November 1st rides

[Crankin]

We had a fairly warm start for the month of November. I think my body doesn't like this freezing cold one day and sixty degrees the next!
We went out at about 11:30, with the idea of doing a destination ride, for a light lunch. My goal was to enjoy myself and not look at my speed. So, we set out on my old commute route, which looks very nice in the fall. There are actually still a lot of trees with colorful leaves left. I actually dressed sort of right; it did get warm after we had gone about 7 miles, so I took off my buff and switched to my regular gloves. It had been about 53 when we left, but it was cloudy. The sun came out and it felt really warm. I was wearing my Terry fleecy jersey, which I still haven't found a good temperature for. At least I didn't have anything underneath it, since it doesn't have a zipper. Oh, and a wind vest, since it was breezy. After the stop to strip off the stuff, we came to my favorite cycling road, where I got ahead of my husband and did a nice 3.5 mile cruise at 18-19 mph (my husband is having to monitor his exertion because of a medical issue). We then cruised into west Acton, where we stopped at a cafe and had the most delicious bowl of butternut squash soup with roasted veggies. One of my former colleagues was in there, so we chatted. We decided to go home a different way, which involved a nice downhill, where I was glad I had the fleecy thing on. The temperature started going down and the sun left, too. There was tons of traffic in West Concord, and the train had just come through, so it was backed up. I got in the lane, but my husband went along side the cars and we got separated. I finally caught him as we waited to cross the highway. Then there was more traffic in Concord center. Just tons of people out enjoying the nice day and cyclists everywhere, some doing some very dangerous things in the traffic. After carefully turning left across this all, we stopped and sat on a bench to people watch. I saw one of classmates from grad school and then we decided to head home, it was getting colder and windier. As I started up my hill, I shifted to my granny and my chain came off! I can't remember the last time this happened, but I was out of my normal routine; usually I shift when I turn on the street, since it's a slight uphill. Thankfully, I was still on a pretty flat spot, so I hopped off and got the chain on the big ring and was fiddling around to get it safely back in the granny, when a guy flew by me going up the hill. I swear, he was going 20 up the hill! Anyway, I got home safely and was glad I actually enjoyed this ride.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My DH and I had a really nice 25 mile ride too, 50 degreesF cloudy....refreshing!
I am in my bike clothes right now, we are going out again this finesunday morning...except it's 32F at the moment, but should be warmer after our breakfast at Ralph's.
Crankin' has actually eaten at Ralph's and knows exactly where we'll be.
Crankin' and her husband on the left, Ralph in the middle, Crankin's riding buddies on the right, this past summer.....

[cycling_sarah]

I rode 40 miles with DH just around our regular route in Newport, RI. There was hardly any wind and the temps were very comfortable in the 50's. Today is quite different, much colder and windier, but we are having coffee and getting ready to go out and ride with redrhodie! It will be great to have 3 of us pedaling in the wind so there is more shelter.

[Aggie_Ama]

Did 24 miles with DH after I finished with some planting for the never ending landscaping project. It was a gorgeous but warm Texas day, 84 at ride time! More time for sleeveless jerseys.

Today we are supposed to go mountain biking and I am trying to get excited. My head is congested and my whole body sore from who knows what. Maybe I will loosen up when I have been up a bit.

[Susan126]

It was raining and windy here so no road riding for Joe and me. Instead we went mountain biking. We drove to one of our favorite local trails and rode for 3 hours. We forgot to put our fenders on our bikes so we got extra muddy. We had fun! I forgot how hard mountain biking is. We were exhausted when we finished our ride. My shoulders were especially sore and tired. Lots of upper body workout on the ride.

Probably go to the 9:30 AM Sunday morning spin class at my gym because the rain will continue all Sunday long.

[Aggie_Ama]

Wow Susan, y'all ride mountain when it rains? Most trails here close at rain (above drizzle) but I am wondering if that is because of our terrain? They erode terribly and make it awful to ride later if people ride in the mud.

[Mr. Bloom]

Silver and I joined riding buddy Dan for a 57 mile jaunt to Rockport Indiana and back. The weather was nearly perfect and we averaged 17.3mph despite a return head wind.

Dan just turned 60 a few months ago and is recovering from hip resurfacing...said it was his strongest ride this year

Next week, we're shooting for a 50 mile - mountainous - ride in the Garden of the Gods @ Shawnee National Forest.

[Crankin]

Gee, thanks Lisa, for immortalizing my picture again. We are heading out with same riding buddies later, around 1:30 to just ride around Concord and Carlisle. That way, it will be in the 40s.

[Susan126]

Wow Susan, y'all ride mountain when it rains? Most trails here close at rain (above drizzle) but I am wondering if that is because of our terrain? They erode terribly and make it awful to ride later if people ride in the mud.

Aggie a lot of trails do close and they are posted at my local mountain bike club's web site

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance

but there a many that remain open because they drain well, are underneath thick forest canopy, and our local club and IMBA do a lot of trail maintenance here. I guess I am lucky to be living in this area. I have the best of both road and mountain biking!

[makbike]

Rode nice leisurely 19 miles with BF. He purchased a new Fuji bike yesterday and was eager to take it out for a spin. I introduced him to some of my favorite roads. His new bike is beautiful, he looks like a natural and the smile plastered on his face was priceless.

[Mr. Bloom]

Rode nice leisurely 19 miles with BF.

BF???? OH???? Did I miss something??? Tell us more!

[makbike]

Really not much to tell Mr. Silver. He is a super nice guy who makes me smile He rode a lot back in the 70's but stopped due to other obligations. He wants to start riding again with sights set on RaIN 2009. Time will tell but at the moment I have a very good feeling about us.

[tulip]

I started out my November with a bang, after very little riding in the past couple of months. My partner and I rode with the local bike club, 48 very hill miles, and my legs were toast! Really, I don't do hills much, and this was full of hills, some long, some short and steep, all up! I survived, although my legs really hurt in the last part of the ride, and my hip was sore last evening. I went with my wonderful partner, and I also met some nice people.

[Aggie_Ama]

Aggie a lot of trails do close and they are posted at my local mountain bike club's web site

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance

but there a many that remain open because they drain well, are underneath thick forest canopy, and our local club and IMBA do a lot of trail maintenance here. I guess I am lucky to be living in this area. I have the best of both road and mountain biking!

That makes sense. We have a lot of areas that flash flood so probably best to stay off the trails. There are probably some that stay open just not the one I ride 90% of the time. They don't have gates to close it so people do ride and tear it up leaving more work for our local hardworking club.