Where Can I Ride Tomorrow Without Smoke?

[MTBMaven]

Urgent help needed!!! Does anyone have a recommended 100 mile route I can ride tomorrow in the desert or north of Ventura? I need to get in my October century and all the smoke around here is eliminating all my options. I have done a century a month since February. I don't want to end my streak.

[merider1]

You could head up toward San Luis Obispo, but other than that, I think most areas are affected. Up there, you could probably ride up the coast for 50 and back. I feel your pain as I've done CAM since January and I really want to finish it out. But don't stress yourself out...it really isn't worth that, IMHO.

[spingineer]

I saw a thread on foo, where the air quality in Santa Maria was pretty bad.

[MTBMaven]

Based on this image it looks like things are clear in Palm Springs. I could do the Tour de Palm Springs route again. http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/194329main_socalfire1-20071025_HI.jpg

[Scootcore]

apparently things are really nice right now in cody wyoming...if my dad's to be believed...

[MTBMaven]

Yeah but I can't exactly drive to Cody, bang out a century, and get back for a party tomorrow night.

[spingineer]

The air is pretty nice in the Bay Area :)

[Entropy906]

It's pretty clear here in the AV. It should be even better once the winds shift to the usual direction of southwest.

[Shnuddy]

Based on this image it looks like things are clear in Palm Springs. I could do the Tour de Palm Springs route again. http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/194329main_socalfire1-20071025_HI.jpg

Throughout the day the air quality has gradually gotten worse. While you cannot smell any smoke there is a light brown hazy hanging over the valley and very little breeze to help push it through. I have not heard what the forecast is for tomorrow or the weekend. I hope to ride as well, but can't tell as yet how the air will be. I will update this later tonight if I get any information and tomorrow morning as well.

[ridzwitsizzors]

The air quality is awful, I am stuck in the gym on a spin bike. I tried riding outside now I can't stop weezing.

[jpconrad]

I got ready to ride today and by the time I got outside the air really smelled strongly of smoke. I may go out tonight, however, in order to escape Gray's Anatomy since I'd rather hack up a lung than watch it.

[efficiency]

Forecasts are getting better for San Diego. I can still feel it in my eyes though.

[dddave]

changing the channel doesn't work?

[jpconrad]

changing the channel doesn't work?

Then I have to deal with an angry wife.

[Shnuddy]

The only further info I have is a forecast of "moderate" for air quality tomorrow.

[umd]

The air quality in Santa Barbara was pretty good today. I coul recommend you some routes around here or you could do the solvang century route if you prefer.

[bitingduck]

North.

In 2004 when the fires were really bad my GF went to Santa Barbara for a week (she has asthma and is much more sensitive to smoke than me) and then I went and picked her up and we drove up the coast and ended up in Morro Bay for a weekend. It was very nice and would have been great riding, too.

I just was up in Berkeley and SF for the weekend-- the weather was beautiful and the air was clean.

[MTBMaven]

My plan as of now is to head out to Palm Springs and ride the '07 Tour de Palm Springs route again. I thought about doing the '07 Cool Breeze route again but some posts seemed to indicate a lot of smoke up that way too. The Cool Breeze route will be cooler and close to Pasadena. PS forecast calls for 90 degrees tomorrow. Ouch. I can't go too far, I have to be back for a party around 6:00PM.

[curiouskid55]

I'm going to Fresno ,vsit mf folks and get in some training rides. Clovis to Mt. Kaiser is 100 miles round trip and only 10K of vertical.

[Pepper Grinder]

Head to your local hardware store and pick up an N95 particulate respirator. The ones with the valves will let you exhale easier, reducing heat buildup. N97 and N100 respirators are more effective but are rare and/or expensive.

[Mr. Beanz]

You've already missed January, so what's the sense?:rolleyes:

[mateo44]

Head to your local hardware store and pick up an N95 particulate respirator. The ones with the valves will let you exhale easier, reducing heat buildup. N97 and N100 respirators are more effective but are rare and/or expensive.

You mean these? Seems like a good thing to stock in one's home emergency/disaster kit. Thanks for the tip...

http://www.airgas.com/browse/product.aspx?Msg=RecID&recIds=47718&WT.svl=47718

[MTBMaven]

You've already missed January, so what's the sense?:rolleyes:

I purchased my first road bike in late December and did my first century in February and learned of the Century A Month challenge shortly after that. I made it my personal goal for the year. The plan is to pick pick up January in '08.

Update Turns out I should have gone north to Ventura. I left Pasadena at 5AM. The winds have shifted and there seems to be plenty of smoke just outside of Palm Springs. The air quality was terrible. I gave up around White Water were I could hardly see the windmills. Oh well...I tried. There is still a slim chance for Sunday.

[Happytime]

Here's the latest images of the smoke:

Long view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.1km.jpg)

Close view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.250m.jpg)

[Dizzy]

Here's the latest images of the smoke:

Long view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.1km.jpg)

Close view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.250m.jpg)

well that just sucks. Looks like I won't be riding this weekend. What is everyone doing to get there riding FIX?

[VanceMac]

Here's the latest images of the smoke:

Long view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.1km.jpg)

Close view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.250m.jpg)

Wow... and I thought I would be escaping all the smoke this weekend for sure, but it looks like it has even settled into Death Valley!

[umd]

Air is still nice here in Santa Barbara

[Dizzy]

Air is still nice here in Santa Barbara

keep it quiet or everyone will be following me up there. I might come up for a ride.... :) I need to get out of the smoke, it is KILLLLLLing me!

