Rides: Dec. 6th-12th

[Ritamarie]

I had planned a 25 mile solo hill ride for today on my road bike, but the snow yesterday ended up being more than expected, so I took Ethel (my cross bike) out on the road. The shoulders were snow covered and though the roads had been salted they were still slushy and crusty in some parts. I stayed close to home and did two laps over a hilly route. Only 13.7 miles total, but that counts for 20 road bike miles and I managed to climb 1300 feet in that short ride.

This is my first try at riding through the winter, and this was my most wintry day yet. I think I've got the clothes figured out except I needed warmer gloves on today. Last year, my last ride for the year was on November 2, and this year I had almost 600 miles in November, so that's progress. I'm finding I don't mind the cold, but I did mind the messy road surface today. Anyway, it was better than sitting in the house on the trainer!

My route was pretty rural, but the drivers that did come along were really ignorant today. Maybe they thought I shouldn't be out on the road.

[owlice]

Ritamarie, this is my first year of trying to ride through the winter, so whatever you've learned, please share, starting with clothes! Thank you!!

Owlie, sometimes a mile-and-a-half is, indeed, enough! Too bad about the fall; I'm glad it wasn't serious.

No ride for me today; I've been having a social day instead, meeting people for breakfast and then for an afternoon Messiah singalong.

[HillSlugger]

Yesterday's snow had me in on the rollers today. 30 miles. Ugh!

[Ritamarie]

Yesterday's snow had me in on the rollers today. 30 miles. Ugh!

30 miles on rollers??? How can you stand that? Do you watch t.v.? What???

My fondest roller memory was when I was home from college, and down in the basement at my parents house on the rollers. My dad walked by the basement door up on the first floor, saw the basement light was on, and hit the switch.

[HillSlugger]

30 miles on rollers??? How can you stand that? Do you watch t.v.? What???

My fondest roller memory was when I was home from college, and down in the basement at my parents house on the rollers. My dad walked by the basement door up on the first floor, saw the basement light was on, and hit the switch.

It was tough; took a few rest breaks. I was very glad when I was done.

Yes, I watch TV or DVDs. Today it was episodes 8 & 9 of Dexter.

[azfiddle]

It was cool but not cold out in the desert today - mid-50's and sunny for our midday ride. My husband and I rode up to Saguaro National Park and back, with a detour at the end to visit an LBS he's never been to, and I had just been to once. It was really pleasant.

[Owlie]

It was cool but not cold out in the desert today - mid-50's and sunny for our midday ride. My husband and I rode up to Saguaro National Park and back, with a detour at the end to visit an LBS he's never been to, and I had just been to once. It was really pleasant.

That sounds great. Mind if I pack up the bike and come hang out with you?

Or I could go hang out with BF's parents, but that would be awkward. (They're in Mesa.) I spoke to his mom earlier today. She was saying that she went out on a ride and thought it was cold (it was in the 60s). I laughed--I went out and it was barely 35 and the sun was setting!

[kenyonchris]

It was tough; took a few rest breaks. I was very glad when I was done.

Yes, I watch TV or DVDs. Today it was episodes 8 & 9 of Dexter.

Man, you are my hero. I have a hate/hate relationship with the rollers. I am battling it through with the mantra, "this is making me better, this is making me better" while I spin along thinking I am going to die. I hang with group rides, average 18-25 mph depending on the ride/wind/hills, ride 45-100 miles easily, but 10 miles on the rollers kills me. How is this? I am hanging in there, working up by 5 minute intervals every day, but UGH. It is way too cold and windy and rainy outside.

[HillSlugger]

Man, you are my hero. I have a hate/hate relationship with the rollers. I am battling it through with the mantra, "this is making me better, this is making me better" while I spin along thinking I am going to die. I hang with group rides, average 18-25 mph depending on the ride/wind/hills, ride 45-100 miles easily, but 10 miles on the rollers kills me. How is this? I am hanging in there, working up by 5 minute intervals every day, but UGH. It is way too cold and windy and rainy outside.

The rollers definitely feel tougher than an outside ride, even with hills. I think it has something to do with not being able to coast at all. I also liken riding on rollers vs on the road to be like walking on ice; it's just that much harder.

