Moved: New Place, New Rides, New Bike?

[metalheart]

Short story, we moved from our home of 30 years in northern California (Rescue) to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. A moving company took our belongings on June 2 and delivered them June 16th. In two cars we drove our two dogs and cat starting June 4 and arriving June 8 and used a blowup bed and ate lots o take out until our stuff arrived. I shipped both my bikes ahead of time, one with Bike Flights the other with ShipBikes and everything arrived fine. The moving company experience is its own story or horror story.

This will be an adjustment for us, but we have 6 acres on a small 22 acre lake that does not allow any motors. We failed at downsizing: our Rescue house was 2800 square feet, the Wisconsin house is 4800 5 bedrooms/4 bathrooms. We wanted something smaller but the location sold us: one a small lake near my wife's family.

I have been on a couple of rides and each taught me something. The roads are pretty rough, but not any worse than the California roads. Wind seems an everyday thing to deal with, along with a large population of mosquitos. I used Ride With GPS to make some routes only to find out that large portions are dirt/gravel roads and my 25mm tires will not work on those road. I have 28's on my other bike and I will try those, but I may need 30/32 if I am going to include the dirt/gravel roads in my riding. Those roads open up more options than riding only on pavement, but in the past I have only rode on pavement. I need to sort out if my Holland Exogrid can take the larger tires. I seem to recall a discussion here that Gravelkings are good multi-surface tire option.

Another issue is that GPS signal here is spotty. Before, I used GLYMPSE so my wife can keep track of me, but that is not working here so some sort of GPS tracker is on the shopping list. I know there are some options out there.

It is cooler here, even on warm days, but there have not been many warm days. Different riding clothes are on the list, heavier jerseys and a better cool/cold weather jacket and gloves. I hope to ride throughout as many seasons as I can, but this is clearly going to be a learning experience.

The process of buying and selling a house, moving our animals, and in general turning our lives upside down has been stressful and just the couple of rides I have done have helped to relieve the tensions. Today it is going to be windy again and warmish (low 80s) but I am going out for a ride to clear my head.

It will be a fun adventure learning about riding here and expanding my cycling opportunities. Then after a ride I can go out to our dock and enjoy the view...

[saab2000]

Nice! The spotty GPS coverage may be more due to the tree canopy than anything.

[Matthew]

Welcome to the upper Midwest! !! You're gonna love it! Well, maybe not winter. I hear Wisconsin has lots of great riding. Definitely invest in some good cold weather gear. You're gonna need it! Being from Michigan there's times Ive had to wear full tights in late May. And the mosquito is our unofficial state bird. Your property sounds nice and the lake looks beautiful. Will be interested in hearing your thoughts in the coming months. If you do any traveling after settling in, West Michigan is a beautiful area from top to bottom of the mitten. Matthew

[weisan]

We failed at downsizing

It's funny how we have threads like "If you can live/afford anywhere, where would you move to", and we invariably pick "people" over "place" - close to family. We are social animals afterall.

All is not lost. It's more a state of mind and the attitude than anything else. Focus down to the "bare essentials"...everyday and you will enjoy the new home a lot more.

[Andy sti]

Get your registration in for the Birkie now!!!

[skijoring]

Originally Posted by Andy sti

Get your registration in for the Birkie now!!!

Yes, even as a hack in the last wave I had a ball in the minus 6 temps with wonderful volunteers handing out banana chunks in diesel smelling sno-mo gloves!

At least do it once; get on some skinny skis.

[KonaSS]

Find a bike that will take Specialized Roubaix 30/32 tires https://www.specialized.com/us/en/ro...ready/p/155483

I do recommend setting them up tubeless. You will be fine riding roads and taking them offroad any time your heart desires. They are great mixed use tires.

Let me know if you have specific questions on cold weather clothes. If you want to ride into the winter months, must haves include insulated cold weather shoes, and good gloves. Yes, you will need a warmer jacket, but there are lots of good options out there for those. Then we can talk bar mitts......

[NHAero]

I see a Fatbike in your future!
I lived in west central NH for 35 years and mostly the bikes got hung up for the winter, partially 'cuz the roads get so much salt. Two options are a fatbike (mine was very early, before 4.8" tires) and an old MTB with big studded tires. I have a set of 26 wheels with Nokian Freddy's Revenge tires, over 300 studs. We don't get the snow here on MV (which I am glad of!) but when we do, that's the bike that gets out.

[Blue Jays]

All that extra square footage ensures a SWEET new bicycle room!

[Gsinill]

Based on the little I can see, it looks like a dream house to me!

[robt57]

Get your snow blower pre-season rush is all I can say.

Enjoy the new explorations, sound awesome...

If you weigh more than 180lb, get some real tires, and a bike to fit if you don't have one...

Suggest you do not settle on a bike that fit only up to a 32 tire. Especially if you are a Clyde. 38s is as small as I will go for off piste personally. 42s optimum I find for my 200 lb self..

[Ken Robb]

What size clothes do you wear?

[Tickdoc]

Beautiful. I'd like to see a pic say, mid January? I bet she is thrilled to be close to Family and enjoy the new digs. Any local bike shops?

[Ken Robb]

You might find a bike from Rivendell to work well in your new area.

[Coffee Rider]

Although I can't imagine living anywhere other than where I do now, I really enjoy getting to see all the other places that people live and ride. That view of the lake just makes me think about how much my dogs would enjoy it.