i fell for it

[Climb01742]

the warm weather suckered me. i thought winter was behind us. i was starting to rev-up my training outside. then this. a foot of snow. reminds me of when i was in high school. a pretty girl would smile at me. with my hormones on overdrive, i'd kick into all kinds of fantasies. then the next day i'd see her with a football player. welcome back to reality. well this morning, as i shoveled my driveway, welcome back to reality. :crap:

[JohnS]

At least they smiled at you...:(

[Kevan]

upper 40's low 50's for lower NY's weather. Snow melt will be the operative words for the weekend.

Guess I'll just take the bike with me for that after-the-ride-shower. Which shampoo do you recommend for the saddle?

[dbrk]

There is a solid 12 inches of snow on the mountain here this morning and we are officially snowed in, not going anywhere till the plow guy comes. I could not agree more with Climb: this is one of those March Lion setbacks that makes you envy the crowded roads and tooooomanypeople in warmer places where it is spring or never really winter. Ahhh, envy is such an interesting experience, no?

Well, now I have no excuse but to work today...

This weekend I'm hoping to get in a ride with my wonderful pals in Los Angeles. I look forward to seeing Thom, Mavic, blastin'bob...anyone else comin'? It would be swell to see folks for a spin.

dbrk

[bulliedawg]

I mowed my lawn last Saturday. That was after I went for a 50 miler.

We don't have too many people here yet. But I'm afraid it won't be long. And if it happens, I'll find myself another rural southern county to call home.

[Climb01742]

'dawg,
i can't even find my grass this morning.:crap:

[bulliedawg]

That sucks, Climb. But look at this way: When it's 85 degrees and 90 percent humidity here in late September and early October, I'll be wishing I was up in New England.

[Keith A]

Hey BD,

I mowed my lawn Saturday too after a 60 miler. It's looking nice and green. I also put in 70 miles in the last two days. Yeah, Florida does get hot and humid during the summer, but the rest of the year it is great.

[terry]

not sure what i hate more-shoveling snow or mowing my lawn. for now it's the snow.

[bulliedawg]

Keith:

My Mom lives in Sarasota. A terrific city. I got no qualms with Florida, except for those F-ing Gators. In fact, when I drive by Gainesville on my way to Sarasota, I always hang a bird out the window for the entire six exits. My wifey gets pissed.

I'd hang my arse out the window, if I could drive while doing it.

[CIII_bill]

60's and 70's in Denver for the last 2 weeks. Very dry. In fact, too dry. But making for great early season riding weather.

[Climb01742]

anybody else wanna rub it in? :banana:

[davep]

OK, Climb, it was a little cool on my ride this morning, must have been about 65, almost needed to put on my base layer. But it should get up to about 80 later on. :cool:

[Bill Bove]

:banana:

Yep I'll rub it in. Just finished a 62 mile ride, mildly high humidity, stiff wind BUT NO FREAKING SNOW!!!!!

Why on earth do live there? Your job? Unless you drive a snowplow, there isn't a job you can't do here. Your family? Take them with you! Don't you think they're miserable too? Don't tell me you likr to ski, how many days did you ski on that crappy ice that those lump for mountains call snow? Friends of mine down here go on a great junket every year to Colorado and ski ten days on fresh powder.

The only good reason I can think of for living up there is Fenway Park and even that is with mixed emotions, oh those Sox.

Well it's almost 11am, time to start celabrating St. Patty's:beer:

[Kevan]

let it snow! It ain't hanging around. I'll be out riding this weekend.

[saab2000]

....Switzerland as soon as possible. In the lowlands where I live(d) it is nice with temps in the 60s and in the mountains the skiing would be great. Here in Minneapolis I am getting very frustrated with the weather.

I REALLY miss Switzerland.....:(

[gwk]

I'm sitting in a hotel room in NJ looking out the window at five inches of snow. We are about to fly back home to Denver where it is supposed to be 70 degrees this weekend!!

