because it's about 80 and humid, it wasn't bad, with the jacket. For 3 miles, I can stand it. I didn't take the longer way home, but I did take a loop around the village shopping area, which added about a mile. One good thing was, one of the streets I take on this loop was finally patched in several places. There were deep cracks and pot holes, going in the other direction, on a downhill, and some in the direction I was going. It's a pretty street, so I am glad it's fixed.
Last year I bought the Terry transit dress; I wore it to ride to work a few times, as well as just wearing without riding. I got so many complements, I bought the new Transit tunic/sleeveless top and wore it today, with regular leggings. Again, tons of compliments, and it wicked well in the humidity, while riding.

[north woods gal]

Glad to hear that others enjoy and/or endure frog music. :)

Crankin', your reports on commuting bring back so many memories of my commuting days, especially my commuting days in Chicago. I enjoy reading them. Uncomfortable humidity is one thing I haven't had to deal with this spring, yet, but it's shaping up to be a hotter than average summer for us, so it's probably coming.

As for me, having a ball riding my trails. After such a long winter, riding my trails without snow on them is almost like riding new trails. Still holding true to my combo riding goal of mixing up trail work with road work for the sake of being a better and more versatile rider, even though my heart is mostly in trail riding, right now. Figure for every mile of trail work, I'll do two miles of road work on a given day. So far, it's giving me a nice, but not exhausting, daily workout. The miles should pile up over the summer, though I may or may not keep a log. Haven't decided. The old mountain biker/utility biker in me just says get on the bike and ride. Forget the techy detail stuff. :)

[emily_in_nc]

Just to clarify, we heard the peepers even with the windows closed! And they were high-quality dual-paned windows, but the pond was right outside them, and those guys were deafening during mating season!

Did our usual ride yesterday (35 something miles), plus a few short jaunts around the campground on my cruiser bike to take trash and pick up a package in the office. Today is a day off from cycling, but we did do our usual long market walk this morning.

Happy Cinco de Mayo, all! We bought freshly made chicken tamales at the Mexican grocery store, and DH is making pico de gallo and chili beans. Yum. We would do this even if it weren't May 5th; it just happened to coincide with our planned dinner for the night.

[Crankin]

Yeah, I am lucky the wetlands are in back, and our bedroom is in the front!
I make Mexican food all of the time. It was so hard to find Mexican restaurants when we moved here from AZ, it was serious withdrawal. Now, though, we have some great places. Decided to skip the Cinco de Mayo stuff at a restaurant, though, as my granddaughter is sleeping over, so I am making a pasta dish that she will eat. I might not be adverse to making some guacamole, though!
We did a just under 30 mile ride (29.6), which was very hilly. First time up Oak Hill this season. We really went slowly, not that I can do a 4 mile climb fast, but I just wanted to enjoy the gorgeous weather. I started out with arm warmers, but before the climb, at mile 10, I took them off. We stopped at the Harvard General Store, which is a huge meeting place for cyclists. It is quite nice now, with really good gourmet sandwiches and other goodies that I would not have on a ride, like wine and beer! We split a vegetarian sandwich with sweet potato and avocado, along with half a Lara Bar. We sat on an old stone wall outside and did some good people watching; a group of cyclists, obviously from a university were there. There were a few older people (professors?), and some unusually kitted out younger people. One guy rode up on a single speed Schwinn, with post cards in the spokes. I guessed they were from MIT...
After lunch, we took the shortest way home, though we had almost 15 miles left. We rode through our old neighborhood in Boxborough. The bushes my DH planted with my younger son, when we moved there are huge! The house was sold a couple of years ago, and it looks like a family is living there now. The guy who we sold it to was a Jerry Garcia look alike; one day when I came home from work on my bike, he was sitting on my front steps! He was deciding whether to buy or not, but I was like WTF? Turns out he was a very rich guy from Microsoft, whose kids lived in the area with his ex, so he wanted a house they could stay at with him and get to school. We kind of regret our impulsive move to Concord, but... wonderful memories.
Not sure if I will ride tomorrow, on and off rain is predicted.

[emily_in_nc]

Sounds like a good ride, Crankin, and the sandwich sounds delicious! It's always weird to go by places we have lived before. I tend to get very nostalgic and remember only the good when I look back. We have discussed many times that we may have made a huge mistake selling our lovely home on 11 acres in NC. It was such lovely setting, so quiet (except for the peepers! :D) We have had so many interesting experiences and travels since then (2010) though, I think it was the right thing to do at the time. We needed a change, as we'd lived there for ten years, the longest we'd lived anywhere. But if we could buy it back now, we would. Unfortunately, prices and taxes have risen so much that we couldn't afford it even if it were on the market. That makes me sad; to think that we had it once and could not have it now. Ah well...we have good memories, and they will have to do.

We had buckets of (needed) rain pretty much all day yesterday, so I am hoping the roads and bike path won't be too wet today. The morning sun is shining brightly, and it looks like a dry, sunny, hot week here in central Florida!

[north woods gal]

Interesting thoughts on the traveling and home, Emily. My husband and I sometimes talk about getting a second place in a warmer climate to escape our winters, as somefolks up here, do, but then we just chuckle and shake our heads. As rough as our winters can be, we actually enjoy them and understand that they shape our north country. Heck, they shape us, too, in their own way. Would like to do more traveling, though.

Speaking of rain, we've now had over three weeks of continually dry weather with no significant rain. That's been a blessing for the sake of all that snow melting and no floods, but our woods are now getting so dry that I'm getting a little concerned. Talk about bouncing from one extreme to the other.

The dry weather has been good for my trails, though. They're ready for a summer of hard use. This summer, I hope to build some jump platforms for some of my downhill runs that will allow me to get both wheels in the air. Have to question my sanity to do such a thing at my age, but, then again, I only have so many years left to do such daring things, so we'll see.

