January rides? Anyone?

[salsabike]

Laura, did 32 miles on/around the Samm River Trail yesterday and saw you all Stinky Spoke riders! Bet I saw YOU. One of these days we'll have to meet.

[lauraelmore1033]

Laura, did 32 miles on/around the Samm River Trail yesterday and saw you all Stinky Spoke riders! Bet I saw YOU. One of these days we'll have to meet.

I bet you did. I finished with 15 minutes to spare, so I was out there around noon. Yes, we should meet.

[rebeccaC]

laura, sounds like a good/fun 18 mile ride......and wondering how someone gets stinky spokes??????

thanks azfiddle!!

just a relaxing at home weekend for me....did a ride to the farmers market this morning and will do a later ride today to a friends for dinner. weather is finally back into the 70's

[lauraelmore1033]

laura, sounds like a good/fun 18 mile ride......and wondering how someone gets stinky spokes??????

thanks azfiddle!!

I think the stinky part of the name comes from the anticipated stinky weather. It is held on what is supposed to be, statistically, the day with the worst weather of the year. (typically, it isn't, though...) There is another organized ride, called Red Spoke, and I think Stinky Spoke alludes to that ( mainly because they start in the same area).

[rebeccaC]

It is held on what is supposed to be, statistically, the day with the worst weather of the year..

you people in the pnw are crazzzzzy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....but truly adventurers

[lauraelmore1033]

you people in the pnw are crazzzzzy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....but truly adventurers

Well, it was only about 45 degrees and drizzly. So, really not soooo adventurous. (it did start dumping shortly after the ride was over, and the wind kicked up, and I probably wouldn't have ridden in those conditions)

[AppleTree]

Well, it was only about 45 degrees and drizzly. So, really not soooo adventurous. (it did start dumping shortly after the ride was over, and the wind kicked up, and I probably wouldn't have ridden in those conditions)

Ha ha, it's all relative isn't it?? During the middle of winter 45 degrees sounds like a balmy day up in these parts! Glad the heavy weather waited till you were done, but it sounds like a fun ride in some more remote areas than our regular biking trails. Bet it was beautiful!

I got to ride TWICE last week, woo hoo, both short rides, nursing a rather sore knee right now, just a bit of tendonitis. Both sunny days and in the mid-40s. I'm doing PT in Kenmore on Wednesday, so hope the weather is good that day to ride afterwards on the Burke. We signed up for STP this year, so want to start getting in good shape for that.

[lauraelmore1033]

oooh, take care of that knee! We're doing stp again this year too (and the training series).

[smittykitty]

I rode today, just 12 miles. I haven't been on my bike since Oct. We've been busy all weekend with a bathroom update and I was tired and behind on chores, no food in the house, but it was sunny and a warm 52* So off we went. It felt great. Always feels so good getting back on the bike after a long break. Darn sun was in my eyes, oh well!

[ny biker]

I've managed to ride outside twice this month. First on January 19 (MLK Day) I went for a 31-mile trail ride with a friend. It was cold and windy at the start and I really did not feel like being outside, but once we got going I warmed up and was glad we went. I followed some advice that I read here on TE a few years ago, I think maybe from Tulip -- I have an old wool sweater with a small hole in it, and instead of throwing it away I wore it as a bike jersey under a windproof jacket. It was warm and toasty! My legs were exhausted by the end of the ride and hurt a lot during our post-ride lunch. I'd only been off the bike for less than a month but it felt like longer.

Yesterday (Sunday) I had to work but I managed to get in a hour-long ride around my neighborhood before it got dark. There was brine on the roads to pre-treat for an approaching storm. It stuck to my tires and made a sound kind of like when you pull off a piece of tape as I rode. It also smelled bad and caused some mild post-ride irritation -- sore throat, asthma symptoms, head congestion -- similar to when they put lots of salt on the road during a snow storm. Other than the brine, it was a nice little ride. It was cloudy but with temps in the high 40s. I tested out a jacket that I had bought last year but had only worn once for a bike ride. Last time I wore it I was kinda cold, so yesterday I added one more layer underneath and it was very comfortable.

After I got home I cleaned off my tires, since I was worried that the briny stuff would make things stick to the tires and make flats more likely. That was a messy job.