Spring - when do you get back outside?

[velo]

I know we are all over the world, but in the Midwest of America, I'm looking forward to March, although it does look like it will be coming "in like a lion". Still, March is when I feel like I can begin to consistently be outside riding, and do so less bundled up. What is the beginning of your riding season, usually, and do have anything particularly exciting to look forward to (new bike, training for a charity ride, century, something else)? This time of year always improves my mood. Yeah, those of you in Florida and Texas.... don't rub it in too much that you've been riding all winter.

[roadie gal]

I get back on the road when the snow is gone and they've swept away the gravel that they put down for the ice. This could be anywhere from April to early July (2 years ago).

[Crankin]

Last year, I rode through the winter, a few times each month. Generally, though, I do my first real "ride" of the year between March 5 and March 15. Sometimes, there's still some melting snow on the side of the road. I am very leery of this, since I no longer have a hybrid or mountain bike to deal with water, sand, etc. It really does depend on the conditions of the roads. I also am lazy about cleaning my bike, so I don't want to put myself in a situation that will need a major cleaning.
Since my good friend broke his hip on black ice on a morning in March when the temperature was going up to 60 for the commute home, I tend to pay more attention to these things.

[Artista]

I am primarily a mountain biker and have been able to ride every weekend this winter. I'm looking forward to warmer temps in March so that I can wear fewer clothes, but March and April are our snowiest months in Colorado. Depending on the timing of the snow storms, I may not be able to ride as often during the next couple of months as I did from Dec - Feb.

[shootingstar]

I've been cycling several times per wk. this winter --when one averages it all out. Which means some weeks I cycled daily and other weeks, nothing.

We go through cycles of very cold, snowy/icy winter weeks to melting and dry pavement. The winters are different here than Ontario or B.C. There would be a chunk of time in Mar. - Apr. where I can't cycle (when I don't have studded tires).

I'm only cycling around 10 km. or so each day. And most of it is functional cycling --work, grocery store, meeting, etc. Not lots but believe me at temp. of -15 to -25 degrees C, that's cold enough for me and to do it when it's still night half of the time, I consider it toughing it. I was surprised from last winter, how helpful these dinky little bike rides were helpful to my overall fitness.

Some pics of my area in winter that my partner took when he was cycling around: http://velourbanismblog.wordpress.co...inter-cycling/ Our municipality does have a program where they do try to keep the major bike-ped park paths, clear of a lot of snow and some ice. It's actually pretty good given the reality of our winters.

[Artista]

Yeah, those of you in Florida and Texas.... don't rub it in too much that you've been riding all winter.

I don't envy the people in southern states riding all winter. I think that it's as difficult for them to ride in the extreme summer heat as it is for northerners to ride in the cold of winter.

[malkin]

I don't envy the people in southern states riding all winter. I think that it's as difficult for them to ride in the extreme summer heat as it is for northerners to ride in the cold of winter.

And here it is the worst of both worlds, too much of a mess in winter and too hot in summer.
The cyclist and pedestrian deaths have really gotten to me this year.

[velo]

I don't envy the people in southern states riding all winter. I think that it's as difficult for them to ride in the extreme summer heat as it is for northerners to ride in the cold of winter.

Um... OK... Sorry. I was just excited about spring and thought others would be, as well. I'll keep my enthusiasm to myself, then.

[Artista]

Um... OK... Sorry. I was just excited about spring and thought others would be, as well. I'll keep my enthusiasm to myself, then.

I didn't mean this as a slam at all. I simply meant to point out that southerners' riding season IS winter. They'll be envious of us northerners riding all through the summer.

[indysteel]

I sure wish some of your enthusiasm would rub off on me, Velo. I'm feeling really blah about biking right now. I've really enjoyed my winter routine of running, yoga and resistance work and am not sure I'm ready for it to end/change. I'm looking forward to mountain biking, but road biking not as much. We'll see if it kicks on the first truly nice day of spring.

[goldfinch]

I ride in the winter in the south. I have had my two biggest mileage months ever this January and February. Most of March I am birding with my sister, who rides very little, then I am headed up north. I think March and April will be my down time. I backed off last October and November, when Minnesota stinks for riding. I cranked it up again with new excitement in Dec, Jan and Feb, and then plan to dial it back again for a couple of months. It helps keep me excited about riding to have the off time. I do have to ride enough this spring to be ready for a Metric Century in Minnesota on June 1. I did it last year and man it was cold. But it is a beautiful ride and I don't want to miss it.

[marni]

Living in Houston we don't really have a winter stoppage to our biking unless the wind and the rain get viscious. I have been off of my bike since Feb. 1 when a passing car kicked up a rock at me and I dodged into a deep Texas rumble strip and crashed. Nothing for me but a road rash all along the right side of my face and a totaled helmet with panel peeling back and lots of cracks. Lost consciousness but didn't spend any time in the Hospital. Since then it has been in the rapair shop. Fortunately, the frame is ok, as are the gear stack, pedals and cranks but it's taken them this long to get all the replacement bits, so I have new wheels, new aerobars, new chain, new brakes, new cables, new bar wrap etc. Got it back last week so my winter break is over, now if it only would stop raining.

My Bebe looks beautiful and almost like new, so now I'm back to seriously training for the Little Red Riding Hood in Utah in June which all four of us biking sisters will be riding in celebration of my 65th, wne and if it stops raining and blowing.

[Crankin]

Just to add that winter does not mean I go inside. While I may be on the trainer or at a spin class, I am also outside nordic skiing, snow shoeing, or hiking.
I can't stand being inside for too long.

[nuliajuk]

I'm not looking forward to spring melt, because it will be a mess. We had a lot of snow this winter. I get outside more during actual winter than in melt season, due to the high risk of crashing on wet ice (done it once, was off the bike for weeks with a torn acl).

[Kathi]

I'm outside almost every day of the week, except weekends, because I'm skiing. Alpine mostly but some xc. If we have a crappy (meaning no fresh snow) March and April then I'll start riding more. I'm not ready to end the ski season so I'm praying to the snow gods for a snowy spring. If we get a rainy May, which I'm hoping for, I'll use the trainer.