[Crankin]

Emily, the one good thing from selling that house was that it's the only one where we made a lot of profit! The guy who bought it from us sold it for less than he paid for. Our decision was all about the aftermath of when my son enlisted. We had toyed with moving to a victorian, but when we looked, we thought nah, too much work to remodel! As it was, the house we bought needed way more remodeling than that victorian, which is now beautiful and right in Concord center... selling a contemporary home on a steep hill was not a fun thing.
I didn't ride yesterday, it rained lightly all day, and my granddaughter was here until 2. I did go out and walk for about 2.5 miles when she left, but I got wet for part of it.

[north woods gal]

Rain and cooler weather moving in, later in the week, so have been riding a lot.

Been thinking of trying a single speed bike. Have never had one, so for the sake of experimenting, I've been riding my Krampus on our trails in specific gear combos via the 30 tooth chain ring in front and selected gears in the back on the cassette and then calculating gear inches. It's been a fun experiment to see what would and would not work for me on my trails or out on the street. Pleased to report that if I stand to pedal in my climbs I can manage with the current single speed gear options available, though on most factory single speeds, the gear ratios are still too high, so I would need to change out to a slightly larger rear gear. Not off by a lot, but even two or four teeth on the rear gear can make a big difference on a single speed.

Anyone else riding single speed? Would appreciate input.

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Sheila. Good info. For my trails, I'm going to need a 30x20 or 30x22 if I want to climb the steepest sections, though, I certainly don't have to ride those sections. Still have a lot of easier rolling sections, so could get by with a bit higher gearing.

Been looking on the net for ss bikes in steel. So far, have found the Surly Karate Monkey ss (a 29er) and the All-City Log Lady in 27.5. Can you believe that name? Log Lady? Yup, that's me, the Log Lady. :) Fortunately, one of my guys at the bike shop is a single speed addict, so I can get plenty of help.

Looking like an all day rain, tomorrow. May use the time to catch up some housecleaning. We don't get many visitors, so we tend to let the clutter accumulate. Oh, well.

[rebeccaC]

nwg… I’m a simple woman when it comes to bikes, my gear acquisition syndrome is photo oriented. My fixie is a used older Bill Davidson built lugged steel road bike converted to 39/16 for my urban path/road rides and moderate climbs……. Bike path, 3 am, moving with a relaxed, loose fluidity into the quietness of a moonlit night, city streets with precise and quick speed adjustments/movements…….both making me feel connected to the bike in a flowing way. At first it was about discovering something new…..now it’s just about feeling efficient, focused, balanced and having fun.

Rode Caryl rd, on my way home tonight, a wild geranium show and the Poplars beginning to leaf made it even more pleasant.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/956/27120548007_8e7a456425_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HjxU4i)


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/966/40182991720_74c03c915a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24dQku5)


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/912/27120548347_43b573009a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HjxUaa)


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/950/41989662571_a8c1d50f23_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/26YtZMv)

[north woods gal]

Rebecca you are as talented with your prose as your photography. As always, your posts are such a treat. Thank-you.

Yeah, I have the single speed bug, now. Been coming a long time, though, given my love of keeping things simple and steel bikes. I may have to sell off one of the other bikes to finance it all, but one thing for sure, if I do sell a bike, it won't be one of my steel babies. That, and if I do buy another bike, it will be steel and only steel.

I remember back in my Chicago days when I was trying to find a good used Kona Kilauea (classic steel MTB from the 90s) and how I had to fight off all the single speed fans who were avidly buying up this bike model to convert to a single speed or fixie. Felt it was my duty to rescue one of these from that crowd. Looks like I'm one of them, now. :) Not that I'm going to touch or change a thing on my Kona. No way. Me and that bike have way too much water under the bridge, together. Can't even begin to describe the sentimental value. My old steel Kona my be outdated and oh so retro, but it still rides like a dream and drowns me in memories every time I climb aboard.

https://s7.postimg.cc/glnbqa517/P1090392.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Crankin]

I am getting very lazy about driving more than a few miles for a group ride. Although the group ride is one I love, I am not going to drive 25 miles in rush hour traffic for it. But, I had a great, albeit shorter ride, after I forced myself to move my winter clothes down the basement and brought up my summer stuff. Wasn't sure where I would ride, but I ended up doing a loop around Hanscom AFB/Airport, and then, on the way back I just went about half a mile out of my way to stop and take a picture of the Concord River, over the bridge just outside of the town center. I used to ride this road many times a week before I moved to my condo.
It was 64 when I started, and the temperature must have gone up quickly, because I was on the edge of feeling too hot and thinking I should have worn a sleeveless jersey. It's 78 now. Just gorgeous and sunny, but I think there must be some humidity coming in. So my ride was only 17.25 miles, but it was my fastest solo ride this year, which is good. There's one hill and then another annoying shallow sort of grade, somewhere between a false flat and a climb on the way back. It's on a main road through Minuteman National Park, it's always busy and the shoulder is always full of debris, but it is not that long.
The dreaded yellow dust (pine pollen) has arrived. I am not allergic to it, but it gets in your mouth when you ride. My car is totally covered and it's useless to clean it, as this lasts a couple of weeks.
The picture is going the wrong way!!! Oh well. Turn your computer around.

[north woods gal]

You're ahead of us on the trees leafing out. Ours are still in the bud stage, but, of course were at a higher latitude. Lovely scene, though.

Been riding a variety of my bikes on the trail, same as always. I find the differences between the bikes as to how they ride and handle to be interesting. Adds a bit of interest to riding the same trails all the time. Yesterday, I was on one of the Norco fat bikes after riding my 29 plus bikes with their 3" tires all week. Those big 4.8" tires on the fat bike make a huge difference in riding comfort on the trail. They soak up so much of that trail chatter and they really smooth out the big bumps. I especially appreciate that when riding over the big rocks. Those big fat tires aren't quite a substitute for suspension, but they're close enough for my riding and make riding a rigid bike (my preference) all the more doable.

