Sunday, Dec. 3 rides

Ugh... I think today may have been my last ride for this year. I only did 18 miles on the C&O towpath today, but right now I'm feeling like those miles aged me a good 18 years. Let's see, what all did I whine to myself about on today's ride...? It was too cold, it was too cloudy, my saddle's just about kaput and doesn't give enough support anymore, I put too much air in my tires and bounced against every single little piece of gravel, the new shorts I wore under my tights are too constricting and cut off the circulation to my knees... Yadda, yadda, yadda :rolleyes: I spent the entire 18 miles fondly remembering all those sweaty, 95 degree rides of this past summer.

One fun thing was having my own weenie little version of a cyclocross course at a couple of points, though. There were some downed trees across the towpath (which reminds me that I need to call the Park Service). One had fallen at an angle and, by tucking my head down almost to the bars, I was juuust able to pedal through the gap it left. The other was flat across the path and almost as high as my top tube, so I had to shoulder the bike and clamber over it. No big deal, really, but it was such a crappy ride otherwise that I've gotta get my highs where I can ;)

I hope somebody out there had a better ride today!

Yes, it was cold this morning around DC. I delayed my ride 1.5 hours to let the morning temps get above 35 degrees. It was a gorgeous morning otherwise: crystal blue cloudless sky and no wind whatsoever. Still, it was cold.

Did 26 miles, pushing it pretty hard, but everything feels harder when it's cold. Managed a 14.6 mph average.

I start many of my rides at a local park because there's good parking and access to quiet roads, and a porta potty. I was shocked to find that they'd taken away the john! Same thing at another park along the route. I wrote a song:

Where have all the potties gone?
long pee needed
Where have all the potties gone?
I've got to go
Where have all the potties gone?
Gone to storage, god knows where
What will I do for now
There must be a bush somewhere... :eek:

[QUOTE=Kalidurga;149943] I spent the entire 18 miles fondly remembering all those sweaty, 95 degree rides of this past summer. [QUOTE]

Ya know, I was thinking exactly the same thing as I bounced and jostled over half-frozen, rutted trails and roads....the same ones I rode with such warm abandon just a few weeks ago. :( I only managed 19.7 sloppy, slushy, muddy -yet strangely enjoyable- kilometers before calling it a day. Got home covered head to foot in all sorts of road cheese, but at least I made the effort.

I must be getting old. I used to love the snow, especially here where good snow is a once-in-a-decade affair. After today's ride, I found myself thinking " I sure wish this snow was gone, and summer was here". Maybe I'm just grumpy today...:rolleyes:

~Sherry.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

Where have all the potties gone?
long pee needed
Where have all the potties gone?
I've got to go
Where have all the potties gone?
Gone to storage, god knows where
What will I do for now
There must be a bush somewhere... :eek:

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Nicole, when it gets too cold to ride (which I think it has) we have got to find some other reason to get together. You crack me the heck up :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by popoki-nui

Maybe I'm just grumpy today...

---

I think that was the essence of my problem today. I'm glad you got some strange enjoyment out of your ride, Sherry, in spite of your grumpiness ;)

I rode 26 miles at 8am ,and it was 30 degrees out. My toes ,and feet went numb before the ride was over. Im sure my face has aged 10 years from the cold wind. When I got home my husband had bacon ,eggs ,and hashbrowns waiting for me. Yummmmm !!!! I felt so tired while I was riding.

Well, maybe now I don't feel so bad for bagging the ride.
DH and I were supposed to meet a friend and go for a ride while he pitched a camera to us that he wants to sell (A Nikon D70s - sort of like burning the house down when you only need to sweep out a room with a broom. Overkill for our needs, but gads....it is SUCH a nice camera!). So, the friend came over to the house, gave us a crash course on digital photography, a price for the kit, and left us with the camera to "try it out and see how we like it."
So...DH hopped on his mtb and did wheelies up and down the street and I snapped photogs of him. That's as close as we got to bikes today.
Sigh.
I wish it would just snow, and then I wouldn't feel so bad about ignoring the bikes!

