May flowers... and bike rides

[north woods gal]

Be great if we could work out some kind of exchange program. I send everyone a little bit of my 40s and 50s weather and you send me some, but not all, of your 90s weather. No kidding, frost warnings are on, again, for tonight.

Yeah, still riding, no matter what, though. Those of you who have had to lay off riding for health/recovery reasons have been an inspiration to me not to take being able to ride for granted. Yes, you are in my thoughts and my prayers as I ride. Be well.

[Crankin]

Did our second iteration of our friends' spring warm up ride out in the Amherst area. There were 5 participants, us, our friends, and another friend from the Boston area. The ride was really slow for me, but it was a gorveous +10 day. I do love weatern MA, both the Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires. Relaxing at our friends now, good food and wine. We will do the same ride up to the Quabbin lookout point tomorrow. Hopefully, with no rain for the last 4 miles.

[north woods gal]

More rain, last night, so things just keep getting "squishier" around, here. The good news is that our soils are basically sand with rocks thrown in here and there, so only low sections of trail are too squishy, plus at least 90% of our county roads are paved, so pavement riding is always an option. With our current on and off rain pattern, though, much safer to stay around the house and ride trails and neighborhood paved roads than attempt any long distance riding. Have managed to get in at least one hour of hard trail time between storms, everyday, this very rainy week. Would dearly love to have a little sunshine, though. Always improves my mood.

[Crankin]

We ended up not riding today. Our friends have to vacate their rental home by 7/31; their original plan was to sign one more lease, start looking to buy in the late winter and move next summer. So, they have already lost out on one house, so this morning we went with them back to see another one a second time. They had decided they would make an offer at list price, since the sellers have come down twice since it was listed and they are getting a divorce. The five of us met their agent there... she was useless and my DH really had to guide our friends, who have only bought one home, compared to our 6. And, she was overwehlmed by the fact they would offer list price, with no bargaining, just take out the swing set and trampoline! They don't need a mortgage, they are perfect buyers, so this was time well spent, measuring and looking. The house is gorgeous, in a really rural town in the Pioneer Valley, with great riding, and super energy efficient. I think the poor agent just wasn't used to the way things are done in the "big city." Our friends have the money, but not the time, and don't want to end up living in temporrary housing. They will know tomorrow if the offer was accepted.
It was noon by the time we got back to their house, so we decided to drive up to the Quabbin, instead. We did about a 3.5 mile walk on the dam and up part of the road we climbed on our bikes a couple of weeks ago. I feel like i worked and was outside, so it's OK. My allergies are raging and I am not feeling particularly well.
Next week is going to be iffy with rain, scattered showers. Planning to do an early AM ride tomorrow with DH, as the rain won't start until 8 or so.

[Crankin]

OK, well the rain decided to start around 5:30 this morning. Got up and saw raindrops on the skylight, but it was not raining out at the time. It took me awhile to get out, as I had not put air in my tires last night and I had to change to my more powerful light. Went out, started, and as I turned the corner from my street onto Main St. bang, first raindrops. It's only 53 out and kind of raw and I had a vest, not my rain jacket. Decided to not turn back on the first chance, but by the next street, it was cold rain hitting me. I turned down the street which was my last chance to go back without making a u turn on Main St, and had a pleasant little climb up through the neighborhood I walk in. Debated on taking the trail between this neighborhood and my street, but it's in rutted/rooty shape at the end I was on, so I opted for 2 quick lefts back home. Traffic was picking up, but I made the right choice. I didn't even look at my mileage, probably a mile . Came home and did a 20 minute hill walk on the treadmill.
Looks like tomorrow will be the only non-rainy day this week, so I will go out again early in the AM. Looks iffy for my group ride, which I really want to do Wednesday. We are supposed to lead a ride Thurs. after work and that doesn't look good.

[north woods gal]

I think this rain thing is contagious or something. Hope I didn't send it.

We have another two days of it in the forecast, but nothing real heavy. Mostly the bleak skies and cold wind that are getting to me. Will keep riding, of course, putting my usual minimum of one hour on the trail and adding some road miles when I'm up to it.

Once again, fat bikes to the rescue. Believe it or not, on the wet sections of trail, the deer leave much deeper tracks than the fat bike tires. Even notice a difference between the 4" plus fat bike tires and my Stashe with its 3" tires. For sure, standard 2" MTB tires are no go. Way too much trail damage.

[azfiddle]

I've been riding pretty much every day, commuting every day except Thursday on the way home last week, and then Saturday and Sunday I did recreational/birding rides. 30 miles on Saturday and 20 miles Sunday with my husband. We drove to the town of Benson and rode 10 miles to the community of St. David, along the San Pedro River. The goal Sunday was to find Mississippi Kites, which were right where we expected to find them. I rode in to work and it's going to be a very warm ride home- 98 degrees....