[Crankin]

I rode to the gym this morning, and I think the may be it for me. Woke up feeling kind of weird, but went anyway. It is beautiful out, about 60 and breezy. It's just about fully light at 5:15, now. I thought I was OK, until about halfway through the class, she took us outside. I kind of lost all of my energy and muddled through, usually I love this break in the routine. My speed on the way home was less, to say the least. Got home, showered, and had a series of unfortunate events, ripped shirts, things falling on my foot, as well as the point of the cabinet door slamming into my forehead. Thankfully, my 9 am client cancelled and I have an extra 45 minutes at home.
I have a busy weekend and was hoping to do a ride this afternoon, after work and grocery shopping, but I probably will not. Tomorrow is our AMC Leaders' ride and party, but the forecast is for a cold rain, starting in the AM and lasting all day. So, I might get a rest day instead of a ride, but we will still have a party. Mother's Day looks good, and since we are not celebrating until dinner, Sunday should be a great riding day.

[north woods gal]

Hope you're feeling better for the weekend, Crankin. A pleasant ride would make for a nice Mother's Day. That's my plan, anyway.

Cool and windy for us, these last couple days with highs in the 50s. Don't mind the temp, but that wind always kicks in my allergies, this time of year. Huge improvement living, here, though, compared to living in farm country as I have most of my life. My allergies really knocked me for a loop in that environment.

Well, I think I'm ready to give a single speed a try for my trail riding. My local guy recommended a 30 up front and a 20 in the rear for riding our constantly up and down trails, in our area, especially considering that our trails are all laced with a few really steep climbs along the way, not to mention soft spots with sand. He's right. My Krampus has a 30 in the front, so I've been setting the rear cog at 19 teeth or 21 teeth and giving it a try. Whoa! Talk about workout, but it's a doable workout. I can just crest my steepest climbs, standing in the pedals all the way in the 19, but the 21 is just a touch more manageable. Not much, but it's noticeable.

Overall, sticking with one speed for trail work has been a real adjustment in my technique. It's not just the need to stand in the pedals to climb, it's adjusting to making the tight twists and turns along the trail without being able to drop a gear or two to make the turns. With that gear combo, there's very little spinning I can do with my pedaling on my trails. Even on the flatter sections. I never get a chance to get up to spinning speed before hitting a twist or something to dodge or climb. It's all power pedaling, now. Also, one speed makes my approach to each section a bit different than with the geared bikes. Lots more planning ahead and getting up to speed before I hit the steeps. All in all, going with one gear has been a fun experiment and I do think it's made my more aware and a better rider. For sure, it's made me a STRONGER rider. I can feel it in the legs in the morning. :)

The same gear combo still works on our neighborhood paved roads, by the way, given that our roads are also all hills. Will try more road riding in that gear combo a bit farther out to see how it does, though. The experiment continues.

[north woods gal]

We were all set to walk into my local bike shop and plunk down $1500 on the new All-City Log Lady single speed. Thought it was a done deal after all my hard work keeping notes and collecting data and riding single speed all week. The shop was a little busy, so while waiting my turn I wandered into the used section. You guessed it.

Against all odds, there was a very lightly used steel custom built single speed 29er. It's a Gunnar Ruffian (hand-built steel custom frame made by Waterford, here in Wisconsin). All highest end parts on the build, too. Basically a $5000 build, but we got it for less than half. Owner had other bikes he wanted to finance. Bike has barely 100 miles on it. Quality-wise, it'll be the best bike I've ever owned. Could have paid $1500 for a new Log Lady or $2150 for this one. The Gunnar frame, by itself, costs $1500. No brainer.

Having it outfitted with new Racing Ralph tubeless tires and checked over. Will pick it up in a few days. Gearing wise, it's identical to the Krampus, which I've been riding successfully in one gear all week, now, so I was ready to take the plunge. Never figured to get something like this, however. More details to follow after I get the bike home and start riding.

[Crankin]

That sounds nice, Northwoods! You are a stronger person than me... I am much too lazy for a single speed. Although, I came to a realization about how relative strength is last week, when I saw my neighbor struggling to get her bike in the back of her Subaru. I generally don't talk to anyone in my condo, but she clearly needed help. So, I noticed she was trying to do this without her rear seats down, because she has her grandkids' car seats permanently in there. Her bike was not that big, so I showed her the correct way to lay the bike and I knew we could get it up, over the top of the seats and then bungee the hatch, for her to get it to the LBS. She could not even lift half the bike, so I did it myself and she was amazed. Now, the bike is not a lightweight like my Silque, but it's not super heavy, either, being a nicer Trek hybrid. Anyway, it was an eye opener, as this woman is around my age and does not look totally out of shape.
I did get out for a super short ride at around 7:30 AM. The rain hasn't started yet, but I was back to wearing tights and a head cover at 49 degrees. I feel better than yesterday, as I broke down and took a Claritin, but not as good as I felt when I rode Wednesday. I discovered that a whole section of road is being repaved and is all grooved pavement on a road that I frequently use for these short rides. It's also on the beginning part of our bike rally route on June 2nd, so I hope it's paved by then. It was fine to be out in the middle of the road at 7:45 on a Saturday morning, but it won't be fine for a group, going up a hill!
Our leaders' ride was already cancelled, but we still have the party at 4 PM.

[north woods gal]

Neat article, Sheila. Thanks. Jives with everything I've been told, locally. Also matches up, nicely, with all my ss experimenting, this week. Managed just short of 50 miles of combined trail and road work, this week, all in one gear! Oh, yeah, I am ready to take a break and do a little shifting, for now, but what a great learning experience it's been. My legs know it, too, but am so pleased to discover that I can manage it and, more importantly, I can do the single speed thing with a reasonable amount of comfort/challenge. That was my biggest concern. Worried that I was biting off more than I could chew.

Be sure to double check those specs on the Ruffian. You have to goo to the 29er version at the bottom of the list and check in the 19" (medium size). The frame stack on the 19" Gunnar is actually slightly higher than on my medium Krampus. The frame reach is similar, too, but the actual handlebar reach on the Gunnar with the way the owner had it setup is, as usual, too long for me. He had a 90mm stem on the bike. I'll be going with a shorter stem, right away, when I pick up the bike from the shop, first of the week. Same old, same old for my short reach.

