November Rides

[ny biker]

It seems like our choices up here are cold and dry or warm and rainy... I think I'll take the cold.

Tough choice. I guess I'd take the cold, too.

We had a beautiful day here today, and since it was Veterans Day, I did not go to work. I actually had to use a vacation day for the holiday, since my employer does not close for this holiday but our client does, therefore I was not allowed to work. I generally resent this sort of thing, but since the weather was lovely -- 70 degrees and sunny by early afternoon -- I took advantage of the opportunity for a bike ride. I rode a 40-mile out-and-back on a local rail trail. This was my third ride in five days, and I was pretty tired after the one we did two days ago. But today I felt good, and ended up with an average speed of 15.1 mph, which is a bit higher than I usually ride on this particular trail. At my turnaround point I considered riding a few miles farther before heading back to the start, but decided against it because I wanted to finish before dark. I think this was a good decision, since my legs were pretty tired by the end.

Afterwards I went to a nearby Panera for a big salad, then stopped at the LBS and had a nice chat with a couple of the guys who work there.

The arctic cold front that dumped all that snow in Minnesota will arrive here tomorrow, so I'm glad I was able to enjoy the warm weather today. My next opportunity to ride will be Sunday, if the weather is dry and not too cold. On Saturday we have the volunteer's dinner for my bike club, where I'll be receiving the ride leader's jersey that I earned this year.

[Crankin]

I commuted yesterday, for the first time in a week or so. Like NY Biker, it was warm here, but since I wasn't outside in the middle of the day, not sure if it got up to 70 here. I think more like the mid sixties. My clinic was open, but it was a bit quiet, with so many of the therapists taking the day off. I didn't leave for work until close to ten and I was dressed way too warm. Riding home at 6:15 PM was lovely. Funny, there didn't seem to be less traffic, even though I know a lot of places were closed. DH said I looked like an X Mas tree when I arrived home, because in addition to my headlight and 2 rear lights, I had on a flashing ankle band and my safety vest. Glad he told me that!
The forecast for the rest of November is freezing cold. I have to make a commitment to riding in really cold weather until the snow flies. I have the gear.Right now it's very foggy and warm out. I will ride today, but I just don't have the energy to go on the group ride. I think this may be the last 60 degree reading I see until spring.

[Crankin]

I went on a hike (more like a walk) with a friend I hadn't seen in a couple of weeks in the late morning and then rode 14.5 hilly miles with DH after lunch. First day in awhile where I felt pretty good while riding and my speed was decent.
My friend Jack just guilted me on FB, for not going on the group ride!

[ny biker]

I went on a hike (more like a walk) with a friend I hadn't seen in a couple of weeks in the late morning and then rode 14.5 hilly miles with DH after lunch. First day in awhile where I felt pretty good while riding and my speed was decent.
My friend Jack just guilted me on FB, for not going on the group ride!

I missed a group ride on Saturday because Foo Fighters tickets went on sale at the same time that ride started. I just told my friends I couldn't make it, didn't give a reason.

Yesterday I rode alone instead of joining a group ride because their route included the road where I got a ticket during a ride several years ago when I was not actually breaking any laws. I ended up spending a lot of time researching the law and taking vacation time to go to court to fight it. Just looking at the map of the route from yesterday brought back all the anxiety, so I decided not to join them.

But you're right about having to make the commitment to ride in the cold, and in general doing group rides helps me with that, because it forces me to get out of the house.

[Crankin]

I'm OK with it. It wasn't that cold this morning; the warmth stayed up here and is just starting to go away as I write. One of the reasons I didn't go was that the ride was around all of my favorite, usual roads in Concord, Acton, Boxborough. In other words, nothing special. DH was working from home and we decided to ride after lunch when it would be 60. The group gets lots of people from the city or suburbs east of here, so riding around here is "the country" to them. I got to more group rides this season than last, but still not enough. That's why I have 2,525 miles instead of 3,000! My head is the cause of most of my angst about cycling. I need to practice what I preach at times, but somehow, I seem to get a decent amount of miles, despite it all. I was very happy with my average, though .

[marni]

foolishly believed the weather mans' rain predictions yesterday which failed to materialize. Rode out instead today at 38 degrees ( this is Houston d### it !) into head winds of 18-20 from the NE which didn't help although we did have a lovely tail wind for about 10 miles on the way back. My top speed going into the wind over the highway overpass was 5.5 mph. Didn't know whether to persevere, get off or fall off.

So todays' stats are pretty pathetic. 38 miles in 4.14 for a speed of 9.3