Riding in the New Year: January 2018 Rides

[ny biker]

Well it's still a week away, so things might change between now and then. For us it just says 40% or 50% chance of rain for Thursday-Saturday. Then colder again, though not as bad as this recent cold snap has been.

[Crankin]

We are thinking of rescheduling... the forecast is looking worse and worse. We have been going to this inn for years, so it hould be doable.


ETA:
OK, our friend (the male half) does not want to cancel, citing the strict cancellation policy... which we know they would make an exception for us. So we will take the "make the best out of it" attitude. Hopefully, our new snow shoes will arrive before we leave, as that is usually doable when skiing is not. They are scheduled to be here Wednesday.
At least, I will get to ski today and Wednesday.

On a cycling note, we have decided to do a semi supported trip of Prince Edward County, Ontario, this summer. We were getting frustrated deciding on other, bigger trips. We had thought about a trip to Santa Fe, but I don't do well at altitude and I don't want that to ruin something that is expensive. We will take our time driving up there, have our own bikes, and the company will transport our luggage and have emergency back up. We did a trip like this in Vermont and we really liked it.

[ny biker]

Sounds like fun. Planning spring and summer cycling is one of my favorite things to do in January and February. I was updating my calendar yesterday with some rides that I do every year (and four concerts that I have tickets to). I don't think I'll be doing any bike trips, though, not even an overnighter.

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, that does sound like some awful weather for your NH weekend. Sorry about that! Hope it will be better than expected.

It was finally warmer today, and I could have ridden (DH did), but it was so windy, and I had a long list of other errands/chores planned already, that I decided to wait until tomorrow. It will be in the 60s, still breezy but not as much wind as today. I can't wait! It is very rare for us to miss a full week of cycling due to weather, and we have just done so -- not a great start to the new year. But there will be lots more time to ride, and it could have been so much worse. It was 9 degrees again in western NC, where my mother lives, this morning. They have just had brutal temps, so we're very very glad we aren't there.

[north woods gal]

Glad to hear everyone survived the recent cold and snow. We got into double digits above zero, today, for the first time since Xmas. May even get to the freezing mark, this week. Feels like a heat wave compared to what we've had.

I did miss one day of riding, this week, with a cold/flu bug that hit me like a ton of bricks. Probably should not have done any riding until it was completely, gone, but, as always, I HATE being trapped inside the house all day, so did just a little riding after that first day for peace of mind, even though I shouldn't have. Rode strong, today, though. Trails are hard and fast - no new snow for quite a long time, now. Average speed on the trails is close to what I get in the summer.

I'm back in the saddle, again.

[ny biker]

Take care of yourself, NWG. I just spent the holidays taking my parents to doctors and picking up prescriptions after bad colds turned into bronchitis.

We will finally see temps above freezing tomorrow but are expecting freezing rain. (I don't want to be trapped at home -- would almost rather go to work and sleep in my office if I can't drive home. It's quieter at work, really quite pleasant after everyone else leaves.)

[north woods gal]

For sure, once your immune system gets compromised, it's open season for all kinds of bugs. I don't get anywhere near as many colds, though, now that I'm retired and home, more. I think it also helps to get outside every day.

That freezing drizzle stuff is the pits. May get some of that on Thursday, followed by snow. No word on how much, yet. 20s for highs the next couple days, though, so definitely prime snow bike weather. You know where I'll be.

[ny biker]

Highs in the 20s are a heat wave for you!

The forecast here is weird. Advisories for freezing rain over the whole area, with DC and the close-in suburbs expected to be affected during the pm rush hour. Some school districts closed and others closing early. Yet Weatherbug is only saying rain where I live, vs freezing rain in the area where I work. So I am working from home today. Still hoping I'll be able to get out tonight for an appointment with my trainer at the gym in DC. I typically deal with the noisy upstairs neighbors by not coming home until after they go to bed, and would prefer to get out for a few hours tonight while they are stomping around after coming home from work.

[north woods gal]

Been there, done that with the apartment living thing. No complaints, though. Sometimes it is the most practical living option in the city.

Up, here, though, the only things you'll hear at night might be the winds in the pines, an occasional owl calling or our neighborhood coyote pack having a good song session. This time of year, sometimes even get to hear the ice on the lake moaning and groaning.