Crankin, enjoyed the story. You're so right about how we riders sometimes overlook just how fit we are compared to all those people out there that don't exercise, regularly. As for me being stronger, well, thanks, but I doubt that. About the only thing I'll say is that I'm a strong rider for my age, but I really have to work at it. I'll be 68 in a month. Most 68 year old women stopped riding bicycles, long, ago. I'm determined to never stop riding, no matter how old I get.

Hope the allergy thing doesn't get you and our other riders, down, too much. Been a tough allergy week for me, too. Any wind at all and my eyes start to puff up and itch. That time of year.

[Crankin]

Our leaders' party was fun and DH and I are going to lead 1/3 new type of rides to lure AMC members who have not ridden with the bike committee, i.e. either new people, or hikers, skiers, paddlers who ride, but not with us. The lure is they get a free lunch! If we don't get enough people to sign up who are new, we can open it up to others who have ridden with the club. We'll see how this works. Now I have to figure out a new route that is about 20-25 miles long.
Today started out cold and cloudy, really raw. At the party, I made plans to ride with one of the other women, who is the girlfriend of a man who DH and I mentored. He is recovering from knee surgery and DH is down with a cold and injuries from, well, a very stupid accident that could have been horrible. He's had a bad week! So, at first my friend and I were going to do a 25 mile ride, but even though we knew it would be clearing, we opted for an 18 mile ride from her house. They live really close, but I drove there, with my bike. She is a very strong rider, but she hasn't been out much; also hiking is more of her first sport. But, she definitely has slowed down. It was coolish when we left, but by the end, I had my head cover off and wished I was wearing a vest, not a jacket and had brought short fingered gloves. But, I unzipped and was fine. Although the ride was not on any roads I don't usually go on, it was mostly in the opposite direction, so it felt different. It was quiet out at first, but then, more riders and cars. I am glad I went, it was fun.
Leaving for Mother's Day at my son's around 5:30. I cooked and made the dinner, so when my DIL gets home from work, it will be ready. I just spoke to my other son. He leaves for Ranger training on the 22nd, so he is in Philly, where he will leave my DIL and granddaughter for a couple of weeks, so she won't have to spend 8 weeks alone. Thinking I might get down there before she goes back to GA.

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, I hope your DH will be okay. Sorry to hear that he is down for awhile! A bike accident?

We had four good rides last week (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri) of around 35-36 miles each. On Friday I felt especially strong. I almost always take off Saturday/Sunday because of how busy the trail is and needing to do other things (laundry, shopping, work out in the gym, long walks, etc), but looks like this week we'll be lucky to get in any rides, as a tropical-looking thing has settled in over Florida, bringing lots and lots of rain. It has been raining since last night, and I am dreading having to take the bus to my orthodontist appointment in an hour. We haven't had many rainy days at all this year, so I can't complain, but just wish it weren't today. One of the downsides of living car-free! They say we could get 3-6" of rain over the next few days. Now I really wish I had ridden yesterday, as it was cloudy but not raining, but I had planned on laundry and the gym, and I just didn't think it through. Oh well.

[north woods gal]

Speaking of tropical weather, Emily, read that the NWS is predicting another bad hurricane season, this year, at least on a par with last year. Hope you don't have to deal with that.

My bike shop's been very busy, as you might expect for this time of year. That means my new single speed won't be coming home, today. Poop. Oh, well. Did a some trail and road miles on one of the geared bikes in one gear to practice. Unusually hot for us at 80 degrees. Star was showing it. Border Collies don't do well in heat. Have to keep an eye on them in hot weather.

[Crankin]

Emily, no it was noting to do with a bike accident! First, he's been getting PT for a back issue that is getting better. Then, he was not paying attention going down the stairs and he messed up his foot. That is slowly resolving, though walking hurt more than riding. Then, he caught a really bad cold from our granddaughter the weekend before this past one. Both she and our son had been really sick. But, then Wed. night we had water in our basement. It turned out the main line to the septic tank was clogged, so after a plumber, the condo association getting the septic company out here, and then the pipe unclogging guy, who didn't get here until 9:15 PM, he was exhausted. When the guy finished, around 11:30, DH went out again to check with him in front yard. Although he had lights out for where the guy was working, he didn't see the cover to the septic tank was off still and he fell in! In order not to drown in a pile of sh!t (although it had just been pumped 3 hours earlier), he was able to catch himself by doing an old gymnastics maneuver, but he is really banged up. An unfit person probably would have broken several things... I laughed my head off, but I reminded him there is a reason to look down at the ground at times! Yesterday his cold was so bad it was unreal. He stayed home today and it wasn't just work from home, he actually slept on and off through the day and he is much better now.
We are getting that front tomorrow late afternoon to evening. Severe thunderstorms and wind predicted, but Wednesday looks great for my friend who is from western MA and I to ride.

[north woods gal]

Good heaven's Crankin! That is what I call a really lousy day. Unbelievable. Glad he's on the mend.

Getting a few showers, this evening, but we have had an abnormally dry May, so far. Not sure what to make of our weather, anymore. I don't dare wish for more rain for fear of going to the other extreme.

Did two rides, today, one after breakfast and one late afternoon. Nothing strenuous. Just kind of noodling around for fun with lots of stops to throw sticks for Star. Need some of those rides, now and then. Keeps me from getting too intense. Helps me to keep things fun. Star loves it, too.

[Crankin]

Thanks for letting us know, Sheila.
Planning a 40-ish mile ride tomorrow. DH took the day off and I am back to my 3 day a week schedule. It is going to be 85-90, so I am hoping to start early. We were going to do a group ride Sunday (a group that doesn't necessarily ride together), but it is going to be cold and rainy. Then, I thought we'd just do the ride Saturday, as it's going to be super hot and this ride is a metric starting on the coast in northern MA, going up to Exeter, NH. But, that's out too, because now, while it's going to get stormy here in the late afternoon, I just heard the weatherman say, "Don't plan on a beach day on the North Shore on Saturday," because the storms are starting much earlier there. So, it will be another hot and hilly ride. So, Sunday will be a rest day and it looks OK for a short ride on Monday.

[north woods gal]

Thank heavens the forum is back. I know we're a small group as forums go, but I really, really missed not being able to chat with everyone. I missed you guys.

