Spring - when do you get back outside?

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Originally Posted by Catrin

I bow to your awesomeness! I have managed to ride an entire 12 miles outside this year, you rock!

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Don't bow to low ;). There are lots of people who have ridden more, and lots who have ridden less. Don't think that those 12 miles aren't an achievement given the winter we've had!

Crankin - good for you for getting out for a hike. At least the wind shouldn't have been as bad in the woods :)

And Kernyl - my first MTB race is this Sunday - it might be in some snow, though, hopefully, RI will be spared!

Can't wait for spring. Think we have been spoiled the past couple of years with some early nice weather.

SheFly

I got out for my first ride of the season this past Sunday. It was a "balmy" 26 degrees when I rolled out of my driveway to meet up with my riding buddy. I ended up with 27 miles for our 2-hour ride. Not too bad...considering my hands are still healing from carpal tunnel surgery last month. My goal was to try and shoot for 20 miles...so I exceeded my expectations for that day. Oh...and other than tenderness in my palms from the incision site, the numbness was drastically reduced (almost non-existent...yay!). But I do realize that this was a short (for me) ride, and until I build up to more time in the saddle (50+ miles)...I won't really know the true outcome of the hand surgery.

Linda

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Originally Posted by nscrbug

I got out for my first ride of the season this past Sunday. It was a "balmy" 26 degrees when I rolled out of my driveway to meet up with my riding buddy. I ended up with 27 miles for our 2-hour ride. Not too bad...considering my hands are still healing from carpal tunnel surgery last month. My goal was to try and shoot for 20 miles...so I exceeded my expectations for that day. Oh...and other than tenderness in my palms from the incision site, the numbness was drastically reduced (almost non-existent...yay!). But I do realize that this was a short (for me) ride, and until I build up to more time in the saddle (50+ miles)...I won't really know the true outcome of the hand surgery.

Linda

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Sounds like you're off to a good start. 26 degrees is chilly on a bike--I'll do quick around-town rides in those temps but a long ride just doesn't sound fun (would rather run or hike, easier to stay warm doing those things than riding). Looking forward to real spring weather--just put trekking bars on the trail bike (wanted more positions than flat bars, and the bike is used for rail trails/fire roads and not really technical stuff) and want to try them out on a longer ride. The short ride home from the community bike shop yesterday was good.

Well, this is my latest first ride of the year; hoping for tomorrow or/and Sunday. My driveway still has ice and snow patches. I could be Nordic skiing today, but I have stuff to do, so yet another trainer session. I might try a short ride late this afternoon if the above mentioned snow has melted.

Gah, I am so ready to ride in some warmer weather. We're 20*F below normal temps these past couple of weeks and another snow storm on the way! I have managed a few hundred road miles this year, but this time last year, we were in the 80's already (and then paid for it over the summer). I wasn't riding again yet, so didn't take advantage of those early warm temps last year. Hoping these cooler temps will result in a mild summer, 'cause we deserve it after last summer. :) I was hoping that by this time all my rides would be outside. Got out yesterday (it was high 20's to around the freezing mark with only a slight wind), and today will be 40's and calm winds, as well as tomorrow, so hopefully will have at least 3 days outside this week before the snow hits. Can't wait for spring to actually "spring".

The weather at lunch just said that on this day last year, our temp was 83. Today it is 34. Sigh. First race of the season this weekend, and RI (where the race is) just got 6 inches of snow yesterday. Cold be a fun day in the woods!

SheFly

OK, I'm going to be a whiney butt. And yes, I am a wuss about riding in the cold/winter. I live in Michigan. I know better. I seldom complain about the weather. Or winters. But. Dagnabit this is getting sickening already! I've ridden precisely 3 times outdoors since January and 2 of those times were in January for crying out loud! Maybe I got spoiled by our non winter last year where I road outdoors every month and several times a month during the winter, which is unheard of but for the stout-of-heart people, of which I am not. I've ridden the trainer some throughout the winter but I've even lost my motivation for that lately, like almost everything else. This awful winter has sunk its claws in and won't let go and it's enough to get the most cheerful positive people down. Color me frowning, sad and pining for a breath of fresh air. I need bounce in my step! Please.

