morning rides: oh how they've changed

[Climb01742]

july and august are heaven on earth for riding in the morning. sun. warmth. and mercifully few cars and no school buses.

then last monday. vacations over. school's starting. the morning sun is lower in the sky, blinding riders and drivers alike. school buses rumble like angry dinosaurs, reclaiming roads and stopping every quarter mile. drivers' mellow summer moods seem to be fading like their tans. chilly breezes reappear. like a finger snap, heaven vanishes. :help:

[bcm119]

Before you know it, it'll be leg warmers and full fingered gloves, falling yellow leaves, the musty smells of autumn; then old wet leaves on damp roads, bare black trees against grey skies, and talk of the first nor'easter- freezing rain, sleet, maybe starting as snow north of the 495 corridor? Ah, New England..., I can't wait to ride back there in October. :)

[dave thompson]

july and august are heaven on earth for riding in the morning. sun. warmth. and mercifully few cars and no school buses.

then last monday. vacations over. school's starting. the morning sun is lower in the sky, blinding riders and drivers alike. school buses rumble like angry dinosaurs, reclaiming roads and stopping every quarter mile. drivers' mellow summer moods seem to be fading like their tans. chilly breezes reappear. like a finger snap, heaven vanishes. :help:
Pure poetry!

[Mr. Butterworth]

Summer's Glory Fades
Leaves get stuck in my chainrings
Climb's comments astute

[MallyG]

Last Friday, I rode to work in leggings, rain-jacket and - I can hardly bear to say it - long-fingered gloves.

At least today the weather's better and I'm looking forward to a warmish, pleasant, autumnal ride home.

****! Did I say 'autumnal'?

Still, at least you guys had a summer. They cancelled it here in Europe.

[Moveitfred]

For me, heaven reappears on the wooded trails this time of year. The Serotta roadie I've been on since December gets put away for a rest and I break out the Specialized Mt bike. After Labor Day a couple of the state parks around here no longer charge for parking, so el-cheapo here can save a few bucks and enjoy the quiet of the fall woods.

[spiderman]

reminds me of cold day in february
that got warm enough to melt the snow from the hiway...
riding my black colorado crl...
...appreciating the harsh iowa climate.


SPIRITED RIDE

Silver sun beats down and dazzles dry bones
Ice-blue wind whips 'round and shines sunken cheeks.
Coal-black steel forges lightly over stones.
Molten rubber blisters oil-strewn streets.
Parchment lips, cracked from death,
Drop blood, mingled with breath.

[Bruce K]

Labor Day weekend is upon us.

Time to put away the TT bike. The Ottrott get ridden less and the Concours more as the weather deteriorates.

But most of all, it's CROSS SEASON :banana: :eek: :banana:

Time to get dirty, muddy, and bloody! :help:

Climb - an excellent, insightful narrative. Living in the shadow of "The Bridge" and surrounded by the history and legacy of authors in your area has given you and artful pen. We need to put together an autumn ride to somewhere with colorful foliage, mulled cider (with or without applejack), and (forgive me) real home-made cider donuts (you can pass on the donuts if you want).

In any case, I will try to organize something for the last weekend in October up our way in Gloucester. ECV is hosting a double-header cyclocross race weekend with one being UCI cat1 and the other UCI cat2. Should bring out most of the "big names" for the weekend. It is usually my one and only attempt at cross racing as well. Info on the event is at www.ecvcycling.org and www.gloucestercross.com

BK

[Climb01742]

bruce, with so many phorumites around boston, a group ride in sept/oct sometime would be cool. i'm game.

[TimD]

In.

TimD