January rides? Anyone?

[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.

[ridebikeme]

I was out today ahead of the big storm that is predicted here in the northeast. Other than being outside today, it was very exciting to be back on the bike... I've been injured for quite some time now and am just getting back on the bike... and the first time on a bike outside YIPEE!

Great to read about all of your rides posted here, keep going ladies!!

[salsabike]

I was out today ahead of the big storm that is predicted here in the northeast. Other than being outside today, it was very exciting to be back on the bike... I've been injured for quite some time now and am just getting back on the bike... and the first time on a bike outside YIPEE!

Great to read about all of your rides posted here, keep going ladies!!

That's COOL! Good for you!

[Sky King]

We got our first desert ride of the year in on Sunday. 17 people showed up at the kick off point. I was a bit stressed as some of them wanted to be back in town by late afternoon and I have ridden this area before & knew that would make for a very fast ride. On the drive out I practiced the mantra of not needing to be responsible for other people and reminding myself all were capable, adult riders and as it was an out and back we could all go our own pace. The ride is 30 tough miles on a jeep track, gradual climb out to a canyon overlook. Beautiful desert scenery. Except for Sunday, we got there in a bank of heavy fog. The aggressive riders took off at a good clip, at mile two we hit a significant muddy patch, (note to self - no need to follow the pack) Everyone's bikes, sans one who stopped and picked his bike up, were totally covered in mud. We stopped, grabbed some sticks and started scraping. One guys rear derailleur snapped in half - he is a skilled mechanic and he quickly turned his bike into a single speed.
I knew that once we climb the next hill we'd be out of the mud but much to my surprise everyone on the "extreme team" opted to turn back as did a few of the first time in the desert riders. Suddenly 17 became 7. We climbed the hill and viola no more mud the rest of the ride. Ryan rode the entire way with one gear. The rest of us noodled along at a nice steady pace, the sun burned off the fog at mile 7 and it was an amazing day.
One of the women who turned around is deep into racing and she had her carbon fiber full suspension mt bike and she was freaked out that she'd gotten it dirty and was afraid it would break, that surprised me as why spend all that money on a bike if you are afraid to get it dirty - but then that's me Do I feel a bit self righteous, well I suppose I do. Looking forward to the next ride and am confident I won't be stressing out about not being "good enough"

[azfiddle]

Saturday was slated to be really windy- just couldn't psych myself up for 30 mph gusts so I stayed home until 3:30- just went out for 16 miles.

Sunday I rode 67.5- rode to the start (not too cold, mid-40's) but it stayed overcast and the first 10 miles were along the bike path along the Rillito "river" (usually a big dry wash, as it was that day) and the cold air drainage from the foothills dropped the temperature - possibly into the 30's. My hands were freezing. Finally it warmed up- but it wasn't quite what I prepared for.

Guess the 200k did me some good- 2000 feet+ of climbing didn't stress me at all. The group wasn't really pushing hard though, so that helped. Stopped for breakfast at a golf course restaurant but I didn't really much as we had 20 miles to go and my stomach doesn't do well with greasy or heavy protein meals mid-ride.
It turned out to be a nice day in the end.

[AppleTree]

A little warmer than last week's ride on the trail, another balmy northwest day, but seemed to be far fewer people this week for some reason. 25 miles, still trying to go easy (on my knee) and it was great except for the worms... I have never seen my bike so worm encrusted before. It is absolutely disgusting... and I JUST washed it and lubed the chain the day before. I have full coverage fenders on this bike, but still got worm guts thrown up on my water bottle and the underside of the down tube...the inside of the fenders are...just YUCK! Unlike skyking's friend, I'm not afraid to get my bike dirty... mud is one thing, but worm guts are quite another.