September rides, bringing in the fall.

[Crankin]

Sorry both of you had crashes, Emily and Sheila. Both sound like stuff I would do! Sheila, yours reminds me of when my DH fell backwards off the stability ball while we were working out at home, into my bike on the trainer and got gauged by the chainrings on my bike. I hope you don't have a tattoo from those pins, like he did from the chainring. I admit I couldn't stop laughing at him when it happened. It was so slow, he could have stopped it.
We are having a real fall like weekend, so today we will do a shorter ride and then tomorrow, a long one. We have to avoid some of our favorite spots, as apple picking season has begun and the hordes are crowding the roads, as well as parking alongside many of the narrow country roads we ride on. Yesterday, I didn't ride, but went to boot camp and then took a 4 mile walk with a friend. My legs are feeling it; we walked on the bike trail and my calves are tight from that. Next time, we will hike.

[north woods gal]

Love my flat pedals on all my bikes, but, yeah, you have to respect those pins in the pedals. I've been "bitten" many times with them as I walk my bikes up and down the steps of our deck getting the bikes in and out of the house.

We did a nice neighborhood ride with one of my husband's sisters, yesterday, even though the wind was howling and we were getting hit with light rain and mist. She did very well on the Specialized Roll comfort bike. Not to surprised, since this modern breed of comfort bike is designed for people who haven't done a lot of biking, but she really did manage to get up the hills in very good form.

As for the rest of my daily ride, spent more time getting on and off the fat bike, clearing tree limbs and debris off the trails from the high winds. Definitely more cleaning than riding. I could, of course, just ride the fat bikes over everything - they can roll over just about anything in their path - but I still want to ride some my standard MTB bikes on the trail before winter sets in. Standard 2.25" MTB tires are susceptible to trail debris and wet leaves, so taking no chances when I ride these bikes. Clean trails, only, for these bikes.

I may still get to wear shorts now and then for the next month if we get a nice warm day, but those days will now be few and far between. Leggings and a sweatshirt/jacket are now pretty much standard when I ride. Even gloves on some days. Missing summer, already, though fall, up here, really is a gorgeous time of year.

[Crankin]

We accomplished our goal of a short ride, 18.5 miles, with an average above 14, despite starting out going quite slowly. The humidity is gone and it's windy and partly cloudy. It felt quite cool for the first mile or two, but then we climbed, so it was fine wearing shorts and a regular LS jersey. The temperature was between 62 and 66. Basically went south, into the next town of Sudbury and it took quite awhile for the traffic to quiet down, when we were riding through a wildlife area. It's disturbing to see how busy it's become around where I live; but then again, normally in the fall, we are riding in the afternoon on Saturdays, and today we went out at 11 or so. People driving their kids to soccer or doing shopping. In the summer, everyone is at the beach or in the mountains and it is significantly quieter. We stopped at a farm market to grab a sandwich to share, about 4 miles from home. So busy there... this is fairly easy for people from the city to get to, as opposed to where we usually go and it's also a meeting place for cyclists. I don't go here much, despite it being close. When we first moved to MA, took my kids there to get a pumpkin. We got up to the register and it was 26.00! We left it right at the register, with 2 crying little boys. The food and produce at the other place is just as expensive, but I like the vibe better.
Getting ready to meet my son and granddaughter in Somerville for the Fluff festival, as in Fluffernutter. Yes, it was invented here; should be interesting.