My news while the forum was down is that I've fallen in love with my single speed and the whole single speed concept. The Gunnar SS really is the finest bike I'ver ever owned. Now well over 100 miles on the pavement with it, about 20 or so on the trail. Been riding it everyday at least a little, often alternating with one of the other bikes.

Out on the pavement I can climb my hilliest sections on my route with the gearing I now have on the Gunnar. I was not expecting this because I do have some sections that are nothing but hills for miles, not a level spot anywhere. Oh, I really have to work at it and, for sure, it's been a learning experience as far as technique needed. Very satisfying to do these hills my with only one gear, though. The amazing thing is that my average speed on the hilly routes is the same and even better than with the geared bikes. This I did not expect, either. Who knew? The reason I can do better with the single speed is that I really have to hit the climbs early and hard to maintain my momentum. Can't get lazy and wait till I'm well into a climb and just drop down to another gear and just spin up the hill, as with a regular bike. In other words, I'm getting up the hills faster on the single speed. Really have no choice. :) On the level sections I can maintain a very pleasant 12 mph for an average speed, even with a good head wind.

Much harder to ride my trails in one gear, believe me. Have to do MUCH more standing on the pedals. Still, I can climb my steepest sections, but it takes it's toll. Half an hour on my regular laps is about it, for now. And here I thought I was in good shape. Whoa!

Okay, call me crazy, but I figured why not have one single speed (the Gunnar) for road work and one with lower gearing for trail work? Sooo ... traded in two of my five fat bikes (a couple of Norcos) and had my local shop order that Log Lady steel single speed, today. Good thing, because I got the last medium LL in the country. The Log Lady will be my dedicated trail single with a bit easier to manage gearing for trail work. Won't be ready for awhile, but that's okay.

Anyway, glad to be back.

[north woods gal]

One more thing. Our weather has been almost dangerously hot for so early in the summer. We've been having July kind of heat - July is our hottest month - and here it is only May. Can't imagine how July will actually be for us, then.

Hope everyone is staying safe if you're getting this kind of heat so early. This is crazy. Never seen anything like it.

[emily_in_nc]

Interesting, nwg -- we've definitely been warm in Florida, but not excessively by Florida standards. Mid-80s is the highest so far, and will probably have a cooler weekend when the tropical (depression/storm, whatever it ends up being) comes through. Rainy days are always cooler, obviously. I hope your May heatwave is an anomaly and doesn't bode for a crazy hot summer.

Enjoyed reading about your Single Speed adventures. You are a very strong rider and are getting stronger every day doing this! When I ride my cruiser bike around the campground, which is pretty much flat, just a slight slope up towards the eastern side, I can really feel it when riding into a headwind and spend a lot of time out of the saddle. But nothing like your trails or actual hills on the road like you are riding.

Looking forward to photos of your Log Lady (cool name!) when she comes in.

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. This crazy weather pattern this year makes it so hard to predict anything down the road. As for the heat, it really doesn't bother me, but I have to ride slower with frequent stops when Star is along. Border Collies are very susceptible to heat. It's a lot harder on her than me. In this kind of heat, I usually take her back to the house after a few laps, then continue my workout.

The Gunnar really is the best ride, ever, for me. It's decked out with all high end stuff, but it's that marvelous frame. It's made by Waterford, in the Waterford plant. The Gunnar line is the more economical Waterford line. It's tig-welded (still by hand), instead of lugged as with a standard Waterford. The Gunnar line has fewer custom options. Interesting factoid I learned about Waterford is that the company is owned and run by a guy the name of Schwinn of the Schwinn bicycle family.

Riding a single speed is very reminiscent of riding those old cruisers we had as kids, yes. Very different bikes as far as all the technology and outfitting, of course, but the principle is still the same. Next time on vacation, I may just rent one of those cruisers like you're doing. Sounds like a lot of fun. Hope you don't get too much of storm, down there. Send some of that rain, up here. We really, really need it.

[Crankin]

Ha, I've only ridden a beach cruiser once, on Hilton Head Island. After 3 days of that, my knee was killing me, and I don't have knee problems! I love my gears.
So, we rode 32 miles this morning. We ended up doing a run through of our club rally ride, which we lead one group of. It's not new and we designed the route, but there is a hill that is pretty hard, so I wanted to test myself on that one. We rode to the start, 5 miles and then proceeded until we were a mile from our house and, then we headed home. The ride next week is 29m miles. It was 72 when we left and close to 85 when we got back, but this route is mostly shady. It was also breezy. The heat did get to me by the end, but more than that, the damn pollen is just gross; I kept swallowing stuff in the air, which made me feel like I was choking. I dealt with it, though, but next time, I will take my inhaler with me, in case. After the big hill, there is one other smaller, short climb that is annoying and DH got ahead a bit, and that's where I was dealing with the pollen. However, we had a great tailwind on my favorite road, so we increased our speed a lot and by then, we were about 4 miles from home.
I was starving and overheated when we got home, and today was my first spray the bottle down my bra ride! Going out tonight, to celebrate a long weekend.

[emily_in_nc]

Sorry about the pollen, Crankin. We dealt with that here back in March -- or was it February!? It's truly summer here now, and with a tropical storm or sub-tropical depression or whatever the h*ll it's gonna be, the season is starting early! I'm expecting a lot of rain from tomorrow afternoon through Monday, at least, so am very glad the weatherman was wrong this past week. It looked like a washout, and we actually got all four of our rides in! We could have ridden all five weekdays, but we always take one off (usually Wed.) to do laundry, gym, errands, chores, etc. We did just have a brief downpour, but overall, a pretty dry week after a very wet week the one before.

I only do short rides on the cruiser bike so haven't had any knee or other issues. But I also had a cruiser bike in Belize and Mexico and did longer rides there. My crotch was more of a problem than anything else, since I typically rode without bike shorts. I did at least upgrade the saddle in Belize, since we were there longer, but never bothered in Mexico, since I bought it and sold it within six months, before we came back to the US for the summer.

