1/31/14

I was grateful to get 45 miles in on this last day in January. It has been a brutal month. 375 miles in 10 days. WOW I thought until I looked at last years stat. 650 in 24. Oh well! There's always next month.

Circle Of Life

Not mine but can well appreciate.

Too Many Flats

I was hoping for a nice 36 mile ride on this balmy 38 degree day. Almost halfway in and I get a flat on the right curbside tire. This is the 3rd flat on this tire in a week. I have checked the tire and all flats are in different areas. So much for Continental Contact 2 "Safety System Breaker". Too bad, I like these tires and was going to put them on my other trike. Beefy 1.75, not too heavy, roll easy and have a soft supple ride. I also got a flat recently on my Stratus with a different Continental Sport Contact tire. I guess I will be going back to Schwalbe. I got as many flats in the last 2 weeks as I did in the last 2 years. It's not the tires fault, it's mine for telling Kit, "I am not flat prone".

California Dreamin

I guess there's no point in complaining. The whole country, except for the Deep South, is frozen. Forecasters promised temps in the 30's so I thought I might try for a few miles. I am obviously crazy as temps never reached 25. Snow was falling the last 6 miles. My 19 miles seemed like 39. I couldn't wait to get home and warm up. The best part of the ride was seeing a fox run across the road into a open field of snow. The worst was getting a flat and walking the last 4 blocks home.

My street.

Heading into town

Started snowing

Many layers of clothing

Storm 2

Hope you don't get nauseous.

The Day After

There was early morning frost and I was in no hurry to get out. Forecasters predicted warmer temps and lighter winds but you know how that goes. It was 10:30 when I finally got out. The first few miles my legs reminded me of yesterday's workout. The sun was shining and the Weather Gods were smiling. Temps climbed into the 60's and winds under 10 mph, Nice!  I even rode without gloves. It was a great day to wash those Winter Blues away. Today's 35 mile ride ended with 45. I love it when it all comes together.

Pilgrimage Birthday Ride

It finally stopped raining, the snow has melted and the sun was to shine. With temps in the 40's and in spite of high winds I embarked on my annual pilgrimage birthday ride. Riding my age. Something of a right of passage since age 50. Every year it becomes a greater challenge, especially battling January weather here in the northeast. Today's gusty winds in excess of 20 mph made the mid 40's feel like 30's. There were times on the flats I couldn't push past 8 mph. Crosswinds proved quite the challenge.in maintaining an upright position. Although forecaster promised bright sunshine it didn't come out until 40 miles into the ride. All these adversities proved useless against my determination. I can once again shout,
I DID IT!!!

Flooded fields

Windy

Finally Sun

I DID IT!!!

BRRRRR

Having A Tough Time.

The weather has been a roller-coaster ride ranging from arctic cold and blizzard like snow to Spring time rain. I couldn't take another day cooped up indoors. Early morning temps were a balmy 57 degrees but with heavy rains. The warm rains washed most of the past snow away. By noon the rains diminished and I thought I had a shot for a ride. Temps had dropped a bit to 50 so a short sleeve shirt, my new jacket and vest seemed appropriate. The Greenway is the perfect platform to tackle big puddles and curbside snow and ice. Of course, 2 miles into the ride light drizzle began again. I couldn't bear to turn back and figured a little warm rain wouldn't hurt me. Well that little drizzle changed to light cold rain as the temps continued to fall. I was hoping to do more than the 15 miles but the winds increased by 10 as the temps dropped by 10. By the time I got home temps dropped to 35, winds well over 20 and freezing rain was falling. Tomorrow promises sunshine with single digit temps and winds over 20.
Don't you just love it.

New jacket and vest

Melting snow

Rain

More rain

More rain and big puddles

Freezing rain

Happy New Year

2013 Stats

Year                               2013      2012       2011      2010      2009      2008     2007

Total miles                      6900      6169       4714     5354      3185      2861      3328

Total rides                        220        199         159       183        126        108        109

Average speed                 10.4        11           11         10           11          11         11

Average miles per ride       31         31           30         30           25          27         31

Bikejournal standing          254      460         829        655       1643     1968     1516

Bentrider standing              10        13          24          17            49          76         76

Mileage Breakdown                  

Stratus                             4557      2105

ICE T                               1390      1552

Greenway                          821      2445

Fuji                                    132         57