Great couple of routine rides...

[benb]

This week is the last week of my "base 1" training. I think there are 3 weekdays I needed to ride for 1.5 hours. That's pretty hard for me to do during the week (married, both work, 3 year old son) so this has added a bit of stress to riding this week. The weather has been iffy too.

Yesterday I couldn't go ride at lunch time, my favorite. I had brought my bike to work on the car and packed up my stuff and was hoping to go at the end of the day. As I finish up my work I go change into my cycling clothes and realize I don't have a water bottle. Eh.. that's a bit of a problem but not the end of the world, I can perhaps swing by my house on the ride or stop at a public water fountain or something. Scheduled workout was 2x15 Threshold intervals. Then I notice I forgot my cycling socks. Oops this is a problem since the temperatures are falling into the 40s. So I hop in the car and drive home.. pretty frustrated with the car traffic and the whole situation.

When I get home I mount up my lights. Go out, it's windy, cold, etc.. and I almost immediately have to put my jacket on. It's sunset, it's rush hour, and the car drivers are road raging. Not looking good for sticking to the plan.

I end up ducking into the Minuteman national park. I'm riding my All City Space horse with 38c tires and fenders. (With all of 37/45 front rear pressures) It snowed Monday, there is still snow and ice in the woods. But it's nearing sunset, I'm riding into the sun, and the trail is deserted. (The trail is the original road Paul Revere rode to Concord, MA.) I finally start to warm up, but I can't really complete my first interval correctly. Just no way to keep the power up high enough on the mixed surfaces, snow, etc.. But the ride is beautiful as that trail always is. It oozes history, and the sunset is beautiful.

I finish the trail and end up doing my second interval all on the road and it turns out perfect. As I finish the second interval a huge beautiful Harvest Moon comes up over the horizon right over a farm. All of a sudden this ride has gone from frustrating to awesome. And the roads were deserted once I left the dirt trail.

Today's forecast was for rain.. I got up and ate something quick and got on the road this morning. I took a chance and took out the Trek Domane I just got. I'm trying to not ride it in situations with road salt & such for now, so this was a bit of a gamble. Cold (mid-high 40s), damp, and approaching rain. Went out and rode tempo for about an hour in the middle of an hour and a half ride. Pretty tough going first thing in the morning for me, although doable since it's not a really hard pace. Lots of road raging rush hour car drivers again, they were kind of getting to me.

But I got home and got inside and it immediately started to rain. Knowing I cheated the weather (particularly on a bike I'm trying to keep out of the winter slop) put me in a great mood about the ride just like that.

[superbowlpats]

I applaud your commitment. I live in Mass also and know the weather conditions you mention. Which is why I bought a (used) computrainer years ago. I've become a fair weather rider because of it :eek:

[Michael Maddox]

This is why I live in Northwest Florida. It was 45 this morning. Brrrrr. :P

[benb]

Yah this weather is the worst. If I wear my winter jacket/tights I will be soaked in sweat but warm for the most part in the mid 40s. But miserable if it warms up to the high 40s/low 50s.

If I wear the light tights, etc.. I end up being too cold. I wore half-finger gloves and no booties both rides and was marginally too cold. It's a tough temperature range for me. I need to wear the full finger gloves though... not good to be riding on the rough roads and having your arms/hands cramp up from cold.

And then if it rains in the 40s.. so miserable. Give me 30s + snow any day.

[sandyrs]

This is why I live in Northwest Florida. It was 45 this morning. Brrrrr. :P

Same here. In Boston.

[sandyrs]

Yah this weather is the worst. If I wear my winter jacket/tights I will be soaked in sweat but warm for the most part in the mid 40s. But miserable if it warms up to the high 40s/low 50s.

If I wear the light tights, etc.. I end up being too cold. I wore half-finger gloves and no booties both rides and was marginally too cold. It's a tough temperature range for me. I need to wear the full finger gloves though... not good to be riding on the rough roads and having your arms/hands cramp up from cold.

And then if it rains in the 40s.. so miserable. Give me 30s + snow any day.

I prefer sweaty hands with feeling to dry hands with none so I wore wool defeet gloves this morning. Xc MTB gloves tend to have little padding and full fingers. Might be your ticket.

[josephr]

riding during the week is really hard, especially with employed spouse+kids. No 'spouse' anymore but youngest kid just got a drivers' license, its been six months, but got a ride in last night! :hello:

Cycling can be a big time chunk, especially if you include 'prep time'...very early morning rides, commuting...I get off at 5 and there's several 'after-work' group rides during the week -- and still get home by 8 --- which really is a good time since you'd be stuck in rush-hour traffic for an hour anyway. Good luck with it!

[chiasticon]

If I wear the light tights, etc.. I end up being too cold. I wore half-finger gloves and no booties both rides and was marginally too cold. It's a tough temperature range for me.45-55 is prime weather for thermal-lined knickers (3/4 length tights), for me. and usually just a short sleeve merino base with a long sleeve rapha sportwool jersey. then grab a vest, just in case (usually wind is a thing in this temp range).

this is, in fact, my favorite cycling costume. because that's my absolute favorite temperature range to ride in. warm enough that you don't have to get super dressed up, cold enough that you can ride hard and not be drenched in sweat. it's perfect.