Riding in the Holiday Season: December Rides!

[emily_in_nc]

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

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

[emily_in_nc]

Monkey Monkey!!

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

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

[Crankin]

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

[north woods gal]

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

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

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

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

[ny biker]

Emily I am jealous of your weather.

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

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

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

[north woods gal]

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

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

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