november 23 rides, SUNDAY!

[Biciclista]

wow, What a gorgeous day. The sun came up around 730am
and STAYED UP and OUT.

I had the opportunity to attend a watercolor demo being put on by a local artist at an art store not too terribly far from my house, so enboldened by the sun, I grabbed my trusty bicycle and rode off into the chilly 42 degree day.
Into a headwind all the way to Daniel Smith's art supply, i felt strong and also enjoyed the fact that industrial roads are almost empty of cars on Sunday; a big plus!
I parked my bike into the bike rack and quickly ate my sandwich while the people gathered for the rather fun art demo.
The demo over, I bought some art supplies (how could I not?) and hopped back onto my trusty bike and rode back up the hill. I took a rode with switchbacks, it was well graded so pleasant and easy to ride. I had one of Raleighdon's panniers with me, so I bought a chicken and a pineapple and then turned south; finally got my tailwind
and sped home. A young woman on a bike passed me and t hen when I caught up to her at the light, she ignored me. So I passed her. I felt like the wind. Great ride, great day, a whopping 14 miles.

[Crankin]

My ride was a 4.2 mile hike at a pretty fast pace. It was 32 and sunny out.
My legs are killing me...

[tulip]

A beautiful but quite cold, sunny, and windy 48 miles of eastern Virginia rolling countryside. Did I mention it was cold? I don't think it got above the high 30s. I'm tuckered out, and ready to turn in early.

[Triskeliongirl]

We had a beautiful day in the texas hill country, ride started in low 60s and ended in high 60s. Warmer than its been for a while here. We rode River Road out of Greune, same route that Lance did in the Tour De Gruene a little while back. Its an absolutley beautiful road that runs along the Guadeloupe River. Its hard to ride in summer cuz its filled with campers and vacationers that do various river sports. But today it has a special deserted beauty. Its hilly but it felt so good to be out doors. Started with arm warmers but stripped to shorts and short sleeve jersey pretty darn quick!

[RolliePollie]

Beautiful day for a ride here! 32 miles, sunny, and still some nice fall color to enjoy. My poor new bike is all out of whack though. The shifting is totally messed up. It was clicking, skipping, and shifting by itself. So that was nerve wracking and frustrating. She's headed to the LBS in the morning for some adjustments. It's hard to enjoy a new bike when it's shifting all over the place.

[buddha_bellies]

Beautiful sunny day for a ride in Vancouver today too! My BF and another friend did 65 km today. Had lunch in Stevenston and saw many other cyclists around too. There were 4 people who must've been in their 80's!! WOW! I hope when I'm at that age, I can still ride like them.

[7rider]

Lots going on with the Shop ride and shop ride alums today.
MDHillSlug promised to join.
A friend of mine picked up her new Seven ID8 yesterday, and I'm dying to see it.
The morning broke sunny but COLD! At 7 a.m., the thermometer read a balmy 21 degrees!
Whiiiine.
Call MDHS..."Uh...Hill? You still goin'?" "I'm loading my bike on the car now."
Oh....no 10 a.m. ride, huh?
Nope. After debating back and forth with DH (we DO have winter bike attire, incidently, we just CHOOSE not to wear it! ), we decide to go for it. If Hill can do it, we can too.
Texted my friend with the ID8. No response.
So, we, and about 40 other nut cases went off on the ride.
My friend with the ID8 never showed. She slept in!
29 miles in what had to be one of my coldest rides. Brrr.... Definitely glad I put the AmFib tights on!
Oh...and all day, we've been tracking the progress of our friend who's doing the Ford Ironman Arizona in Tempe (where it's sunny and mid-70's! HA!). And, another friend busted his collar bone at a 'cross race (actually, the warm up lap). Ye-ouch!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

It was only 12F degrees at 7am here, and never got over 28F....too cold to ride really. No walking more than a mile or so either for me for a few more days to rest my complaining knee.
I did walk a mile this morning at 15F back and forth to breakfast though.
I vacuumed the whole house today as a form of masochistic exercise.

It's COLD!!!!!!!

[ASammy1]

Based on my reaction to the cold yesterday... I decided to take it easy today (even though it was beautiful out!) and rode 22 miles on the trainer.

[redrhodie]

Cycling-Sarah, her husband and I got together for our usual Sunday morning ride. It was the coldest day for me so far, in the mid 20s when I left. I almost decided not to go, but once on the bike, I felt great. I was extra peppy for some reason. I really like the cold. I rode around 36 miles.

