New Year's Day ride reports?

[RABikes2]

Any ride reports from New Year's Day rides?

Three of us, randonneurs, started off at 8:24 a.m. in 46*, rain, wind, and high spirits to bring in the New Year. It rained for a few hours, but finally the rain let up. Overcast skies gave way to little bits of sunshine only a few times later in the day. It seemed like every way we turned, there was either a headwind or crosswind coming at us. The dampness in the air made it feel colder, even though it was 45* when we finished our ride at 100.4 miles. It was a good day of training and riding with two other friends of like minds. The first brevet (200k) of the season is in two weekends.

A hot shower, warm pajamas, a cold beer, grilled pork, sauerkraut, baked potato, and salad completed a really relaxing and wonderful New Year's Day for me.

How about you ... any ride reports?

Happy New Year!

Ritaann

[Jack Brunk]

Three hours doing perfect singletrack in the northern Santa Monica Mountain National Park. Trails were perfect for braking in a new 2010 Turner Flux Lefty.

[KeithS]

On the trainer. It was -26 when I woke up this morning. Just saw the weather report on the news, the National Weather Service issued a brass monkey warning for tonight.

I'll be riding with Coach Troy tomorrow too..

[Steve in SLO]

It was 45 degrees and beautiful weather at our cabin. I had brought up my Anvil CX bike for a nice ride along some mountain singletracks. I unloaded the bike, then my dog, who was really revved up. I started up a trail and it seemed like I had trouble clicking into my pedals, so I popped the hood on my truck and dripped oil from the dipstick onto the pedals (nothing else was available) and took off again...same problem. I stopped and really pushed down on one pedal and realized the real problem was that it was not engaging--my MTB pedals had worn down the back of my cleats so much that the CX pedals would not hold the cleats in.
Damn!
Nothing to do but turn around, load my bike and confused dog back up, pick up a 6-pack of Hemp Ale and go back to the cabin and play guitar.
Pretty nice ride afterall.

[Louis]

For the first time in as long as I can remember I was not able to ride even once over the holidays. We had either cold rain or just plain cold (see below).

Winter stinks.

[Ray]

I rode last Sunday and it was that "oh, THAT ride" thing that eventually hits every winter. You know, you've been riding through October and November and into December on the memory of real fitness, but you're feeling good enough to still have a lot of fun, but you know its kind of winding down and you're gonna hit a wall soon enough. And then for whatever combination of weather, holidays, travel, etc, you don't ride for a week or two. And then you get a decent day when you can actually ride and you go out and you realize rather quickly that its GONE! That last semblance of being in riding shape has up and left the building and won't really be back until sometime in late March, once you've gotten a few weeks of starting up back in. Your lungs hurt, your legs don't work right anymore, and being on a bike feels like a vaguely foreign place. it sucks, but its happened to me every winter I can remember except one exceptionally mild one a few years back.

Since last Sunday, its been raining, snowing, or in the teens and twenties with high winds. Today its supposed to top out in the low 20s with 30-50 mph winds and its supposed to stay cold and windy all week, with some snow mixed in. Wahoo!. I'll be mostly in by the fireplace except for the couple of relatively quick necessary outings with the pooch.

If I'm smart, I'll hit the rollers earlier this year. But I'm rarely smart.

-Ray

[OtayBW]

Unfortunately, my annual 'Hangover Half Century' got the kibosh.

[Dan Le foot]

Our favorite day to ride.
All the mean spirited motorists are home, too sick to drive because of the night before festivities.
We had a nice 70 mile ride down to the coast than North through Camp Pendleton.
Hundreds of cyclists enjoying the 70 degree and sunny San Diego weather.
Dan

[johnnymossville]

Did a couple 1.5hour sessions on the trainer inside. 15 degrees and 50mph winds outside and I turn into a wimp.

[zap]

snip

2010 Turner Flux Lefty.

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm................you rode before you posted pics.

Lets see it.

[MerckxMad]

The OP really hurts. It's been nothing but bitter cold, snow, rain, ice and/or wind since Christmas where I live. To make it even worse, I've just built up a new rando bike. Yesterday, I found it propped up against the garage door staring out the window. I'm not sure, but I think I saw tears running down the brake levers. Needless to say, the family is not happy with the surly attitude...mine or the bike's.

[RABikes2]

Starting out in rain on New Year's Day was difficult, but a cold front was forecasted to come through our area as the day went on. Real glad we did the century that day because I woke to 22* this morning. It's 12:00 p.m. and it's a balmy 35* now. The weather forecast for the week has three nights down around 18*. Brrrrrrr ... North Florida (only miles from the Georgia border) does get cold!

