winter

Mark57 · 11-20-2007, 02:36 PM

I got in a 20 miler at lunch yesterday, it was windy but about 66 degrees and I never even took my arm warmers out of my jersey pocket.

Today the wind chill is 22 and it's starting to snow.

emartin10 · 11-20-2007, 03:47 PM

Same here. Booooooooooo

E

bmph8ter · 11-20-2007, 05:23 PM

Damn that. You guys need to just come stay with Silly and I for the winter. It gets cold (to me), but not really below freezing for long. Perfect stuff for mountain biking...

Mark57 · 11-20-2007, 05:51 PM

Thanks for the offer. Maybe we could return the favor next summer.

Last August I drove through LR and my carmometer said it was 108, but the next day when I got home it was only 85 here. Perfect stuff for just about anything...

silly · 11-20-2007, 06:15 PM

C'mon people! We've got plenty of space, and it's still well above 70 here.

Kaiser · 01-03-2008, 09:01 PM

Darn winter is wearing on my biking nerves. It's gonna be 50 here this weekend, but raining (after wind chills yesterday in the negative range). I'm thinking if the snow and ice is gone, maybe I'll be able to get a wet ride in. Being a gym rat is no fun.

Last year, I remember it was mid 50s here on New Years Day and I took a 25 mile ride to the lake and back.

Kaiser · 01-17-2008, 11:40 PM

I finally got a (quick) ride in last weekend - 13 miles is better than nothing.

This weekend, the high temperature on Saturday is predicted to be a whopping 3 degrees - negative 35 if you count in wind. I think I'll stay inside.

Mark57 · 01-18-2008, 07:49 AM

Pretty miserable here this week too, and this weekend is going to be cold and snowy. I've been putting off setting up the trainer, but I think it's time.

sg516 · 01-18-2008, 08:12 AM

it snowed here all day yesterday and of course DC drivers act like they've never seen the stuff before. i swear sometimes i think these people are pants on head retarded. but what really sucks is that i have a group bike ride tomorrow and the bike trail might still be covered in snow and its supposed to snow again tomorrow. so the bike ride might turn into a group run. not that i mind switching to a run its just that i like to know what to expect. this last minute stuff is frustrating.

Jean-Paul · 01-23-2008, 04:55 AM

I'm such an idiot that I start getting back into everything in the wrong season. Here it is winter and I'm starting to hanker for a bike ride.

Sarah, are you still out at Chainwheel? I need to get my bike tuned up before I take it out on the trail.

Kaiser · 02-10-2008, 05:19 PM

I am SOOOO jonesing to get an outdoor ride in. And next week is our first club meeting, which is just going to fuel the fire.

C'MON SPRING!!

silly · 02-10-2008, 07:23 PM

JP-Yep, still there.

Kaiser, fortunately its been a mild winter here. You'll be out there soon.

emartin10 · 02-11-2008, 08:35 AM

This weekend was a tease for me. Nice, mid-50's. I got a good ride in on Saturday, but it was a bit windy. Such a tease, it's gunna snow today. Booooo winter.

E

SpinFast · 02-12-2008, 12:24 PM

For the last 7 years I've lived in Seattle where I could ski in the morning and then ride in the afternoon. Now I'm in Montana where there has been snow on the ground for the past two months. It warmed up to 40 the other day so I took out the beater bike and enjoyed a blissful two and half hour ride on the only dry road within 100 miles! Thankfully it's easy to fill up my days with ski touring and cross country skiing

If you're stuck riding the trainer or trying to figure out what to do before riding season really starts, I highly recommend checking out cyclo-core. The workouts aren't easy, but they're not boring either. And I guarantee you'll be in very good shape when it comes time for those group rides and races.

silly · 02-12-2008, 05:51 PM

I'm a CTS kind of girl. Tonight is the criterium dvd.

Kaiser · 02-25-2008, 11:27 PM

My boys got out this Sunday(this is a video link), the warmest it's been in a long time here in Chicago (but check out how much snow is still on the side of the road and how much road salt is on the road), but I was participating in the Hustle Up The Hancock charity stairclimb and missed it. Now, we're in the middle of another 6 inches coming down and 45 mph winds the next few days. Damn, I wish I hadn't missed that ride - it would help me hold out and keep my sanity.

On the positive side, I had a lot of fun climbing the stairs up 94 floors.

Kaiser · 02-27-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaiser

My boys got out this Sunday(this is a video link), the warmest it's been in a long time here in Chicago (but check out how much snow is still on the side of the road and how much road salt is on the road), but I was participating in the Hustle Up The Hancock charity stairclimb and missed it. Now, we're in the middle of another 6 inches coming down and 45 mph winds the next few days. Damn, I wish I hadn't missed that ride - it would help me hold out and keep my sanity.

On the positive side, I had a lot of fun climbing the stairs up 94 floors.

Here's a pic to prove how much fun I had.

emartin10 · 02-27-2008, 01:54 PM

That looks like fun....

You look good man! Looking a lot leaner than the last time I saw a pic of you brother!

