28 January

[Veronica]

You can do Sierra, Jo. You can! You can! You can!

Say it with me, "I can do Sierra Road."

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I got in 37.98 miles in 48 degree weather. Quite a few hills. I was layered to the MAX but I did it!

It took the following to make the ride:
Bacaclava
Long Finger gloves
Shorts
Thermal Tights over shorts
Arm Warmers
Sports Bra
Compression Base Top
Jersey
Wool Socks
Toe Warmers

Yup I am a wimp when it dips below 60!

I also learned it is possible to stay upright and make it up a steep hill at 3.6 mph!

Aggie, you are not such a weather wimp! At 35F today, I wore TWO of everything one thing you mention above! But I was warm!
And as to 3.6mph hills...I often note that I am climbing steep hills at about 2.5 mph. My overall average is only about 10 mph because of all the hills around here. But give me a long steep downhill and I can go 36mph! Unfortunately it only takes one minute to go down that long hill at 35mph, but maybe 10 minutes at 5mph to get back up it...hence my low "average" speed!

[jobob]

hee hee. There were a lot of stretches today that I was doing about 3.5 mph. As long as you're moving fast enough so you don't tip over, it's all good.

Yep V., I'm thinking I really can climb Sierra.
It might be at about 2-3 mph, but I can dooooo it.

[SadieKate]

We just rode a loop over a local hill (local as in the only one within 25 miles) but drove closer since we put in a long ride yesterday. I'm must be catching some kind of insanity because I willingly spent much of the 32 miles in a drizzle.

But we saw woodpeckers, robins, peacocks, deer, blooming almonds and meadowlarks singing their fool heads off. Spring is around the corner a bit fast this year.

No snacks in the car so we just HAD to stop at the local market for apple strudel.

SK practicing her chant, "I can do Sierra Road."

[Aggie_Ama]

Aggie, you are not such a weather wimp! At 35F today, I wore TWO of everything one thing you mention above! But I was warm!
And as to 3.6mph hills...I often note that I am climbing steep hills at about 2.5 mph. My overall average is only about 10 mph because of all the hills around here. But give me a long steep downhill and I can go 36mph! Unfortunately it only takes one minute to go down that long hill at 35mph, but maybe 10 minutes at 5mph to get back up it...hence my low "average" speed!

2.5 mph? I don't think my balance is nearly as good as yours! DH said to me "How do you know you can't go slower that 3.6 mph?" I replied "I was zig-zagging all over the place and about to unclip!" I was not about to fall over on my bike that barely has 100 miles on it.

Hills, that is what we have here too! Not really rollers, just steep ones that pop up when you turn a corner. I managed to average 13.9 yesterday because of this nice long false flat, that was downhill. I was rolling along in my big ring at 18+ mph.

[aggiecorgi]

43 miles for me, in about 40 F weather. 20 mph winds, which really sucked. The course was hilly (for here at least). Luckily I got a nice tailwind on the way back, but by that time I really needed it because I was still tired from my ~50 mile ride yesterday.

[five one]

37 miles on a sunny, but chilly and windy, day. DH got two front flats . The first was at about mile 12 (thorn) and the second at mile 32 (glass). I thought his rear tire looked low, but not flat, as I rode behind him, so he added air both times. Managed to get home and within half an hour, both tires were flat, so there must be some little shards of glass or something wedged in both of the tires. He decided to buy some new tubes today, since he didn't have any more at home, and deal with everything this evening. Since we've had some rain, there seems to be more debris than usual in the bike lanes and on the road shoulders.

[melissam]

(Hey Melissa, do you remember this route from the Cindy training rides? )

Yes ma'am, I sure do! It's a lovely route -- one that I'm hoping to do within the next couple of months.

Jobob, good job on doing Felter! Hey, how fast did you go down Sierra?

Hopefully Mr. Bob is feeling better soon.

-- Melissa "I can do Sierra road....after a few months of intense training."

[uk elephant]

Had a very nice ride through Dedham Vale despite headwinds the whole way. Just when I was considering stopping, I had a flat. I had planned on doing 40-45 miles. Flat occured at 39.99miles. I figured that was close enough and caught the train the rest of the way home. The sun had set by then anyway and it's not very nice out on the country lanes alone in the dark. I'll have to try to get started earlier next time if I want to add any more distance. Damn. I hate getting up early, especially on a Sunday.

[cyclechick314]

Had to work today.....but just as well.
Here it was so windy and cold today...way too cold for me to ride.

I need to ride..but I need company when it gets this cold.
I'm not motivated much when icicles form from my nose and my hands feel
like frozen crab claws.

Where is everyone near Baltimore/County riding....and when?
I'm rusty from not riding much last year......but I turn 55 this year and
really want to ride my first century this year. I think this year has got to be it....lol...I am not feeling any younger.
Anyone ride on the Eastern shore? B and A trail? NCR?

Bonnie