Christmas Vacation week rides

[azfiddle]

Anybody else have reasonable weather and free time for rides this week?

I started the week with 213 miles to get to my goal of 4800 miles for the year. Yesterday, I did 31 miles solo, mostly sunny and cool (mid-50's) with some clouds out on the far east side of Tucson, at the edge of the Catalina and Rincon Mountains. Two Coyotes, 2 Cooper's Hawks, a lot of Phainopeplas and a pond at a park had a Great Blue Heron and some ducks, mostly Mallards and Wigeon.

Today I rode with a club, and ended up with 52 miles southeast of Tucson, mostly desert. Weather was much like yesterday. Warm enough for shorts, and I started both rides with arm warmers under my windbreaker, but a few miles in, tucked them away because I was too warm. 3 roadrunners, a Red-tailed Hawk and a probable Prairie Falcon, too.

So I'm down to about 129 miles before January - and the weather outlook is getting better and better.

Anyone else?

[tealtreak]

Anybody else have reasonable weather and free time for rides this week?

I started the week with 213 miles to get to my goal of 4800 miles for the year. Yesterday, I did 31 miles solo, mostly sunny and cool (mid-50's) with some clouds out on the far east side of Tucson, at the edge of the Catalina and Rincon Mountains. Two Coyotes, 2 Cooper's Hawks, a lot of Phainopeplas and a pond at a park had a Great Blue Heron and some ducks, mostly Mallards and Wigeon.

Today I rode with a club, and ended up with 52 miles southeast of Tucson, mostly desert. Weather was much like yesterday. Warm enough for shorts, and I started both rides with arm warmers under my windbreaker, but a few miles in, tucked them away because I was too warm. 3 roadrunners, a Red-tailed Hawk and a probable Prairie Falcon, too.

So I'm down to about 129 miles before January - and the weather outlook is getting better and better.

Anyone else?

If you want to fly to VA with your bike! lol My plan is to do 30 on Friday and 110 on the 29 and 30............

[goldfinch]

I am back at my winter home base in Texas. This is my first year of riding and I checked and have 1397 miles as of today. With luck I'll get 1500 for the year but that means 100 miles in the next 10 days. After being off the bike for a month the past couple days of riding have really been noticeably harder than before I quit riding.

[redrhodie]

Since my BC diagnosis, I've been doing the same 18 mile loop during the week. Today, I finally felt like seeing different scenery. Still one of my usual routes, but I haven't done it in 2 months, so it felt fresh.

It was in the 50s, sunny, and breezy. I saw horseshoe prints in the sand on the road by the beach, but didn't see the horse and rider. Just knowing they were there was kind of cool. I lucked out, and all the uphills had a tailwind. I still didn't feel like climbing, so I didn't do my training hills. They would have been into a headwind, and I'm still using my health as an excuse to avoid stress; proud slacker that I am.

Tomorrow it's supposed to rain, but I may get out Xmas eve for something.

[Owlie]

Nothing thus far. Tomorrow's supposed to be decent, so I may do loops around the neighborhood.

[maillotpois]

Since my BC diagnosis, I've been doing the same 18 mile loop .....

What did I miss????

[redrhodie]

What did I miss????

Didn't you get my invitation to the party? The whole saga is here: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=45493

Don't worry, it ends well!

[maillotpois]

I feel like Rip van Winkle. I slept through the whole thing - well not really. Wow. Good for you for keeping a regular riding schedule. I might fall into self pity, immobility and chocolate.

[redrhodie]

I feel like Rip van Winkle. I slept through the whole thing - well not really. Wow. Good for you for keeping a regular riding schedule. I might fall into self pity, immobility and chocolate.

No you wouldn't! Well, maybe the chocolate. It's a good excuse for indulgence, that's for sure.

The bike has been my savior. It's the only place I really got mad. Even though my rides have been especially easy, I know a lot of tension comes out.

I'm already planning on bike commuting to the rads 3 days per week. We'll see how that goes. I have a feeling it will make the whole thing better.

[maillotpois]

Excellent. So glad you have a plan - and that the bike's been helping you work through it all.

[maillotpois]

Oh and to the theme of this thread, I am planning 115 miles tomorrow. It is supposed to be below 30 at the start at 5 am. Who planned this ride?? (that would be me). So far all the men who were coming have bailed an it is just me and 2 women friends. Who's tough?

[azfiddle]

I rode 22 miles today, to Saguaro NP and back, and 2 trips out to the picnic ground, but unlike you maillotpois- me and my bike don't want to brave those cold temperatures, and tomorrow it might even be snowing here in the morning (!) - not too common here in the desert.

[Anelia]

We have snow so yesterday I got on my mountain bike and decided to ride 20 miles. I had to shorten 1-2 miles becuase after 2 hours I was freezing. I had my full face helmet to keep my head warm and some layers of thermo clothes but my mittens weren't warm enough on the downhill. I also had lots of slippings, one I couldn't handle and I fell. My handlebar hurt my leg but it's only blue, nothing serious. I have to stop myself from overdoing things because I know I can be OK with 1,5 hours in winter but not more. I'm going to travel today so no bike or strength training in the next few days. I think I worked hard enough these weeks so maybe I won't feel much guilt. But I'll try to do my best to sneak for a strength work out today.

[shootingstar]

Not today.
But tomorrow we'll do simple cycling for groceries, etc. He bought studded tires and wishes there abit of soft snow.

Right now it's dry with very little ice patches here and there. Plus slick areas where people didn't shovel.

[Crankin]

I haven't ridden outside since Saturday. We had 2 days where it was really warm and I had to work . Yesterday, I was ready to go out at 5:30 AM, but the roads were really wet, so I bailed and went to strength and core class.
I am exhausted from going to the gym at 5:30 AM 4 days this week. I finally get a job where I don't have to rise at 0 dark thirty and now I'm getting up at 4:50, when I don't have to. I went to spin class this morning and Wednesday.
Still at 37 miles to reach my goal. It's going to be a high of 34 tomorrow, but about 40 on Sunday. Between the 2 days, I'll get it done. May be time to break out the fleece balaclava tomorrow.