Hope everyone has a good Memorial Day weekend. I'll be quacking like a duck down here in the rain and am just hoping to get some walks in between downpours. Will try to send some of this wet stuff up your way, nwg!

[Railtrail]

Interesting factoid I learned about Waterford is that the company is owned and run by a guy the name of Schwinn of the Schwinn bicycle family.

Hello friends,

I stumbled across this board while searching for information about the log lady. I must say, it took a good bit of work to find my way here. The G search engine was very insistent I stick to only 2 specific sites.

Anyway, I thought NWG might be interested to know that the Log Lady was developed and engineered by Anna Schwinn while she was head engineer for All City Cycles. You are on a Schwinn roll! She also developed the Space Horse, which I believe is their best selling bike.

I’m picking up my own log lady today at noon. Super excited!

[north woods gal]

Hello friends,

I stumbled across this board while searching for information about the log lady. I must say, it took a good bit of work to find my way here. The G search engine was very insistent I stick to only 2 specific sites.

Anyway, I thought NWG might be interested to know that the Log Lady was developed and engineered by Anna Schwinn while she was head engineer for All City Cycles. You are on a Schwinn roll! She also developed the Space Horse, which I believe is their best selling bike.

I’m picking up my own log lady today at noon. Super excited!

Wow, oh, wow! And welcome to the forum. Nice to have you with us. Should be a lot of fun comparing notes.

Record hot for us. If the forecast holds, we'll hit 92, tomorrow, making it the hottest day we've ever experienced since moving up, nine years back. To put this in perspective, we hit 90 once a summer in July, but on an every other year kind of basis. The only AC we have is a window unit and in some years, we don't even bother to put it in. It's in, now, though.

I'm adapting, all the same. No way will I stop riding. Just a matter of riding pavement early before peak heat and for trail work too, though the heat isn't as bad back on my forested trails. Riding close to home is also a help, in case I start to bonk. I just need a bit of time to adapt to this early heat. Very strange weather pattern for us.

If this heat holds, it can be bad for a lot of our native plants that are not adapted for prolonged heat. Our forest experts have told us that their studies show that our north woods are slowly retreating northward, now, thanks to global warming and becoming more hardwoods as in the central part of the state. Maybe we should have retired farther north! :)

[Crankin]

Wow, it's warmer where you are, although it's about 86 here. Thankfully, today is overcast, with a breeze, and no pollen flying into my lungs!
We did a low key ride to a café that specializes in waffles. It's at the beginning (or end) of the Minuteman bike trail, so there are a lot of cyclists around there, as it is also a meeting place for group rides. But, as usual, there's a story here. So, I haven't ridden my Guru since last fall. This is the bike I'll be taking on our trip in August. You guys know I don't like the geometry of this bike as much as my Trek, but I also really disliked the Frog pedals I had, because I was becoming unclipped all of the time. This was an issue for some, so I know it's not all in my head, as I read about this. Last fall, I put an extra set of Speedplay road pedals on the bike, but I don't really like to use road pedals when I am on a tour. So DH bought both of us spd pedals with huge platforms. I used the shoes at the gym once and they seemed fine in spin class. So today, I was a wreck before starting; too many changes at once brings out all of my anxiety. Dealing with the different feeling of the bike was heightened about 10X by the different pedals. After a little screaming in the parking lot of our condo, we were off, and it seemed like I was not easily clipping in my left foot, which is the one I unclip with. I was fine with that... the restaurant is about 10 miles from my house and DH insisted we take a packed dirt path that takes you off the main road and ends up near the café. I've been on this trail with my mountain bike; the part in Concord is always muddy and wet, but the next town, where we got on the trail has totally graded it. But... DH had not been on the trail since last fall. There was one section that was sandy, rutted, and torn up. I started skidding, and luckily, I put my foot down and didn't crash into anyone behind me. There was a group of guys on road or cross bikes who told us this was from the town taking down trees from the winter storms and not regrading. I walked over this part. But, I was so spooked I slowed down to such a slow speed, a runner passed me! This would be OK, without the wrecked part, or with the right tires/bike. The waffles were great, and it was not too busy. Obviously, we did not take the trail back, so had a non-eventful trip, except at one stoplight where I had to work to get unclipped. DH fixed that when we got home.
I wish I wasn't so sensitive to change going back and forth between bikes. I love the way the Guru feels, once riding, but, the top tube is not slanted quite enough for me. So, a nice 20 mile ride, and I will ride this bike on Monday to get the muscle memory back.

[north woods gal]

I totally get it about changing bikes. With me and all my bikes, even though they are all flat bar bikes, it takes me awhile to settle in on my bike of the day. Have learned not to get in a hurry about changing anything on the bike till after I've been riding for half an hour or so. Like you, I am very sensitive to changing the little things on the bikes. I do a lot of fussing with adjustments, too. When I get a bike that just fits me like a glove the way it is set up, though - my new Gunnar is a good example - I get religious about not changing anything.

I think you did exactly right on playing it safe in the soft and rutted section. When I'm riding a new trail, I often stop and scout out a rough section, rather than get into it and find I'm in over my head. Believe me, we do have some trails around here that are truly "expert only" trails.

As for me, did 16 miles on the pavement with the single speed shortly after breakfast to avoid the heat. Wasn't too bad, with temps in the mid 80s by the time I got back. Hit a recored high of 91, shortly after noon and looks like another record high for tomorrow. Finished the day with a late afternoon trail workout of about 4 miles, but had to go it alone. Star wanted to go, of course, no way was I going to risk taking her along in this heat. And here it is still May. Crazy.

[Crankin]

Well, sandy, rutted trails are not a place for road bikes, even with 25 cm tires. I was just happy I didn't crash! I can ride this kind of stuff on a mountain bike; it was the rocks and roots of the northeast woodlands that did me in, a few years ago. Being in the woods is why I wanted to mountain bike, but when I really got out there, it was so technical and scary, I gave up. I'd be fine with gravel riding or easier trails, if I had the right bike. For now, I hike!
It's 55 and drizzly today, so maybe no more than a walk.