P.S. Tam??? Don't hang up the bike just yet!!!! We still gotta ride on the 17th!

I decided to ride to the store instead of driving. Arrived with the odometer at 0.6 miles so decided to extend it a bit, and rode a total of 4 miles. It was below 40 but I had enough clothing on that I was a trifle warm going UP the hill.
dropped my little mirror on the road and when I crossed the street (on foot) to pick it up, a kindly motorist stopped even though he didn't have to.
I saw other folks out on bikes today too. Seattlelites, on their bikes with such cold weather! my, my!

Where have all the potties gone, indeed!!!!

(It's worse when you have three or four layers on, too.)

The infamous "Howard" was less than 150 miles behind me, so I was inspired to add 3 miles to my church commute, then grab the camelbak and head out for 22 miles in the 22 mph winds and the 18 degree temperatures. 35 degrees would have been balmy!!! (Of course, as much of the ride was with the wind as against it!)

Tomorrow might be in single digits so I'll add those rain pants. During the into-the-wind parts, my legs were feeling the chill even through three layers. Then again, the commute's only 7 miles and in town... but I might just have to add a little more; I only gained 10 miles on Howard and his temps will be in the 40's tomorrow. Four weeks to try to stay ahead of him :) :) :) (Don't tell him, though, that I work at a college, though I'm "staff" and have to be there more often than you'd think, I *do* have the whole last week of the year OFF without a mess of obligations. So if I can make it 'til the 22... that's less than three weeks...

That portapotty song is too much!!! :D :D :D

Well, I did my usual 21mile/2hour ride today again. The roads were dry. It was breezy, sunny, and 32 degrees. I had the right layers on so I felt good the whole way. :) Saw a couple of other people on bikes here and there -with no helmets! :(

Chilly and windy here today, so I was not to psyched to be out on the road. I crammed my MTB into my car and drove to a State Park that has a trail I hadn't been on on foot or wheel. I was not surprised to see that the "trail" started out as a dirt road. But there was a lot of dirt road, and I was hoping for something more. And I spied it, a little single track! Wound up finding some fun stuff in amongst the trees, and few little trail branches I can go back to explore. I might even leave the house before 1 PM next time!

Another beautiful chilly but sunny day... it was 35 degrees when my bike and I rolled out of the door for a quick 21 mile spin. The wind was quiet, a big change from yesterday's ride - and because of the lack of wind, 21 miles at 35 degrees today felt warmer than my 24 miles in yesterday's windy 42 degrees. And by some dumb luck, I managed to guess right for cool weather clothing.

After my ride, I headed to the New Hampshire coast for a couple hours of walking - and was treated to a visit with a pair of mute swans that seem to hang out in the marshy area across the road from the rolling ocean.

Rolling down the road in beautiful (but cool) sunlight:
http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/114279557-S-1.jpg

Mute swan in a quick conversation with a sea gull:
http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/114557487-S-1.jpg

--- Denise

Hey fixedgeargirl~
Glad to see another Iris Murdoch fan! I've not read that book but given the bike reference I may have to pick it up and read it! Love your signature line!
Teresa :)

Today was my first ride on the new Orbea Orca. It was COLD and GRAY!! Myself and two other ladies did a climb up the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mount Pisgah. 40 miles round trip - and whew was the descent cold cold cold. I enjoyed the climb up on the Orca - but it was hard to enjoy the bike when you are descending in such cold weather - even with the proper gear on it is still cold.

We all had to potty on the way up - and OF COURSE there are no potties on the parkway open in the winter - so we did the natural thing in the brush - right after pulling up trou a park ranger came by - good thing we were done - I hear the fine for piddling is $75.00!!!!! Wonder if they charge more for "the other".........ewwwwww.

My shoulders are a little sore this AM - need to dial in the new setting more - I love a new bike - but the break in period is rough - I am transitioning from Ultegra to SRAM, triple to double, and a less upright position - almost too much to think about.

Debi