[Keith A]

Hey BullieDawg -- graduated in '86 from UF :D

http://www.gatorzone.com/desktop/wallpaper/wallpaper.gif

[davids]

I knew I'd be travelling to Cleveland for a week, visiting my mom with my daughter. Last year, it was in the 50s and sunny when we visited. I kept my eye on the forecast all last week, and although the temp forcasts was drifting steadily down, the last time I checked (on Friday) it was still going to be nearly 50 every day. A chance of rain, but it didn't sound too bad.

So, I loaded up my bike (taking the Sable wagon instead of the made-for-miles Acura) and headed west.

Ah, well.

My only consolation is that I wouldn't be faring any better if I'd stayed home.

[bulliedawg]

God damn they're everywhere.



Sigh.

[Tom]

Two rides the weekend of the 6th. I got all excited, thinking it was a sign of big things to come.

Nope. Got sick. Got snow. Got two weekends of work coming up. Can't even ride the old bike.

April's gonna be sweet.

[Kevin]

Snow is everywhere. I hate my trainer.

Kevin

[Climb01742]

ditto, kevin, ditto. hurl insults at snow, not people.

[pale scotsman]

Yeah it snowed here too. Last year around Christmas as a matter of fact. Come to think of it that was the first time in 5 or so years.

;)

[Kevin]

Climb,

Can I start insulting people from Florida and California? They have warm weather and no snow. Can I insult them just once? Please.

Kevin

[Wood]

Hmmm, not sure to laugh or cry...I'm stuck in Al Udeid, Qatar until July. It's HOT and WINDY and there's sand EVERYWHERE. There's no grass or trees as far as the eye can see and darn-it, I do not have a bike here, so no training! Guess I have to look on the bright side though, at least there's no snow...

[Bill Bove]

Are you a G.I.? If you are please know that all of us back in the world are behind you 100% Hang in there, it does get better.

[Carlo]

What a great Saint Paddy's Day here in New Orleans. Keeping with my Irish heritage I kept the schedule unblocked -- no hearings or depositions -- and went for a ride. Wore the Irish National Jersey for full effect!

Came home, cleaned the leaves out of the pool and cooled off with a nice Guiness!

Its okay, I've lived in Philly and Chicago.

Go South young man.

Regards,

Carlo Carr
NOLA

[Wood]

Hey Bill,
Thanks for the words, that means a lot! Can't complain, I love what I do (even if it means living on a cot in a tent). Been flying for the AF for about 16 years and wouldn't change a thing. Certainly seen my share of this desert over the years though. Can't wait to get back to the real world and ride, ride, ride! (Oh yeah, and drink a few pints to! :D ) Wood

[BumbleBeeDave]

I’m curious . . . are there any local cyclists in that part of the world? If so, as you see it how is their cycling experience different from what we experience here?

Rich local sheiks on expensive rigs? No women cyclists because of Islamic rules? What are the local bike shops like? ARE there local bike shops?

BBDave

[Wood]

BBDave,
Wow, great question! While on the ground, I spend most of my time on base, so I don't have a lot of recent exposure to local life. The only biking I see on base are the occasional dudes who bring "throw away" (so to speak) bikes that are used to get around on base since car and bus transpo is a scarce at best. The bikes are usually passed on to the guy/gal replacing them when they leave. Hmm, Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind having one of those myself!

Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time in Manama, Bahrain; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; UAE, Oman and recently further points north and East. Other than poorer third country nationals riding cheap single-speed bikes to and from market, etc, I can't recall anyone else ever riding bikes around here for sport or fun. I think they think it would be “below” them, since status is everything to the locals. Many years ago when we were still flying out of Riyadh, I used to bring my personal bike with me to ride around the village we live in for excercise. Iit was a large "gated" (read that guarded) community made up mostly of Americans. One time (and only one time) I mustered up enough courage and rode into Riyadh from the village we lived in (about 20 miles away). From the stares I got when I got into the city center, you would have thought I just fell off Mars. Also had a couple close calls with cars driving way too close...even had one brush up against me, but luckily I didn't bite the pavement from the encounter. To make a long story short, I don’t ever recall seeing a bike shop or sport-type biking around these parts. Too bad for them, they don’t know what they’re missing!

