Feb 28th Wed. Rides

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Never thought I'd be able to bike in Jan. and Feb....

But about 35 degreesF today and sunny. Roads were wet but no ice so I took a chance and everything was fine and stayed warm. Rode 21 miles, felt a bit of workout in my leg muscles going up the hills. It was good.

The only scary part was getting out of my driveway- It's a steep downhill from my house to the road. It looked a bit iffy and wet/icey so I decided to WALK my bike down to the road. But halfway down walking, I found it was not wet but rather a sheet of ice, and my hiking boots just started to slide downhill on the smooth ice, along with my bike that I was walking next to me! Me on foot and bike beside me both started just sliding/skiing along downhill and I knew i was going to go down with my bike in another two seconds. I thought really fast and since I was holding my bike by the handlebar tops, I quickly grabbed the interrupter brakes on my bars and squeezed- and amazingly the bike ground to an instant halt on the ice!- i was able to stop skidding as well on my feet by hanging onto the now stopped bike. I kept my brakes on and used the bike like an old folks' walker to crabwalk sideways to the edge of the driveway where it was rougher snow and I could walk the rest of the way down to the road. I was amazed how the tires gripped where my hiking boots couldn't!
Luckily there was no other weird ice to contend with on my ride today.

[Geonz]

Whew!!! Incredible So they are knobby tires?
My driveway is also the trickiest spot, tho' there are weird clumps and piles from plows in assorted places.

I *think* that today's 50 degrees and thunderstorms could take most of that away. I rode in anyway, because a couple weeks ago my Chinese restaurant doggie bag kinda upended in my Free Radical bag and there are clumps of rice still stuck in there, so I unstrapped the straps and left it open so that when it pours it will all wash away for the ROBINS which have been seen today to eat (or the beetles, whatever!) ... and I'll just **have** to make myself give it a good cleaning tonight or over the weekend.

[Veronica]

Thom was working late so I did the 7 PM club ride. It's the same route I do after work on my own, but it was nice to have company. Part of the route is on a road that has been closed. After dark it can be kind of creepy. I had forgotten how much I enjoy riding after dark.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Whew!!! Incredible So they are knobby tires?

No, not knobby at all...they are Pasela Kevlar Panaracers 700x28. A slight tread. Apparently they have better gripping power than my hiking boots though! I think it's the material in this case, as opposed to the tread. Maybe my boots are hard as opposed to the grippy rubber tire surface. Good to know.

[oxysback]

Wierd weather here in NW Oregon today. Snow, then rain, then more snow. None was sticking, though. Got in a 45 mintue ride on the trainer in the afternoon. Average of 16.2 mph.

[emily_in_nc]

Wierd weather here in NW Oregon today. Snow, then rain, then more snow. None was sticking, though. Got in a 45 mintue ride on the trainer in the afternoon. Average of 16.2 mph.

Ellen, I wouldn't take the average speed on your trainer as indicative of anything. Depending on the resistance setting I had mine on, I tend to either average 18-20mph (way better than I can do on the road) or 12-13mph (slower than I ride). Trainers provide a great workout; I use mine often in the winter, but the average speed you record there has nothing to do with the speed you'll be able to ride outdoors due to the varying levels of resistance. So, just enjoy the workout, but I wouldn't take the speed too seriously.

Emily

[DarcyInOregon]

I've been out almost every day, despite the weather. I am registered for two event rides in April, and I need to be ready.

On the Wednesday ride, it might go down as the best ride of my life, in a macabre sort of way. It was like when you are 10-years-old and ride a real scary roller coaster, and that feeling of exhileration when the ride is over. That is how it was with me. I started out the ride in rain. Next, the rain came down heavier and the wind picked up to at least 30 mph. The rain turned to hard sleet and I was bombarded. The only skin exposed was on my face, and gosh, it hurt when the hard pellets hit my face. One or two got in my right eyeball too. After the sleet it started to snow, big sloppy flakes. The weather forecast had said the snow level was 500' and I was cycling in the valley, which is below 500'. But I got all of the weather elements. The temperature on my bike computer said 34 degrees.

When I got my bike back to the car, which I had parked in the state park, the sun came out. Yep, that is how it goes for me almost every day. As soon as I am finished with my ride, the weather improves. I figure that the weather for the two event rides might be difficult also, so it is a good thing I get lots of practice putting in the miles against the head and side winds, rain, sleet and snow.

Ellen, good for you for getting on the trainer. Your average, you can sustain it out in the valley, just not the hills, and not against these winter winds.

Darcy

[oxysback]

Ellen, I wouldn't take the average speed on your trainer as indicative of anything. Depending on the resistance setting I had mine on, I tend to either average 18-20mph (way better than I can do on the road) or 12-13mph (slower than I ride). Trainers provide a great workout; I use mine often in the winter, but the average speed you record there has nothing to do with the speed you'll be able to ride outdoors due to the varying levels of resistance. So, just enjoy the workout, but I wouldn't take the speed too seriously.

Emily

My average is way better on the trainer as well, because the axel supports more of my weight than just riding on the road (did that make sense??)...anyway, my resistance is set on medium. Some days I can do 17.5...others...not so much. Hehe! I guess I feel like I get more of a workout when my MPH is higher.

[oxysback]

On the Wednesday ride, it might go down as the best ride of my life, in a macabre sort of way.Darcy

You're a brave soul for riding outdoors on Wednesday!! Bravo!!