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Originally Posted by Bike Writer

OK, I'm going to be a whiney butt. And yes, I am a wuss about riding in the cold/winter. I live in Michigan. I know better. I seldom complain about the weather. Or winters. But. Dagnabit this is getting sickening already! I've ridden precisely 3 times outdoors since January and 2 of those times were in January for crying out loud! Maybe I got spoiled by our non winter last year where I road outdoors every month and several times a month during the winter, which is unheard of but for the stout-of-heart people, of which I am not. I've ridden the trainer some throughout the winter but I've even lost my motivation for that lately, like almost everything else. This awful winter has sunk its claws in and won't let go and it's enough to get the most cheerful positive people down. Color me frowning, sad and pining for a breath of fresh air. I need bounce in my step! Please.

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I'm with you. I'm just plain angry at the weather at this point. Every day I look at the long-range forecast thinking, surely the temperatures will warm up a the end of it. And every day it just stays cold. Yesterday was supposed to be a nice day with temps in the 50s, but the north wind kept it chilly enough to need a winter jacket.

I know it's not as bad here in northern Virginia as it is farther north, but I have lousy circulation so I have to wear shearling-lined boots and super-warm ski mittens even when temps are in the 40s.

I really want to go for a bike ride on a warm sunny day.

OK, I *finally* got out on the road today. Not far, and not fast by intention, but it was awesome. I have to say, this is the "snowiest" first ride of the year I've had, except for the year I took my mountain bike out on the road a few days after a blizzard in February. It felt a little weird to be dodging the snow by the side of the road in a couple of places. But, at 47 degrees and partly sunny, we are in the range of temperatures that I really like for riding (between 45 and 55).
I might get a ride in on Wednesday, but otherwise, starting Friday, I will be out there all weekend,.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

I'm with you. I'm just plain angry at the weather at this point.

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Yeah, that's how I'd describe it. Angry. We are supposed to have a fresh blanket overnight by morning. 2 things:
1) thankful I don't depend on weather to earn a living.
2) thankful I am not west or south of where I live because instead of just a covering, those places are going to get dumped on big time 12" to 15" inches of fresh snow.

If we got that much snow at this late date on the calendar I'd bypass angry and go straight to "nuts"

We got 6.2 inches last night and they even closed my office building for non-essential workers until 1pm. I am SO over this cr*p! I am whining and complaining about this and am not the least ashamed over it. Sigh...guess I've been spoiled in recent years. Thankful for the intense group training at the gym or I would be even more pis**d off about out. Fat lot of good that would do me...

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Originally Posted by Bike Writer

Yeah, that's how I'd describe it. Angry. We are supposed to have a fresh blanket overnight by morning. 2 things:
1) thankful I don't depend on weather to earn a living.
2) thankful I am not west or south of where I live because instead of just a covering, those places are going to get dumped on big time 12" to 15" inches of fresh snow.

If we got that much snow at this late date on the calendar I'd bypass angry and go straight to "nuts"

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I am with all of you in the weather complaint area. I am on Long Island and if it wasn't snow or rain it was the major wind that kept me off the bike. I got a couple of leisure rides on my fitness bike but only 1 road bike ride which was last weekend. Maybe it is mind over matter but March has been horrible. I sure hope it turns around for the better in April. I can't wait any longer to begin leading the club rides that begin at 8am UGH!!!

Well, I pledged to ride every day in April - just for the fun & to challenge myself - as part of 30 Days of Biking. http://30daysofbiking.com/
So come rain or shine (please good Mother Earth, no more snow!) I'll go for a ride.



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missjean, you talked me into it. I pledged too.

30 days cycling in April. I have a lot of miles to make up. Great idea, thank you for posting!!!!