January rides? Anyone?

[salsabike]

We did our January tandem 100k yesterday--a 70-miler, actually. Lake Forest Park-Capitol Hill-Renton-Kennydale-East Lake Samm-BG back to LFP. What I like to call "one of the longer 100ks". I think this is the third time we've done this one, and we really like it, but boy! We always JUST make the first two control times, because so much of the first half of the ride is uphill. Yep, it was grey and misty and pretty cool. We didn't get rained on very much--our shoes under the booties stayed dry--but we definitely got condensed on. Lots of bikes out yesterday.

[Crankin]

Funny, I haven't thought about Canyon de Chelly in years. Never in terms of beauty, but back in the day, we'd always say that's where we'd end up if we couldn't get a teaching job in the city!
Not to mention, it's always the spot where the weatherman states the lowest temperature in the state!

[rebeccaC]

Thanks for the nice comments!!

Marie, the valleys red rock canyon has some amazing geologic visuals very much like Bryce!

And this + a trillion

it WAS tremendously beautiful.

Veronica, finding the Inn with a massage for after Saturdays ride is what tipped me quickly into doing it. The Inn is an older building. What I saw of it was being nicely preserved. I’d think the expensive part is because of the location. The location is also great for short or long rides into some incredible landscapes.

Nice to see you could ride to Artist Drive, etc. If I close my eyes I can "hear" the desert. Thanks for posting

Artist Drive was another world especially on a bike ….and thank you

[Veronica]

We've stayed at Stove Pipe Wells and at the Ranch on previous visits to Death Valley. I like the cabins at the Ranch. They're tiny and only have a shower, but they are REALLY quiet since you only have neighbors on one side. The Inn's prices are in line with the cost to stay at most of the nicer hotels at National Parks, but those nicer hotels don't seem to have much sound proofing between rooms! Of course, I don't think either of those places offer massage.

You have to go back. There's so much good hiking there.

Veronica

[azfiddle]

Rebecca- stunning, absolutely stunning photos. I've never been there to bike, but in my serious birding years in California in my 20's- did some intense weekends in the area searching for rare migrant birds lost in the desert. Went to sleep at 10 pm on the golf course in Furnace Creek at 10 pm and it was still over 100 degrees!

[rocknrollgirl]

No nice photos to share, just a ride update to add to the thread. We got in a couple hours mt biking this morning. Conditions were perfect. It was about 15 degrees when we started and warmed up to 25 when we were done. I have been cleared for 3 weeks to ride after my surgery and I feel like I got my mojo back. The first week I was pretty tentative, but today I was able to ride some pretty techy stuff without issue, conquered a few new big log overs and a very sketchy bridge. So I was very pleased to feel back in the saddle. I just have to regain my top end anaerobic umph and I will be all sorted out.

[lauraelmore1033]

Top end anaerobic umph! I coulda used some of that yesterday when dh and I did the Stinky Spoke ride in Woodinville! I've done this ride a couple of times (before the Hysto and back problems)and squeeked by with some half-@$$ed training on parts of the course. Recently, they've reversed the course so it starts out with a climb up a hill with a 20% grade (guess who was walkin'that...) and just generally it seemed harder to me. Of course, I'm heavier this time, and older, and was trying to do it on a cyclocross bike. Saw lots of fatbikes, seemingly floating up those hills and tearing down the descents without a care in the world. I made it through, though. Thirteen miles of climbey gravel pipeline trail and well groomed woodsy bits and 5 miles along the Sammamish River trail where I passed with pleasure, a large number of the properly equipped mountain bikers who had passed me earlier. If I do this ride again next year, I would have to do it on a proper mountain bike--but that would mean buying yet ANOTHER bike! Not sure I can do that...