Spring's around the corner, so if you wouldn't mind, put in a few miles for me when you get a chance! Ciao. Wood

[Bill Bove]

Wood,

I celabrated my 24th "2nd birthday" earlier this year. AF '77-'80
Although I disagree with how we are leading the civelized world in the war on terrorism I get a puffed up feeling in my chest when I see how well you are doing, you all make me proud to have served and there is a beer waiting for any of you who wants it waiting here for you when you get home. Good luck and our prayers are with you and your family every time you go up.
:beer:

[bulliedawg]

Wood:

I too send my sincerest thanks for the job you and your fellow warriors are doing. Know that we say a prayer of thanks and safety around our dinner table each night.

[jpw]

Wood spoke of bicycles and status. In my experience it's not just Arabs who look down on the bicycle in socio economic pecking oredr terms. I lost a job once because the manager didn't think a puncture was a good enough reason to be late for work. He excused those who were late because they had "car trouble". The managers chosen form of transport? A car, of course.

These days i feel the need to ride quite expensive bikes to be able to impress upon all who doubt me that i would of course have the wealth and to drive a nice car, but that i CHOOSE to ride a bicycle. When i reveal the cost of my machinery they seem reassured. Dim wits.

I've also learned not to allow my bicycle life to 'spill over' into my life dealings with non cyclists. The pannier bags and cycling shoes are hidden away out of sight. I don't want to become a victim again.

[Kevan]

the times are a changing.

Wood, good to read from the outer reaches of bicycledom. Stay safe.

As to the original intent of this thread, I wish to print a retraction. While spring storms usually worry me not, this one's looking to spoil my weekend's ride. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!

Another 3-6 inches of white tonight, and something is brewing for Saturday evening, Sunday morning. Who do I write?

[Climb01742]

hey wood--
i was just barely draftable age during vietnam. the year my lottery number came up--#22-- was the year they stopped the draft. i'm glad i didn't get drafted because i didn't want to fight in vietnam. while i'm 100% behind the "war" on terror, i personally feel iraq is/was an unnecessary detour. but what has radically changed since vietnam, both for me and for america i think, is we can now be against a war but be for our soldiers. i wish there weren't a single american soldier in iraq, but since there are, i wish you guys in the theatre had/have every single thing you need. while i don't want a single one of my tax dollars going to cheney/rumsfeld/halliburton, i do want my tax dollars going to you and your fellow soldiers, for body armour, food, medical aid, planes, parts, whatever you need to come home alive. i hope you guys feel that even if americans aren't all behind the war, we all are 100% behind our soldiers. in my mind, our government and our soldiers aren't the same thing anymore. in 1972 i believed they were. in 2004 i can be against a political policy, but for the men and women who have to carry it out. please come home soon and safe. there's a lot of bike riding to do. :beer:

[Roy E. Munson]

Maybe we should kill this thread before people's feelings get hurt. And I can virtually guarantee I'll be one of the ones doing it.

[Legend_1970]

Why would anyone's feelings get hurt??

[Kevan]

In coming!!!

[Roy E. Munson]

Let's just drop the war debate altogether - you'll all be p-issing and moaning then when the forum gets shut down after different views are expressed in technicolor.

[Climb01742]

i think roy may be right. and i should not have stated my political opinion. wishing a soldier well does require the other stuff i said. i was wrong and i appreciate roy bringing it up. i want this CYCLING forum to continue and interjecting political opinions is unnecessary. sorry, guys.

[Wood]

All,
I really appreciate all the thoughts and words, they mean a LOT to me. THANKS!, and we'll see ya back in the States soon. Wood


:)

[Kevin]

Roy and Climb,

You both made very wise decisions. Lets stay away from politics, even if one of you is right and one of you is wrong. But I won't say which one is right.

Kevin

[Hap]

Wood: Hoooahhhh from a retired ('83) USAF LtC and father of a proud Aggie and ex-FB-111 IP and T38-IP who spent his o'seas time at Riyadh, Prince Sultan and Ankara keeping the Free World safe. I am proud of you and your professinalism (there and on this thread). Beer's on me at The Pit when you get back to RND. Hap in SAT - 83 and cloudy.

[Hap]

Since it's raining today, The Pit is not a bad option!