[emily_in_nc]

Finally! Got out for my first two rides of the year yesterday and today -- woo hoo!

Yesterday: cloudy, breezy, shorts but two layers on top (wool for the top layer) and wore it the entire time. Legs were feeling it after 34 miles and eight days off the bike!

Today: Supposed to thunderstorm but just got a couple of sprinkles, mixed clouds and some sun, still very breezy but from a different direction, got away with shorts and two layers up top, the first of which was peeled off after an hour, so short sleeves for the last hour+ of the ride. Yay! 30 miles and legs felt really tired due to the ride yesterday.

So good to be riding again in 2018!

[ny biker]

Yay Emily!

Our weather is warmer, finally, but still very January for the most part, with icy roads and sidewalks on Monday, then fog followed by a brief daytime warmup in the sun, then colder again at night, now cloudy and damp and chilly, with warmer temps and rain on the way. And then it gets colder again for the weekend, though not as bad as the recent arctic blast. It might be possible to get out for a short ride on Saturday, but it looks like the temperature will drop throughout the day, and I won't be surprised if it will be windy as the cold front moves in. So I will look for an opportunity to get out but am not counting on it.

Meanwhile, I am planning to hit the stationary bike at the gym tonight. Boring but better than nothing.

[north woods gal]

Temps have been hovering in the 30s for a couple days, now. Not enough to do any serious melting, but still enough to change the hard packed snow from sub-zero sticky to warmer slick. Just to be safe, rode one of the studded tire fat bikes, today. Looks like we may be in for ice storm, too, so I'll probably be going with studded tires for awhile. They do work, though, and are especially useful for doing steep climbs on the hardpack or tight turns.

[Crankin]

Trying to keep track of the impending weather is driving me nuts. We've pretty much accepted our vacation this MLK weekend will be R&R!
But, today was lovely. I drove one hour and 10 minutes and met my friend at Northfield Mountain Recreation Area, a wonderful place, run by a power company. We've been going there for 6-7 years, and now our friends live about 30 minutes from it. As the name implies, most of the nordic skiing here is up, up, up, or down, although they do have some fields for skiing. Also, fabulous snow shoeing and hiking, as well as mountain biking. A few miles away, they have a boat launch and nature programs. We skied for about 3 hours total, mostly climbing and long descents. It was 20 when we started and about 33 at 1:15 when we finished. When I got home, it was 37. No wind and bright sun. Tomorrow is going to be 50.

[Geonz]

I *did* get out 1/1 because the busses don't run and ... I wanted provisions. So about 2 miles for the grocery run.

Then commuted the next Wednesday because it was 15 degrees in the morning and that was a heat wave... though going home there were some Not Much Fun tenth of a mile stretches where I had to take the lane 'cause of snow... wasn't bad, just wasn't the usual easy peasy.

Then... snow and ice and back on the bus... and it *wasn't* so bad that everythign was cancelled so I could chat w/ the regulars who know I"m a foul weather rider. Talked about singing and losing Willie SUmmerville an awesome gospel song leader last year and just doin' the people connecting thing. Yesterday's freezing fog ... but today FIFTY DEGREES! I even got out for two perimeter laps at lunch ...

... and I"m thinking of doing Calvin's CHallenge... which means I better turn on the afterburners...

[ny biker]

The 50 degrees reached us today. Right now would be perfect for a bike ride. Except right now is a work day. I'm sure my retired friends are in heaven, but not me. Not sure when the rain will start tonight -- TV news says pm commute, Weatherbug says later -- but it's irrelevant since tonight I am making up the session with my personal trainer that I canceled due to ice on Monday.

The latest for the weekend is that the cold air will hit very early Saturday morning. So it probably will be too cold for a bike ride on Saturday.

I have not gotten the indoor trainer out of storage because I was planning to have the new floors installed in my condo (finally) so I'm supposed to be putting things into storage, not taking them out. But the holidays made it really easy to procrastinate a bit longer with the floors, and now the earliest it would be scheduled is March. So I think I will take the trainer out of storage now. I rode 40 minutes on the stationary bike at the gym last night, which was okay, but the gym is too overheated for a good interval workout. (I am still waiting for someone to explain to me why gyms are always so overheated in the winter. Hello we are exercising! We provide our own heat! Think of the money you'd save on utility bills if you didn't have it so hot that I am sweating while standing still!)