October rides...

[Crankin]

Wind is one of my least favorite things, even if I am not riding.
So, we did have more summer like temperatures, today, but nothing like last week, thankfully. It was the kind of day that tested my ability to know how to dress for a ride. It was 57 when I left, and was predicted to go up to 65 or so for the duration of the ride. Full sun, light breezes. So, I wore knee warmers, a ss jersey with arm warmers, and a sleeveless base layer. The arm warm warmers were off at mile 4.5, but I started feeling overheated from the base layer, despite unzipping my jersey, no head cover, and regular gloves. I think it was because the jersey I wore is slightly thicker than most ss ones; not a thermal lining, but heavier fabric. I like it for fall and spring, generally.
The sweatiness contributed to an overall crappy ride, in terms of how i felt. Legs felt dead, which makes my back stuff hurt. Not acute, just pulling. Anyway, it was gorgeous out, so I am glad I rode. At the point I took my arm warmers off, i decided to change my route, and went over to the area where my last house was, in a not direct way, as I was already on the other side of the highway that splits my town and the next town. Once I made this decision, I had one climb (shady) and a long downhill/flat return home. I've been noticing a lot about traffic patterns on these rides. Where the area near my old house gets tons of commuter traffic at rush hour, after 9 AM and before 4, it is quiet. Now, i have continuous busyness between my house and West Concord, just under 2 miles. It's flat, though. If I go in the other direction, it's busy, too, but opens up getting to quieter stuff. It is actually easier and closer for me now to head over to the town I used to live in, when I first started riding, which is noticeably quieter, than when I first moved to Concord. But, the fact is, there are just more cars. The economy is booming here, but with so many people working from home, they are out all day long!
I rode 17 miles, then met a friend for lunch, and went for a haircut. Rest day tomorrow, and I need to rethink my rest days, with my new gym class schedule.

[ny biker]

It's definitely been hard to figure out how to dress for the weather lately. Usually for daytime rides in the 60s I am comfortable with a long sleeve wool base layer and a short sleeve jersey. Then I might add a vest and arm warmers which gives flexibility in terms of an extra layer. But the last couple of rides I did were too warm for the base layer, which you can't take off in public. For the ride I planned last night I was going to wear a normal-weight (not fleecy) long sleeved jersey, figuring I could add a vest if needed. But when I went outside it was much cooler than I had expected, cool enough for the wool base layer.

I really want to do more kayaking before the cold weather sets in but I think it's even harder to guess what to wear for that this time of year -- it's exercise but not as strenuous as cycling, if the sun is out it can get quite warm, but if you get wet you can be very cold and uncomfortable with temps in the 50s-60s. I'm figuring some combination of my cycling tops, jackets and tights or knickers will work, but am really not sure.

[rebeccaC]

On Sunday we welcomed Oct with a 63 mile ride…the first 26 miles of the first days ride of the upcoming Young Survival Coalition's Tour de Pink with a side ride into the northern Santa Monica Mountains. Some good climbs on the route and a harder climb into the SMM's. After a great descent to the Oxnard valley floor (knowing we needed to ride back up it took some of the fun away) we stopped at the CSU Channel Islands campus in Oxnard, where i do some grant work in bioinformatics with a few grad students, to take a nutrition break and stretch. A good ride and I now have a good feel for the hardest part of the first days ride. Some short rides with just moderate climbs left in my training plan and I’ll be ready for the tour. Looking forward to the hopefully full 3 days of riding and being with kindred spirits wanting to help fund services for young women going through breast cancer. The thought of doing this ride really helped in my working through my journey this year...glad it's finally almost here and i that i feel good enough to participate!!!!!

[ny biker]

That's great, Rebecca!

I rode about 18 miles last night. Started late again, somewhere between 9 and 9:30 pm. Finished around 11:00. I really like riding late when everyone is at home and the roads are empty except for a few dog walkers. Another ride in which I was deceived by the weather -- it seemed chilly at first so I started wearing a vest and arm warmers. Within a couple of miles I had to stop to remove them. It was in the low 60s but very humid, which made a big difference. Soon enough I will need to layers so I'm not complaining!