[Geonz]

I've ridden every day this month :)

Yesterday I even got my Xtracycle out and successfully diagnosed why it was dragggggging... I thought it must be the disk brakes 'cause I couldn't see anything else but when I took the wheel off ... oh, the bags on the rack were sagging down and rubbing madly.
Brakes still squishy so I rode it out to bike shop which was not busy ... and ... it rode pretty sweetly -- well, it's hardly been ridden... so I asked "hey, will it be just an adjustment?" and ... he peeked at them and said "well, for starters, you've got no brake pads left."
Note to self: when I drop it by for periodic maintenance remind 'em to check and ... check 'em myself...
... b/c new pads didn't fix things either, so it's staying there 'til they can look at it again...
but an honest 35 mile day in the heat yesterday~ today we'll have a moonlight ride :) THat's the time to ride in these conditions...

[north woods gal]

Hi Sue. Great to hear about riding every day. It's what I do, too, but I'm retired so it's something that is practical to do. Yeah, I've worn down pads to the point of damaging the discs, so good reminder for me to have some of the bikes checked.

Our record heat wave continues. It's either morning or evening rides, now, but by the time I got home, this morning, it was already 88 and not even noon, yet. Tomorrow looks to be another 90s day, too. All in all, though, I'm managing. Had a brisk headwind on the way home, so that helped keep me cool. Not a big fan of headwinds, of course, but sometimes they are a blessing.

My ride, this morning was 5 miles into our little town. Just got a little lonely, I guess. Thought it would be nice to ride over to our local park to be around people enjoying the holiday. Remember, most of my riding is solo on very lightly traveled roads. Not that I like traffic or crowds, of course, but sometimes I do miss bicycling in the city, just cruising around with no particular destination in mind. As luck would have it, ran into some of my bicycling pals from one of our bike shops. They drooled over the Gunnar, of course. :)

Speaking of the Gunnar, after only a few weeks of riding the Gunnar out on the road, I've built my strength up to the point where it's probably time to go to a bit higher gearing if I'll only be using it for road work.

[Crankin]

Didn't ride yesterday, it was still kind of misty and cool in the AM. When my son and family got here for the holiday, we walked to the playground, which ended up being just under 4 miles RT. It was interesting to watch my granddaughter play around other kids her age. She is way more physically agile and unafraid than most of the other girls we saw. I am so happy they are encouraging this!
This morning I went out and did my usual short "dark ride," although now that the sunrise is at 5:10, it's not dark. It was 57 out and humid as hell. Rode the Guru, with pedals loosened, it was better than Saturday, but now that I am used to the electronic shifting on my Trek, my hands are sore from the regular Ultegra. It's really more on the front (left hand) that bothers me, so I will have to do some kind of strengthening before my trip. I can definitely see how Di2 would help someone with arthritis.
Tomorrow, the club ride is another beach ride, up on the North Shore. However, this time, it starts in a place that is a pain to get to. I have no time restrictions, but I just can't get motivated to drive in traffic for this. I do want to ride in some different places, though. Well, I'll do something on my own.
Weather looking horrible for our club rally on Saturday. Looks like I'll be getting a free happy hour and dinner, without the volunteer leading part!

[north woods gal]

Hope everyone had a chance to ride over the long weekend. If not, still hope you had a nice holiday.

Crankin, I've had the same problem, too, with shifting up to the higher chainring (left side) on road bikes. I get a little arthritis, too, now and then. Some days, it seems like it takes way too much effort. Down is not bad, but on a compact double, that's a lot of teeth to cover when you shift to the big ring. My usual 105, though, was at least better than the SRAM Apex is used for a while. That one was really hard to shift.

We broke records with our weekend heat wave and, believe me, heat waves are a rare thing in these parts. Spooky strange. Still, I managed to do my usual daily 15-20 miles by riding early and/or late. My morning rides army favorite because I get to ride laps around the neighborhood with my husband. (A lap around our neighborhood is 2.2 miles, by the way and all hills.) This time of year, we often get to stop and visit our neighbors, which we all know. Mostly, though, it's just special being able to ride with my guy.

He's good for a few laps, but because of his long history of back issues, longer rides are out of the question. I then continue on my own to finish my road workout farther from home. Ever since I got that darn single speed, it's been what I've been riding for my road work. It's a "skinny" tire bike as far as MTBs go, so it's does fine on good gravel roads or hard pack dirt roads, but a 29x2.2" bike wheel is no match for the worst of our gravel and sand roads. Time to grab the ECR and do some exploring on those roads.

Late afternoon is when I finish up my daily riding with trail work on my own MTB trails. Our trails are so dry, right now, that I rarely grab a fat bike. Besides, I get plenty of fat bike riding all winter long. Even the skinny tire MTBs do fine, right now, but my favorite to ride on my trails is still my Krampus with its 29x3 wheels. What can I say? I love riding steel bikes, either on the road or the trail. I may just sell off a couple of aluminum bikes, in fact, and stay with almost all steel bikes to ride.

One note to add: my Gunnar SS was built with a carbon flat bar. It's my first ever carbon handlebar. I love it! Has just enough flex to absorb a lot of buzz that gets to my hand with metal handle bars. Very nice feel. Feather light, too. May get one for the Log Lady when it arrives.

[justalex]

I am too busy on my task at work that I only get to ride my bicycle on weekend. BTW, I am a newbie so pardon me for being an intruder.

[emily_in_nc]

justalex, we welcome newbies here! :)

Down in central Florida, we managed to ride the past two days. Memorial Day was very busy on the trail with folks on vacation and off work, so not as good, but yesterday was back to normal and very nice. It's been breezy and warm but not nearly as warm as what you're experiencing, nwg! When I heard that Minneapolis hit 100, I knew I was better off in Florida at the moment. Our highs have been in the 80s, typical for this time of year.

Today we are getting steady rain, which doesn't make me happy, as Paisley has a vet appointment at 1pm, and we will have to take her in my husband's bike basket unless the rain is really hard. In that case, I might break down and ask my neighbor if I can borrow her car. She has offered, but I would only take her up on it in an emergency -- which this might be. We'll see. A lot of times the rain will taper off here and just be sprinkles. The sad thing is, just two days ago, it looked like today would be fine, with afternoon t-storms only, just like the past two days. If her appointment had been either Monday or Tuesday at the same time, the rain was still hours away. Bad timing, and one of the down sides of a car-free lifestyle!