At the end of the ride, a herd of deer crossed the road in front of me. I could hear them running along side me in the tall beach grass, and it was a little nerve wracking. It's the most active time of year for deer accidents. Getting hit by one while riding would not be good (though it would make this post a little more exciting ).

[Aggie_Ama]

Odd that I am only 90-120 miles north of Trisk and I thought it to be an UGLY day. Grey, muggy, grey. But we did the 15 mile dog ride after taking car of errands. I hate winter and cloudy days and foggy grossness. It wasn't the worst on mugginess but it looked like pea soup out in the morning. By our 3:00 ride it had burned off some but it was still grey, no sunshine yesterday we did clear lenses. Nice parts was it was about 65-70 degrees and we saw baby goats right before downtown. I do love baby goats. Oh and the red oaks are changing and we almost look like we get fall in Texas. Today it is supposed to be sunny and Wednesday when I get off work early.

[Triskeliongirl]

Interesting Aggie-Ama. You know the day was gray here too, but there is something really special about riding up river road when its not tubing season. It had a very surreal look (i wish i had brought a camera although there is no way the group I was with would have stopped for a picture...) with the foliage fairly colorful (for texas that is) running all along the river, it was just so beautiful. And then the temperature was just so perfect, 60s all the way, not too hot not too cold. I also was feeling really strong, cuz its a fairly hilly ride but I was able to keep up with a group that I don't always stay with, and that felt good too. I forgot to say we did 32 miles. Felt like I could have done more, but we were worried about traffic so we just did the out and back on river road. I like our club rides in the 'off-season'. They get a bit less competitive, fewer folks show up so fewer groups form, and people stay together more. It was just a great combination of scenary, climate, and people.

Odd that I am only 90-120 miles north of Trisk and I thought it to be an UGLY day. Grey, muggy, grey. But we did the 15 mile dog ride after taking car of errands. I hate winter and cloudy days and foggy grossness. It wasn't the worst on mugginess but it looked like pea soup out in the morning. By our 3:00 ride it had burned off some but it was still grey, no sunshine yesterday we did clear lenses. Nice parts was it was about 65-70 degrees and we saw baby goats right before downtown. I do love baby goats. Oh and the red oaks are changing and we almost look like we get fall in Texas. Today it is supposed to be sunny and Wednesday when I get off work early.

[Aggie_Ama]

Triskelion- You are probably right, scenery made a difference. I was riding a route I do any time I am short on time. It is also one that I have often been harrassed on, just never feels beautiful. The temperature was great and the trees we do get that change were on fire. I guess it was pretty, the dog ride is just never exciting. I know the road you did as part of it is on the Wurst Ride in Texas. The year I did that ride it was grey and dreary but the road still was gorgeous. Must be the magic of the Texas Hill Country vs. the Jollyville Plateau of northern Wilco.

[Jo-n-NY]

A lovely day on Long Island. I rode 18 miles, temps in the 30's, but it felt refreshing.

~ JoAnn

[HillSlugger]

Lots going on with the Shop ride and shop ride alums today.
MDHillSlug promised to join.
A friend of mine picked up her new Seven ID8 yesterday, and I'm dying to see it.
The morning broke sunny but COLD! At 7 a.m., the thermometer read a balmy 21 degrees!
Whiiiine.
Call MDHS..."Uh...Hill? You still goin'?" "I'm loading my bike on the car now."
Oh....no 10 a.m. ride, huh?
Nope. After debating back and forth with DH (we DO have winter bike attire, incidently, we just CHOOSE not to wear it! ), we decide to go for it. If Hill can do it, we can too.
Texted my friend with the ID8. No response.
So, we, and about 40 other nut cases went off on the ride.
My friend with the ID8 never showed. She slept in!
29 miles in what had to be one of my coldest rides. Brrr.... Definitely glad I put the AmFib tights on!
Oh...and all day, we've been tracking the progress of our friend who's doing the Ford Ironman Arizona in Tempe (where it's sunny and mid-70's! HA!). And, another friend busted his collar bone at a 'cross race (actually, the warm up lap). Ye-ouch!

That was definitely the coldest temp I've ever started a ride in but it was no reason to try to kill me! That ride really kicked my butt. I just couldn't keep up but 7 was kind enough to drop off the back and stay with me. I have no doubt she could have held on if it wasn't for me.

As hard as it was, it's just the sort of ride I need to try if I want to get stronger and faster. So, I really need to commit to doing this ride at least once a month. There, I've said it and you can hold me to it!