Emily, I think that rain you're expecting is from yet another tropical storm. And I think we might be seeing rain from it early next week. We haven't had any rain in quite a while, but I hope we don't get anything really heavy since that tends to cause flooding.

[Crankin]

NY, I have had the same experience with humidity. It's the same thing early in the morning, when I ride. The temperature is coolish, but the humidity makes it feel warm. It's the only reason I have ever arrived at work sweaty, when commuting, too.
We are experiencing early September like temperatures and rising humidity. I hate this. And we are getting that rain, too, on Monday and Tuesday.
I rested today. I have my bootcamp tomorrow; debating whether to ride there as my warm up, or ride to work, or both (or neither). Riding 2.3 miles to work is starting to feel like too much prep, for such a short ride. I always feel good, but... planning some long rides this weekend.

[Geonz]

Muggy in the Midwest, too. Okay, today it was actually raining No, those expensive LL Bean rain pants don't actually keep one dry above the knees, but I have them over my "quick dry" favorite pants (which I don't know enough about to replace - disadvantage of impulse online outlet orders...)

Now to swap out for the work pants... and to TRY TO FIND PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. I know they're around here somewhere

[ny biker]

Muggy in the Midwest, too. Okay, today it was actually raining No, those expensive LL Bean rain pants don't actually keep one dry above the knees, but I have them over my "quick dry" favorite pants (which I don't know enough about to replace - disadvantage of impulse online outlet orders...)

Now to swap out for the work pants... and to TRY TO FIND PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. I know they're around here somewhere

Let me know where you find the patience and understanding -- they do seem elusive.

I think there's been a fair amount of rain lately in the midwest; I haven't been paying really close attention but I see tweets from the National Weather Service office in Omaha (due to a relative living in that area) and it seems like they've been talking about rain a lot. Big contrast to our area. I had some old jugs of water that I wanted to get rid of the other day so I poured them out around my favorite tree near my home, and the ground was really hard and dry.

Again I'm not complaining since I prefer warm and humid to winter any day, and the rain will come soon enough.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, I think that rain you're expecting is from yet another tropical storm. And I think we might be seeing rain from it early next week. We haven't had any rain in quite a while, but I hope we don't get anything really heavy since that tends to cause flooding.

Actually, TS Nate is not an issue for us here in central Florida. But there's been a tropical wave and just general tropical disturbances off of the southeast coast of Florida that has been bringing us off and on showers to brief heavy downpours for the past couple of days.

Fortunately, this morning was simply overcast and super humid...drip drip drip! I was absolutely drenched after my 31.5 mile ride. However, the sweat was worth it as the rains and wind finally eased enough for my first ride since Monday, so I will take it. And due to the light winds, I managed my fastest speed ever for this route: 14.4 mph. Slow to some, but I will take it! Very enjoyable ride!

NY, I am in my jammies by 8 pm and in bed by 10pm, so your night rides are hard for me to wrap my head around. However, I can see how they would be more peaceful than riding during the busy times.

[north woods gal]

Speaking of night rides, had a passing thought about trying to ride our trails at night, using a good light. I know the trails by heart, so that's plus. Might be fun, though, I jump into my PJs right after dinner, too.

Lots of rain, overnight, and still raining, this morning. Not sure if I'll be able and/or willing to ride, today, so just doing some laundry and around the house things. Oh, well. Won't be long before that rain is snow.

[Crankin]

I rode 26 miles with DH today. Unplanned and we kind just decided on a direction to head out, and we went. Not very many cyclists out, which is weird, as it was 75 degrees out. But, schools are closed on Monday and a lot of people are away. Kind of humid, but a little cloudy, so not bad. We avoided apple orchards and big climbs, so I had a respectable for me, though not fast average, despite the fact that just before we started, my right glute started hurting. I have done nothing that would do this, thinking it's referred pain? Well, I've been stretching like crazy since I got home, massaged it with the shower head, foam roller, and ice.
I guess i have a pain in the azz!