General Cycling Discussion - Who is ready for Spring???

I was just sitting here thinking how anxious I am for the warmer weather. Here in Chicago over the weekend we had warmer temperatures of over 40 degrees! Even though it has now dropped into the 20s with the forcast for the teens tomorrow, I just wanted to find out who else is not-so-patiently waiting for Spring weather. (And for those of you who have warmer temperatures all year round, please don't respond and add insult to injury! j/k)

Ok, so let' hear it! They say that misery loves company!

I didn't take up cycling until last October. Living in NC, I've been able to ride throughout the winter, but I'm still lusting after some warm weather. Sunday the temps were above 60 here (an aberration) for the first time in months. I was able to maintain an 18 mph pace for 50 miles for the first time ever. All my riding buddies keep talking about gettin that "Spring time snap" in their legs. I keep wondering what that's all about.

BTW, this weekend's high here is projected to be about 38F.

I have already started a count down to spring. It's so bad I am praying for 40 degrees the weekend of my birthday. Each weekend I do a pre-ride check on both my bikes with the hope that my schedule and the weather will cooperate. I love living in VA, but this winter is killing me. If next year is as bad I may have to look for employment and a grad program in Florida.

Still waiting for winter.

Oh, you're funny. Very funny!! :roflmao:

I'm in Chicago as well. This cold windy weather has to end some day. Right? Anyway I have been putting some good time in on my trainer so when the temperature rises enough, hopefully I'll be ready.

Originally posted by shokhead
Still waiting for winter.

After only two real days of rain that I rode in this year, I can say the same thing. Of course this means that this summer we'll all be riding through smoke and fire much like Chris L did down under.

We just got almost 2 feet of snow here....and i'm still waiting for spring

I'm getting tired of the same old route over and over again. Each day I hop on and go out for a 1-3 hr ride, but the scenery does not change much. The temperature has been fairly steady so at least it is easy to dress for each ride. Although I ride the same route I do see some things that were not obvious to me on the previous ride. Like

New cracks developing in my concrete floor.
More boxes piled up in the corner.
Laundry piles change each day.
Light bulbs burn out.

And every so often my wife comes down to turn down the music or change a load of laundry.

Do you think I am ready for SPRING???????????


LOL

RunYun :beer:

I really respect your dedication, 3 hours on a trainer! I'll take my commute on the coldest day anytime.

I had to crack the stereo and change CD's a couple of time. The last 20 min was the toughest. Whenever I get bored I just throw in an interval to mix it up and produce a little pain. That always seems to get my mind back in the game.

Originally posted by Jean Beetham Smith
I really respect your dedication, 3 hours on a trainer! I'll take my commute on the coldest day anytime.

I'm falling asleep just thinking about it...and for that matter my butt just fell asleep too :)

I do ~3 hrs on Saturday and ~2-2.5 hrs on Sunday. During the week only 1 -1.5 hrs Mon, Wed, Fri. I would be burnt out if I had a steady diet of 2-3 hrs. And a trainer ride that long does promote SB.

SB= Sleeping Butt.

Got in my first ride of the year last Saturday. The clouds finally parted and it warmed up to 38 degrees. Went a s-l-o-w 7 miles with my wife - it was her first time riding - but it was fun. Then it snowed on Sunday and the colder weather is back for a while. Took the opportunity to take my steed to the LBS for its spring tune up. I get it back tomorrow, but it will be too cold to ride. I can't wait for spring!

Originally posted by shokhead
Still waiting for winter.

And you'll be waiting until hell freezes over
:roflmao: :roflmao:

Sorry but on a serious not this big bright yellow orb appeared in the Sky today I don't know what it was but it scared me :eek:

I'm with the Chicago area people also, over here in the Detroit area, it's soo cold and windy it's crazy!!....I SO CAN'T WAIT FOR SPRING AND WARM WEATHER!!!, this past weekend it did warm up on sunday to near 38, so I got the MTB out and did 23 miles, it was really coool!!..But then monday the wind and snow rolled back in, so it was back to the indoor trainer downstairs for me, and yesterday I did stairs indoors, but I can't wait till it gets warm and stay's warm....I am looking forward to the trip to Florida that I have scheduled for the end of march with my Mom, we're going to ride the tandem then, but at least it should be warm that week..


Hoping and praying that spring comes soon!!

Benjamin

Originally posted by ngateguy
And you'll be waiting until hell freezes over
:roflmao: :roflmao:

That's not a nice way to talk about California!:eek:

:D

I'm having a terrible longing for green trees, dry roads, my bike and energy snacks. I was just at the grocery store, and they had some 'Energy Bread' things--little loaves of raisin-nut bread--and I was thinking how great that would be for a biking snack.

Took the bike out last week when it got to 40 degrees, and rode in the slush, but it just wasn't the SAME! I wanna ride to the parks, hear the little streams gurgling in the ditches, hear the birdies singing and spit out bugs again! (Well, maybe not that last bit...)

I'm looking forward to spring but i'm not waiting for it, if the temp is above 0 degrees F and it's not cold and wet I'm ridin both the commuting thing and the weekend rides. I must admit the group is small this time of year, (just me). Cold is OK, wet is OK, cold and wet S-cks.

More than ready for spring. Hopefully an example given in Monty Python's Quest for the holy grail won't come true. Hopefully Winter Won't bypasses Spring and Summer and goes right to Fall. I don't think I could handle a year of winter.

With just two months to go till Spring I am eagerly awaiting all those lovely long hot summer days :-) when I don't have to wear loads of layers and I can say bye to my gloves!!!! and hello to my cycling shorts/jersey's!!

