December rides

[lauraelmore1033]

After a week of being gone, just relaxing and with some hikes/walks/runs for exercise I got back home yesterday and did a 78 mile ride into the santa monica mountains today. A few serious climbs and descents, including a fun fast final descent down the one way tuna canyon road to the pacific coast highway, 6800'+ elevation gains, weather in the 60’s for the whole ride with a slight headwind going out pch and more of a tailwind coming back all made for a good days ride. I’m doing an ACP 200k on Jan 10th so I’m in the process of preparing myself for that. The company I work for closes for Christmas through New Years, two full weeks this year, so I have next week to get some more rides in.

That sounds like an amazing ride. It's so cold, wet and dark here, I'm starting to feel not quite human and it's hard to find the motivation to ride.

[rebeccaC]

It's so cold, wet and dark here, I'm starting to feel not quite human and it's hard to find the motivation to ride.

I know I'm lucky to be able to ride in year round good weather....your wet/no sun/cold months would be hard on my motivation too. It would also communicate to my brain the need to consume every kind of chocolate available in the house and just cuddle up with a good book!!!
I have a good college friend who commutes year round in D.C. I greatly admire her determination and confidence in the winter, I definitely would need to come up with strategies to trick my mind into dealing with it in a positive way.

[MarieV]

DH and I did the 14-mile loop to Golden Gardens and back on Christmas day. We had beautiful sunny weather although it was pretty chilly. I've managed to do a 100 km permanent every month since September, so I'm only only 8 months away from my P-12. I actually did 4 permanents in September and two this month, so I've ridden over 1050 km with RUSA this year. That's over 800 km since September 1st, and if I can manage to complete 100Ks in January and February, I'll be set since our weather starts getting nicer in March. If I get my P-12, I may actually start trying 200Ks this summer.


On the Golden Gardens Park boardwalk on Christmas Day

Rebecca, your latest ride sounds amazing! I'm so jealous of your warm and sunny weather in the winter.

Fortunately, we get a few days of sunshine every now and then during our dark, wet winters here in the PNW. I definitely got much luckier with weather than Laura riding on Christmas Day rather than a few days later. I still manage to use the dark days and rainy weather as an excuse to eat lots of chocolate.

[lauraelmore1033]

MarieV, Doesn't look like that chocolate eating has hurt you any. It seems like the few nice days come when I am not free to ride! Whaaa, whaaa, whaa...

[salsabike]

MarieV, nice picture! I love that beach.

We did our December 100k yesterday and Laura, we JUST missed the rain--it chased us from Fremont to Maple Valley and back, and opened up just as we finished, so we didn't mind! Yesterday was month 10 of our third tandem P12. The thing I like about doing a P12 is that it disciplines us to always make that 100k ride happen every month. Funny how a little structure helps to motivate us to get out and do it. "We ride for cheap RUSA trinkets."

And we saw this handsome fellow on the south end of Lake Washington:

[Crankin]

I don't know, while I am enjoying the recent December riding, with temperatures in the high 40's/50's, there are plenty of other outdoor pursuits to do in the cold/snow. The key to winter is to be outside. I am bummed that there is no snow anywhere, locally, and it's even fading up north. No snow=no nordic skiing. There is one nordic center that still has very good conditions, and I am contemplating going up there (northern NH) on New Year's Day, for the weekend. The season here, for x country skiing is short, at least for me, because I start riding outside on a regular basis in March, while many wait until April. My guess, is that I lf I lived in a place where I could ride year round, I would get burned out. In fact, I know that would happen, as I have to be careful of that even now.
My club has either a ride or hike on Wednesday. The temperature is going to be 24 when the ride leaves. Going to *try* to challenge myself to do this, but I have my doubts!

[AppleTree]

Oh my, what a miserable ride! Forecast did call for rain, but it was sunny and dry at home. Went to the Centennial trail and there were signs that rain was imminent. I thought I'd just cruise on down the trail until it did actually rain, then I'd turn around. The rain held off until I reached the very end of the trail and then it started dumping down in buckets! The seat angle on the recumbent is just perfect for rain to pound down directly into the eyes. That was the worst thing; it was raining so hard that it hurt my eyes. I was also horrified to notice that a large stretch of land along the trail has been clear cut. The whole hillside has been devistated! It's horrible. Oh well.

I am seriously happy to be warm and dry now.

Oh, no! Where did they clear cut, was it north of the Arlington area? I'm so sad about that... I haven't been out there for a while now, between work and holidays... Your ride sounds like an endurance test all right, but you did it! It feels amazing after you get done and really makes you feel "hard core", ha ha.

[rebeccaC]

marie, from the times i've been in the pnw i know it can be beautiful!!!!...golden gardens looks like a great place to ride!!

well, it's not always ideal here......some of that pnw rain came south today on my ride up topanga canyon drive.....in the 50's, 56miles with a wet final descent. when i got back to santa monica i was wet enough so riding through puddles was carefree and fun.

any water from the sky is welcome with the drought we're going through

from the top of topanga canyon looking over the san fernando valley

[shootingstar]

During the day we did 14 km. Then later on we went out last night for an additional 15 km. ride around a neighbourhood to see some Christmas lights. By a separated bike lane (newish) in a wealthy Vancouver neighbourhood (Point Grey) along the waterfront that faces rises north shore mountains.

[cosc]

Shootingstar love the joyous look on your face. May we all find something that puts a big smile on our face this new year.

[azfiddle]

I rode almost every day during my Christmas break - over 200 miles altogether in bits and pieces (15-32 miles). The weather turned from warmer than average to cooler than average so I definitely enjoyed some later start times (11 am, 1 pm- unthinkable here in summer!). Finished the year with over 5100 miles (almost 5200).

And now the odometer turns over once again.

[lauraelmore1033]

Oh, no! Where did they clear cut, was it north of the Arlington area? I'm so sad about that... I haven't been out there for a while now, between work and holidays... Your ride sounds like an endurance test all right, but you did it! It feels amazing after you get done and really makes you feel "hard core", ha ha.

It's actually south of Arlington. You know the kinda big (but not really) downhill where you go under two bridges? I think it was after the second bridge (or maybe just before it). Not only was the area clear cut, but there are some Mcmansions on top of the hill and it looks like there are new driveways apparently crossing the trail.

[khg]

December was almost all commuting for me. But after a Thanksgiving cold snap, my husband couldn't take it any more and redeemed a bunch of frequent flyer miles for a post-Christmas trip to Maui. While there we biked up Mt Haleakala (we got bikes and some ride support from Maui Cyclery). It was one of the most difficult, and most fabulous things I've done. We lucked out on the weather--it was warm, sunny, and almost windless, even at the summit. And with that ride, I went over 4,000 logged miles on the year--my best year yet!

A couple photos:

Looking out towards West Maui


At the summit with the Big Island in the background


The obligatory elevation shot


The moonscape of the Haleakala crater (well, technically, it's an erosion valley...)


my blog (address in sig) has a way-too-long write up, with a few more photos.

And now, we're back home, hunkered down for warmth in another cold snap. Oh well--it was fun while it lasted!

Here's to another year of fabulous riding to everyone--it's so inspiring to see what people are doing!

[salsabike]

Great photographs, khg! Looks wonderful. And actually, your blog write-up of it is REALLY interesting.

[rebeccaC]

khg...great photos and congrats on doing it!!!!!!!.....and you look great in those photos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember having to use just about every psychological strategy I had at the time to make that climb ....it's a special climb/descent in so many ways. looking forward to reading your blog tonight.