I think it's worth it because I feel it makes you a smoother rider and better able to hold a line.

[Ritamarie]

Ritamarie, this is my first year of trying to ride through the winter, so whatever you've learned, please share, starting with clothes! Thank you!!

Owlice,

I just posted two of my new winter favorites under Apparel: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...012#post481012

Having the right clothes definitively helps.

[owlice]

Ritamarie, thank you! Much appreciated, and as you find new and more and better things, please please please keep me posted!!

~~~

Today's ride was very much like Friday's ride, except it was colder out: 43°F and cloudy today. I was definitely chillier today than I was on Friday; 6 degrees makes a difference! I wore biking tights and thin sweats, and a turtleneck with a regular t-shirt over it. I was kind of wishing for one more or one warmer layer on top, and I definitely have to get full-fingered gloves.

But to the ride.... again up to the Lincoln Memorial, down the Reflecting Pool, and then over to Hains Point. Rode around that twice plus some; I was coming up the west side when I saw what I thought was a Bald Eagle, so I cut back over to the east side -- yes! Definitely a Bald Eagle! -- and rode around the point again as a result. And then eventually back.

In addition to the Bald Eagle, I saw a red fox (oh, so so so pretty!). He crossed the road in front of me, picked up something at the street's edge, and then ran back to the broad flat grassy area that is in the center of the point. Watched me bike past, he did!

Very few people out. I think only one cyclist passed me (and he was all excited about the red fox, too). I did see a few more, but they weren't doing laps on the point today.

Slower than Friday; I wasn't feeling the love for most of the ride. 11.6 miles, average of 10.8 MPH.

Am still glad I rode, though.

arielmoon, I hear your cry about losing conditioning; I'm riding so much less now... and I can tell I'm not riding as strong as I was two months ago.

[Red Rock]

To all of you who are braving the cold winter weather, congrats on all of your rides! I hope that you enjoy your time on the bike. You all are much better and more tolerable of the cold than I would ever be.

Red Rock

[Ritamarie]

Went for a 26 mile hill ride today. Fun! It was sunny to start and 40 degrees but got cloudy and dropped a couple of degrees by the time I got done. I felt pretty good climbing. One good thing about my hill loop is that all those hilly roads don't really go anywhere so the traffic is light, especially in the middle of the afternoon. I only met up with 3 cars and one tractor in the first 18 miles. After that I have one road that's a little more heavily traveled so I stopped counting, but the first 18 miles were gloriously traffic free.

I've decided 25-30 miles is about my limit for an enjoyable solo ride. After that I get tired of talking to myself.

Owlice, one thing I thought of to tell you... one of my best cold weather discoveries is the front handlebar bag. I can put an extra layer on to get me out the door, and shed it five miles into the ride.

[redrhodie]

I woke up grumpy, and after biting the head off my poor bf over nothing, I decided I needed to ride before work. Jeez, it was cold out. I thought the weather man said it was above freezing, but every frozen puddle said he lied. I decided I couldn't do my easy route, since I knew one hill would be too icy to climb. So, I went north instead.

The ride just didn't feel anything but hard the whole time, like my brake was rubbing, but it wasn't. It was a beautiful, sunny, clear day. Don't know what was up with me, other than I was really cold, and the wind was from a hard direction (headwind on every hill, yadda, yadda, yadda).

As soon as I got home, since I was so slow on the ride I was now rushing to get to work, I jumped in a hot shower right away. I've never experienced this before, but I guess my extremities were too cold for the moderately hot water, and I turned bright red, kind of like heat rash, and got this weird creepy crawly feeling. It was pretty horrible. Next time, I'll let myself warm up a little first.

20 freezing miles. Not my most favorite ride, but I felt better when it was over!

[Ritamarie]

Don't know what was up with me, other than I was really cold, and the wind was from a hard direction.

Ugh. I'll take hills over wind any day! It'd be okay if you could quantitatively define it like miles or feet climbed. "I pushed "x" kilograms of wind today!" If I could write in in my log I would feel a lot better about it. But anyway, I bet you're glad tonight that you rode that 20 miles this morning!