Monday Dec. 1st RIDES

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Today was so special!- our forecast last night said it was going to be rainy and sleety all day today.
My husband and I figured FINE, time to get back to work on Monday anyway after the holiday weekend.
Woke up this morning to 48F degrees (!!) and SUNNY! Cool breeze....just delightful.
Well with winter coming right up, who could pass that up- we took the morning off and went for a short 13 mile ride and it was just wonderful....so warm and nice in the sun and the birds chirping.
As the days get colder and colder something like this simple little sunny ride becomes more precious.

[solobiker]

Well, I wish I could say I took the morning off...I was at work by about 530am. But on a positive note I was able to get out by 300 so I could go for a ride. It was in the 40s and on the windy side...I got 20 miles in on my mtn bike. The sky was beautiful, turning orange to the west. Gosh I love CO.

[Karma007]

I wish! It's dark and foggy at 5:30 in the morning, and I have to walk the dog. It's dark at 5:30 in the evening, so I'll be going to the gym. The only time I spend with my bike during the week is when I'm in bed, and I look over to see it smiling at me...I hate winter...

[redrhodie]

What was I thinking?! I worked all day (and I set my hours)! It was mild! The sky was blue!

I'm a dope.

[solobiker]

I am pretty lucky in that for the most part I can choose what time to go in as long as I am in by 8am for meetings. I usually try to get in no later then 630am so I can get out in time to ride, run or do errands.

[cycling_sarah]

What was I thinking?! I worked all day (and I set my hours)! It was mild! The sky was blue!

I'm a dope.

It really was windy, so don't feel too badly, but it would have been nice to draft with you out around Brenton

[Geonz]

We had snow in the morning, and my studded tired bike is in the basement of the bike co-op because when I took it there to put the studded front tire on, I realized it was missing the nut to hold the front wheel on. Sunday I realized that I could have borrowed a nut from my other STurmey-Archer wheel (it's not as if I ride two bikes at once)... but it isn't going to be open 'til Wednesday.

Which is why I rode the Dahon, and in the a.m. snow the fatter tires handled the patches of snow and ice fine. During the day, the sun managed to melt the surface of everything while the temperature eked down into the low 20's. Then it snowed a little more.

When I went out to the parking lot, it was just a bit icy. I got about a quarter mile befoer there was an uneven place on the road off campus and the wheel slid out for a smackdown. I figured I'd walk down to the main road... maybe walk a lot of the way home ... but a math teacher happened to be leaving right then and going to my part of town, and that little folder went right into the trunk - just as another kind soul (who knew me by name because hey, I'm that lady who rides her bike ) pulled over to hand me the blinky that had fallen off and was blinking in the road, and he knew it was mine... (oh, and somebody else had let me know that somebody had picked up my blinky - adverse weather brings out the kindness sometimes).

This morning the radio guys talked about the treacherous conditions and how many accidents there were yesterday, including an awful one where a third grade teacher slid into a pickup truck and was killed. (Our guvmint has cut 'way back this winter on little things like salt. It was suggested that her obituary be sent to the governor...)

This morning I stuck a sponge in my sweatpants pocket for added protection, but didn't land on it I am most devoutly hoping things just dry out and blow away today; things had improved a lot as of this morning, and Wednesday I get my studs back.

[Biciclista]

um how did the sponge protect you?




Lisa, great post! your ride sounds fabulous and I know exactly what you mean about how precious good weather rides are this time of year!

[Geonz]

The sponge would have been extra padding - it's where I landed hard last night. One icy ride in the past (the "Illini Chill"), I had keys in my pocket - tore up my sweatpants and left a bruise...