I would love some warmer weather. I was thinking yesterday how bad i wanted to go for a spin. But with the -25 C weather we have been having I said perhaps I would love to stay in the warm so I will just settle for the gym( which hasn't seen alot of me at all)

I can't wait for a moderate rise in temperatures. I have lost some weight over the winter, and now I am freezing. You don't know how warm fat is!

I am dying to get out of spinning class and onto the road.

It is hard in the winter when you find yourself talking about a good time and mean it only took 10 minutes to put on gloves, ear covering, helmet, 2 pr socks, heavy boots, jacket, etc.. Of course with all that crap on your actual trip time is terrible, usually 8 to 15 minutes longer than in the summer. And then there is all the planning about how much to wear, leave the front fender on or is it going to snow enough that you need to take it off, wipe that chain again, double check the tires, double check the batteries for lights, make sure the spare gloves & socks and jersey are dry & their bag is still sealed. Oh crap, I put the 2nd pair of gloves on before I locked the door, now I have to take them off again. Yeah, I like pushing my limits in the winter to find out what I can deal with, but I could do it all in 2 weeks. Give me sun, breezes instead of nor-easters, and 40F/5C, and I would be quite pleased, at least for another 2 or 3 weeks. I think I can hold out about a week before my helmet starts to sprout flora.

In eastern Missouri we've had enough days with temps enough above freezing to make cycling pleasant enough, with layers. This past weekend, however, was beautiful. Sunday had temps in the mid 60s, and Clayton Road, one of the more popular roads for cycling in the west suburbs, looked like a bicycle highway. While I was out I must have seen 40 or 50 other cyclists. It turned cold Monday, though, and highs will remain below freezing most of this week. What a tease our weather is.

Anxiously awaiting spring......had a glorious day on Monday. The temps. hit the forties and while it was quite overcast, putting on the blue blocker goggles can make even a dank day bright. IT WAS GLORIOUS!!!!!!

Spring....Bring it on!!!!!

As another Chicago area rider, Im ready for spring. I like to do a quick change into bike garb not to bundle up like an Antartic expedition. Sure I do it, rode yesterday and will ride again Saturday, but Im ready for 90 degree sweaty rides.

I'm waiting with shokhead. We haven't seen winter yet. We had a bit of rain in Dec. and we were supposed to get El Nino rains! I think we've only had 4 inches so far this season. Daytime highs haven't been less than 70 for weeks. If we don't cool down and get some rain, we'll be charcoal by fall.

Now that the clouds are gone, its cold here, but not wet. (low 40s in the morning). As a Californian, this is miserable to start a ride in. It makes it hard to get on the bike in the morning.

I far prefer riding in the heat. Bring it on!

Lost Coyote, I was riding down in Thousand Oaks/Camarillo about two weeks ago, it was sooooo nice. I loved it. I hadn't been riding in just shorts and a jersey in a long time.

When it is nasty, I never have anything to do and end up on the most boring exercycle in the world. Then it gets pretty and I have more obligations than I can live up to. Do you suppose it has something to do with my personality, or just bad luck?

Well... i've been trying to combat the winter gut. I want to be ready for spring. Lots of bananas, and cyling excercises at the gym. I've also been doing crunches and other excercises that can be done while watching will and grace(yeah i know i'm pathetic). Come spring i'll be outpacing Mr.Lemond himself! ...Maybe not.

NO ONE CAN BE MORE READY FOR SPRING THAN THIS ROADIE!!!!


I have had all the winter and non riding experience I can stand.

Who is ready for Spring?

Not me -- not yet! Although I would like it to warm up and melt off enough so I can safely cycle to work again now, as far as I am concerned it can stay winter for exactly 14 more days . . . and then, not only do I give it permission to become spring, but I need it to become spring.

I've been riding outside all freakin' winter, but I'm ready for spring already. Today it was so cold I was almost depressed- after such nice temperatures over the weekend, I was hoping it would continue into this week. No such luck!

They say going into the end of the week that the temperatures will definitely be going up. I absolutely have to go home to the suburbs for a few hours to do some tax work, but I'm hoping to get back in time to do some serious ride time on Saturday. I'll definitely be out on Sunday.

Actually, this weekend coming up depresses me too. I know this weather is not going to hold, and it's like Mother Nature's big tease. Once it's consistently warm, then I'll permenantly cheer up. Weather like this is why I never complain when it gets as hot as it does outside in the summertime.

Koffee

Originally posted by shokhead
Still waiting for winter.

Ahhhh... thbppppt!

Still riding in the cold here in central PA.
BUT . . . . weatherman says this Sunday will be sunny and in the 60's :beer: YES! ! !
I'll be packing my lunch and water battles on Saturday night.
Maybe I'll try for my first half century or metric century of the year.

Originally posted by shokhead
Still waiting for winter.

Haha. Yuk it up..

After living in both perpetually mild and more seasonal climes, I can say with certainty that Spring is just that much sweeter after "suffering" through a real winter. :)

It was 61 degrees and sunny yesterday here in Boise. Left work a couple hours early and thoroughly enjoyed a 3 hour ride. Divine!

on dec. 30th, i broke my tibia (shin bone) in an indoor soccer match. i was in a full leg cast for 6 weeks. then i got a walking boot, which i am still wearing, and am supposed to wear until the end of march. it's healing great, and just in time for spring!!! i know in the grand scheme of things it's not a long time, but here in oregon it's been beautiful most of the winter--
but, today i rode my new trek 520 to work, with my walking boot on, and it was great!! after having to sit around all winter, i'm going to ride like hell this spring!!!