E

Kaiser · 02-27-2008, 02:12 PM

It was a blast! A lot of fun and way more fun than I expected.

Thanks. What they say about black being very slimming is apparently true. I still have about 15 lbs to go to get to my summer riding weight.

On the flip side, I was right about feeling like I am losing my sanity: this is now the fourth snowiest winter in Chicago's recorded history and accounts for my being outside for a ride a whopping total of once each in December and January and no rides in February (or was it none in Jan and one if Feb?). The third most snowy season record is in sight and we got another 6 inches the other day. My lawn has over 2 feet of the white stuff on it right now.

Mark57 · 02-27-2008, 04:00 PM

When I first glanced at that pic I thought you had a beer in your right hand, so no wonder it was fun.

We're getting some nice weather right now. I'm going to try and ride Friday and Saturday, but then Sunday is supposed to snow again. I remember last February I got out almost every day for a couple weeks, and then it was May before I could get out again after that.

Should be beautiful in Boulder right now, Eric. You might get 70 by this weekend.

Kaiser · 02-27-2008, 08:07 PM

You guys out west get the wild temp fluctuations... right now I'd take that. It's been a long long time since it was more than 5 degrees above freezing here, and even longer since we had no snow on the ground.

emartin10 · 02-27-2008, 10:11 PM

Yeah, supposed to hit 70 Saturday. Unfortunately (and fortunately) I'm going to be up in Steamboat for my sister-in-law's wedding - should only hit about 50 up there. They've had almost 400 inches of snow this winter, so there isn't anywhere to ride at this point. Next week should be nice - I have been getting some rides in though! I just can't wait for daylight savings, that'll make my life WAY better...

E

Mark57 · 02-28-2008, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaiser

You guys out west get the wild temp fluctuations...

Yeah, we'll be in the 50's today, the 60's tomorrow and close to 70 Saturday, then back to the 30's with snow on Sunday. Supposed to be light winds Friday, I might come down with a sudden case of the "leap flu" and try to get in a 20 miler.

Kaiser · 02-29-2008, 04:33 PM

So'd you get in your 'flu' ride today? We got our 35th measurable snow for the season last night.

It's going to be low 40s here (and rainy) on Sunday and the team is looking to log another ride. I may join them this week or go the the bumps to try some new sticks I just bought. It's a good day when you can choose between skiing and biking! (I know, I know, you guys in CA and CO can do that a lot.)

Mark57 · 02-29-2008, 07:07 PM

Nope, it never got nice until late in the afternoon, and since three other people called in sick with "legitimate" excuses, I got called in. Got thirty minutes in the garage though, and now I'm enjoying an adult beverage.

Tomorrow is another day.

Kaiser · 03-02-2008, 06:55 PM

Yay, temps went up for today only and I got in an 11 person group ride for around 40 miles. Sure, we had to dodge ice and big puddles and a LOT of ridiculous potholes, but it was great.

About 2-1/3 hours of riding time, balanced out by post-ride lunch/coffee for 75 mins and cleaning my bike for another 60 mins.

Kaiser · 03-07-2008, 10:56 PM

Jeez-louise! The low the next few nights is in the single digits, there's ice all over the road, and it's dangerous. This long and never ending winter in Chicago is now really starting to get on my riding nerves! Allegedly, the temps are supposed to break freezing this week and maybe even get into the mid 40s by next weekend.

The group is planning to ride on Sunday, when the high will be.... 33 and flurries. I'm taking a pass. As much as I'd like to ride, those types of temps lead to a lot of ice on the road and I don't want to go down and have my season end before it really gets started.

Bleh. Looking toward the riding season (which, at this point looks like it may hit full swing in June when this ice age ends), I did call the LBS with my order for my tires for this season: Vredestein Tri-Comps (red this year). Awesome tires.

Mark57 · 03-08-2008, 09:14 PM

I got a reminder of how much I miss Denver weather today. My son had a karate tournament just outside Denver, and I walked outside about noon. Sunny, 60-ish, light winds. All the standing around and waiting I endured, I should have taken my bike and got in a few miles. From where I was I could have easily ridden into downtown and back on the Cherry Creek bike path.

Karen P · 04-10-2008, 09:56 PM

I've also been having issus with the weather. It's been raining here for like 2 weeks. Who wants to go running when it's wet and cold. I have a treadmill, but there's just something better about going outside. I thought it was upposed to be spring! I really can't wait for the summer weather. Fitness is so much easier on fair weather days.

Kaiser · 04-10-2008, 10:26 PM

Well, we finally got some 50 degree days here in Chicago and even reached 60 one day. But, alas, snow and sleet for the next 4 days (again!) and we still haven't hit a 70. Last Sunday I was able to get in 50 miles and the road was totally full with road riders after work yesterday... people trying to get some saddle time in before snow. I got in 34 miles in about 45 degree weather. Now I can stay inside all weekend. Yipee. :rolleyes

I still haven't ridden without booties or neoprene covers this season.