[thomson]

Here's the latest images of the smoke:

Long view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.1km.jpg)

Close view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.250m.jpg)

Nice shots, I suggest people keep checking as these (10/25 21:30 UTC) are now almost 19 hours old

[MTBMaven]

Here's the latest images of the smoke:

Long view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.1km.jpg)

Close view (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007298-1025/California.A2007298.2130.250m.jpg)

Thanks I went looking for a more recent one this morning than the one I posted earlier.

As a geographer is is great to see people using satellite imagery for practical purposes...like biking. :)

[umd]

Wow... and I thought I would be escaping all the smoke this weekend for sure, but it looks like it has even settled into Death Valley!

Hmm, that should make the race interesting :eek:

[Happytime]

Hmm, that should make the race interesting :eek:

When you hit the feed zone, look for me:

http://www.pixiport.com/photography/daddona/images/gas%20mask.jpg

[jpconrad]

When you hit the feed zone, look for me:

http://www.pixiport.com/photography/daddona/images/gas%20mask.jpg

Paging Go_Fast, there's a picture for you to "hit"...

[jpconrad]

Hmm, that should make the race interesting :eek:

Yeah, it sure will. :(

[merider1]

Sorry, John. That blows. :(

[blue_nose]

I will probably wait until Monday to ride again. Maybe if things are clear, I might try a coastal ride on Sunday.

[mateo44]

I'm considering coastal OC ride on Sunday. Fingers crossed.

[Gretzky]

I'm considering coastal OC ride on Sunday. Fingers crossed.

Sounds like a plan to me!

*also crosses fingers*

[OC Roadie]

Sounds like a plan to me!

*also crosses fingers*

+2 but it's not looking too promising. I don't know if there's anywhere within an hour drive of OC, to ride in clean air??

[voltman]

I'm considering Liverpool v. Arsenal on Sunday.

[mateo44]

I'm considering Liverpool v. Arsenal on Sunday.

TiVo!

[mateo44]

+2 but it's not looking too promising. I don't know if there's anywhere within an hour drive of OC, to ride in clean air??

On the news they were reporting that the immediate coastal areas are better. That's why I was considering coastal. Maybe that's wrong, though.

[OC Roadie]

On the news they were reporting that the immediate coastal areas are better. That's why I was considering coastal. Maybe that's wrong, though.

I'll keep hoping, I'm about 5 miles inland, so I have no idea what PCH is like. I'm jonsing to ride, I haven't been on my bike since Sunday, and now have this brand new bike staring at me, like a puppy that wants to play:p If the coast is reasonably clear on Sunday, I'll probably ride up to Queen Mary and back. Or maybe pay a visit to my folks in Palos Verdes and ride the coast up there.

[Happytime]

Or maybe pay a visit to my folks in Palos Verdes and ride the coast up there.

I'll be riding in PV (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Longer-Harder-PV-Loop) tomorrow. Flag me down if you see me! :)

[OC Roadie]

I'll be riding in PV (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Longer-Harder-PV-Loop) tomorrow. Flag me down if you see me! :)

If I ride up there, it won't be until Sunday. Please report back with the air quality in PV. Last time I spoke with my mom, she said it had started to get crappy there as well, but that was a couple of days ago, and she's on top of the hill.

[Happytime]

Looks like the coastal areas are starting to clear up.

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007299-1026/California.A2007299.1855.1km.jpg

Doesn't look good for our riders doing the Death Valley Double or the Baker road race. ::(

[Dunwood]

I just drove to Pasadena and then back to my office in Gardena. Got back about 3:15pm. My A/C in my car needs work, so I'm not using it. The air is really really bad out there. Looking down from the Colorado Blvd bridge onto the Arroyo I saw pockets of smoke/haze trapped amoungst the trees. The entire city reminds me of downtown LA at its worst in the 60's. Just really yucky out there.

The air in PV this morning wasn't good either. Still lots of particulates. My son has a soccer game mid-day tomorrow near the Trump Golf course on the ocean side of PV. I sure hope the air quality is better tomrrow. Not holding my breath. I'm not even sure I'll ride PV on Sunday.

Joy, be sure to post your Saturday experience tomorrow. Or you can email me if you want to keep PV local:D

[MTBMaven]

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007299-1026/California.A2007299.1855.1km.jpg

Great link! The availability of high temporal and spatial resolution satellite imagery is just amazing these days. For instance if you click on the 250m (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2007299-1026/California.A2007299.1855.250m.jpg) link the resolution is amazing. The image in the link you provided has a spatial resolution of 1KM, meaning each pixel in the image is 1KM x 1KM or 2 Sq KM on the ground. The 250m image's pixels are 250 meters on the ground. Commercial satellite providers can provide .6m images these days but the temporal resolution is nowhere close to the Terra satellite providing these images. Temporal resolution represents the amount of time or frequency a satellite collects imagery of the same place on the earth. The Terra satellite is literally hauling ***** out there in space to collect images of SoCal at least every day.

Please let us know what it is like out there. If I hear a good report I will bike down to Torrance on Sunday.

[OC Roadie]

You don't live on Dunwood by chance do you? I grew up on that street.

[Dunwood]

You don't live on Dunwood by chance do you? I grew up on that street.


ding ding ding.......you win the prize! 3 houses down from Tracy Austin's parents (yes tennis Tracy).