ETA: I can't really change her appointment, as she's out of all her meds as of this morning, so I have to get to the vet for those anyway.

[north woods gal]

justalex, we welcome newbies here! :)...

I'll second that. Intrude away and welcome to the forum.

Our heat spell appears to be over. Temps back into the more seasonal 70s. :) Rain on t's way, though, that too is a relief and much needed.

Hubby and I did our morning neighborhood ride and, as usual, stopped and talked to a neighbor along the way. He's retired and recently widowed, so will be moving, soon, to be closer to the kids. I do get that. Love my north woods, but I would not want to live, alone, so far from family. Hope I never have to face that but, of course, what will be, will be. I have no say in that.

[Crankin]

I did a decent ride today. I've learned my limit for riding alone is 25 miles and I did 22.
My goal was to ride on the new section of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Things move so slowly here in MA, with these kinds of projects. The new section goes to the next town. The part in West Concord is almost done and will open next March. However, the bridge over the major highway to connect these 2 sections will not open until 2020 or 21, I can't remember. Every town has to have a design study (with money for that), then hearings, then appropriate the money before building begins. Once that bridge opens, I will be able to do a lot more of my shopping by bike.
Anyway, I was going to do the ride I did with my friend 3 weeks ago, as you can catch the older part of the trail at one point of this ride. However, I was once again rerouted due to road work. The work is needed, so no complaining here, but it changed my plans. The alternate main road I took north also was ripped up, but, it's flat and I didn't want to have to stop on a hill on scarified pavement. This was OK, but it was one way at 3 points, so lots of stopping. I turned off where it ended and went up and down a shady road that ends up right where the new part of the trail begins, which is what I wanted.
The trail was nice and didn't have a lot of stops, as compared to the older part. I already knew the road crossings were well planned from driving around town. It went through lots of woods and wetlands, had access to a historic old pencil factory and hiking trail we often do, as well as access to a huge recreational park/pond in Acton. I got to go over a very high bridge over a main road that I watched them build all winter. The bridge part is made of rubber-like material, I assume so it doesn't freeze. After that, I saw where there is access to my LBS and grocery store, although once the bridge over Rt 2 is built, I will be coming from the opposite direction. I got off the trail before the end, so I could get home without having to backtrack through Concord Center and West Concord Center again, and crossing the highway at a decent spot, that I used to use when I was teaching.
It's not as warm as yesterday, which was almost 90, but at the end of the ride, it felt like it was heating up and getting humid. I think the sun must have come out more, as it's only 78.

[emily_in_nc]

That sounds like my kind of ride, Crankin. I love trails like that, especially when they make for efficiencies in utilitarian rides. It will be lovely for you when they finish the connectors, etc.

Had an interesting ride to/from the vet yesterday. Of course I made the appointment on the one rotten day this week. Woke up to rain, which continued on up to one minute before we had to leave on the bikes. It had been a real gullywasher just 10 minutes before we had to leave, super dark out, before tapering off and finally stopping. There were huge puddles everywhere. I rode my cruiser bike because it has fenders, and the vet is only 1.5 miles each way. DH had Paisley in her basket, and he'd made a cardboard top for it to protect her from rain.

When we got to the vet, there was a HUGE puddle at the entrance, but we were able to lock the bikes up and get around the puddle on wet grass. While there, it started pouring again, so our bikes and DH's panniers got drenched. It was raining lightly when we left and stopped during our ride home. Of course the puddles were worse than on the way over, so we were quite wet (aside from the parts under rain jackets) when we got home. Paisley stayed pretty dry, though!

Quite an adventure for three miles, and one of the times being car-free is a challenge. :rolleyes:

This morning is lovely, and we'll be heading out on our usual 35-miler in a little bit. It will be hot and humid but at least not raining!

[north woods gal]

Glad you stayed at least relatively dry on your adventure to the vet, Emily. Brings back a lot of memories of commuting in the rain. Oh, having a bike as your only means of transportation sounds romantic and all that, but that gets a old pretty quick when you have to ride in a downpour to get to work on time. :)

Speaking of rain, we had over an inch of much, much needed rain, yesterday afternoon. Started just as I was finish my afternoon trail riding. It was our first significant rain in over a month. Our woods were dangerously dry. Cooled things off, too. Checked my trails, this morning and they were still in good shape. That thirsty soil soaked the rain pretty quick.

Speaking of my trails, it's funny how the little things make a difference, as in the things you never really think about till you're there. One I noticed, recently, is all the shadows and reduced visibility on my trails, now that the leaves are all out on the trees. The trails are much easier to see in the winter, for sure. If I didn't know the trails so well, I could see how things could get a bit tricky in the shadows. As I've mentioned, before, prior knowledge of the trails you're riding is a huge plus.

[emily_in_nc]

Glad you stayed at least relatively dry on your adventure to the vet, Emily. Brings back a lot of memories of commuting in the rain. Oh, having a bike as your only means of transportation sounds romantic and all that, but that gets a old pretty quick when you have to ride in a downpour to get to work on time. :)

Agreed! We were never car-free when working, and for the most part, lived too far from work to even consider bike commuting. I sweat too much anyway, and am not an early morning person so wouldn't have been able to manage it. The last year I worked, we lived on a bus line, though, and I took the bus to work most days. I really enjoyed not having to drive. I could actually read on my way to and from work, and the short walk to the bus stop at each end was almost always a nice way to start or end the workday (heavy rain excepted!)

Glad you got some rain, nwg. We are still all puddled up here in Florida but got in our usual 35 miles yesterday morning before afternoon storms. Today looks good too, and less chance (40%) of afternoon storms. High of 91, but we'll be back long before it gets that hot.

[north woods gal]

Whoa! June 1st, today. Looks like time to start a new thread for June. Have to say, though, this May has been a very interesting month for me and my riding. On to summer.