The 200k on January 16th is a few hours south of here, so hoping it's a bit warmer by then.

RA

[PaMtbRider]

Ray hit the nail on the head exactly for me. I've been enjoying lingering fitness from my highest mileage year in a long time. A few christmas parties, lousy weather, and all of a sudden the remaining fitness has been replaced with 10lbs extra weight and little motivation. How soon till spring?



I rode last Sunday and it was that "oh, THAT ride" thing that eventually hits every winter. You know, you've been riding through October and November and into December on the memory of real fitness, but you're feeling good enough to still have a lot of fun, but you know its kind of winding down and you're gonna hit a wall soon enough. And then for whatever combination of weather, holidays, travel, etc, you don't ride for a week or two. And then you get a decent day when you can actually ride and you go out and you realize rather quickly that its GONE! That last semblance of being in riding shape has up and left the building and won't really be back until sometime in late March, once you've gotten a few weeks of starting up back in. Your lungs hurt, your legs don't work right anymore, and being on a bike feels like a vaguely foreign place. it sucks, but its happened to me every winter I can remember except one exceptionally mild one a few years back.

Since last Sunday, its been raining, snowing, or in the teens and twenties with high winds. Today its supposed to top out in the low 20s with 30-50 mph winds and its supposed to stay cold and windy all week, with some snow mixed in. Wahoo!. I'll be mostly in by the fireplace except for the couple of relatively quick necessary outings with the pooch.

If I'm smart, I'll hit the rollers earlier this year. But I'm rarely smart.

-Ray

[false_Aest]

GF flew into LAX on 31st.

We unpacked her bike and fell asleep at 9:30pm.

Woke up at 6am.

Out on the road earlyish. 70 degrees. Beach + Sun + GF + 45 miles = excellent NYD.

[dogdriver]

2 hour Pugsley group ride on NYD morning. Clear, cold day on the Park City "multiple use" (hikers, skiers, dogs, snowshoes, bikes, children, etc) trail system. Left to right-- yours truly, some guy named Tom, and Jon the Dharma Wheels bike guru/dentist. Check the rippin' fenders on Jon's ride. Sorry for the crappy resolution-- still figuring out the Mac.

Cheers, Chris

[weisan]

For the first time in as long as I can remember I was not able to ride even once over the holidays. We had either cold rain or just plain cold (see below).

Winter stinks.
Louis-pal, I brave the cold and rode around Forest Park for about 1.5 hr on the bike path on Sat. It was all I could handle before freezing up. It was not much of a workout as I was on the tikit and hardly go above 15 mph but it was nice to be out and to see the other aspect of the park scenery during the winter. I especially like the fact that I could get there from home in less than 15 mins on the recently opened 64/40 West hwy.

[Louis]

Louis-pal, I brave the cold and rode around Forest Park for about 1.5 hr on the bike path on Sat.

You're a stronger man than I !!!

Enjoy the cold weather...

Louis

[Ray]

2 hour Pugsley group ride on NYD morning. Clear, cold day on the Park City "multiple use" (hikers, skiers, dogs, snowshoes, bikes, children, etc) trail system. Left to right-- yours truly, some guy named Tom, and Jon the Dharma Wheels bike guru/dentist. Check the rippin' fenders on Jon's ride. Sorry for the crappy resolution-- still figuring out the Mac.

Cheers, Chris
Damn, those things look like fun. I'd buy one if I figured I'd ride it more than once or twice a year. But all of my mtb's in recent years have been unloaded for lack of use so I'm gonna have to have a REAL strong jones before I go down that (off) road again.

-Ray

[dogdriver]

Damn, those things look like fun. I'd buy one if I figured I'd ride it more than once or twice a year. But all of my mtb's in recent years have been unloaded for lack of use so I'm gonna have to have a REAL strong jones before I go down that (off) road again.

-Ray

Yeah, definitely not a bike to build unless you already know exactly where you're going to ride it...I put mine together after wrecking a knee, thus ending my regular running days. The thought of winters spent exclusively on indoor trainers and spinning classes wasn't so appealing, I'm lucky enough to have the previously mentioned trail system out the back door (along with pleasant Western US winter weather) , and the winter bike technology was stabilizing after a few years of odd ideas, so it made sense. I ride it about 30-50 hours per winter, along with indoor training and the occasional jog... if the snows too deep to ride, we go to the resort and ski powder. Good problem to have, no sympathy expected... and, yes, it is a freakin' hoot.

Cheers, Chris

[Harald]

No riding for me here in Europe. It's snowing again (yesterday only 4 inches +). Also my mountainbike trail is not easy to ride. It's full of ice and a week ago I hurt my back. It's now blue. Sorry for my weak English.

[willy in pacifi]

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