Fifty Plus (50+) - It's almost over

It's almost 7:00PM and it's just about dark outside. There is still a lot of riding left but I now need to start getting ready for my winter activity. Here is a picture from last winter - I am in the foreground.
Next weekend is a century on Sat and then training on Sunday. 8 weeks before I'll be trading the bike for skis and the dreaded trainer.

http://goremountain.com/admin/db/images/PB250025.JPG

I actually ride more often in the Winter than in the Summer, but then
again I never claimed to be either normal or sane.

What is winter? And what's that white stuff?

Ditto, 60 more days and I'll only bicycle on dry sunny days, but this helps keep me active about 25 days per season;

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/wildcat-bucket/IMG_0513.jpg

I knew a fellow some years back who just loved riding in the winter. The screaming January wind, that feels like steel hitting you? Yep, he would ride in it. In fact, he moved up to the Bangor / Brewer Maine area, because he felt the Boston winters weren't tough enough. Some people are just nuts that way.

Personally, I love night riding. I do stick to roads I am familiar with though, where I know the road surfaces are good. I might not mind winter, if not for the intense cold, plus the fact that most people in the Boston area simply don't know how to drive on snow packed roads. No one seems to have much difficulty in NH, but down here? Forget it.

Ah yes - if I only had that all winter, what I have isn't bad but it's not the rockies.

http://www.brucew.com/gallery/albums/2008-jra/me_portland_snow_work.sized.jpg

I'm with Cranky.

I actually ride more often in the Winter than in the Summer, but then
again I never claimed to be either normal or sane.

Tougher in NY! Winter? Bring it on!

Last February:

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/zeke1.jpg

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/zeke1.jpg

That is tough! The derailleur cable is routed under the bottom bracket!

Since I am only 2 miles from work I'd rather walk.

Whew, you guys are tough.
I am escaping to FL and think about you guys.

That is tough! The derailleur cable is routed under the bottom bracket!
I don't doubt that tsl & COD ride a lot in the winter - they sure seem to know a lot about riding on the ice. I know in Niskayuna the salt turns my car white and the sand cakes everything. My exposed cables and derailures would be toast. I might consider using my aluminum Gary Fisher MTB if I put fenders on it and fully jacketed cables & studs. No way would I use clipless pedals and I would ride real slow.

However - notice that in both pics there are no tire tracks from the bike - I guess next winter I'll walk my bike out to a snow drift and take a pic. just sayin...

Oh cr*p! I still have to get my metric in... I'm running out of time

You Guys are nuts!

94 today, it may get down to 85 later this year, maybe.

Life's tough but someone has to do it.
That's OK, I'll take care.

Ditto, 60 more days and I'll only bicycle on dry sunny days, but this helps keep me active about 25 days per season;
Is that Alta?

I don't doubt that tsl & COD ride a lot in the winter - they sure seem to know a lot about riding on the ice. I know in Niskayuna the salt turns my car white and the sand cakes everything. My exposed cables and derailures would be toast. I might consider using my aluminum Gary Fisher MTB if I put fenders on it and fully jacketed cables & studs. No way would I use clipless pedals and I would ride real slow.

However - notice that in both pics there are no tire tracks from the bike - I guess next winter I'll walk my bike out to a snow drift and take a pic. just sayin...

Picture was taken at Lions Club Park in Rotterdam. That is right there is no tracks in the picture I leaned the bike against the snow cut. If you have any issues with my integrity feel free to contact me and we can go for a ride this winter, otherwise piss off.

I use Dura Ace stainless steel inner wires with XT housings. It is the only the only setup I found that works well in the winter. That Jag Wire brand inner wire that everyone in the area sells corrodes or swells with a week or two of winter riding.

My riding should increase because with the cooler weather I will try the dirt trails more. But then when I go up in the mountains to play in the white stuff I don’t use those two sticks I see strapped to some of those feet. California is home of Surf boards, Skateboards and Snow boards. I can only use the latter two. But I have to drive 30 to 60 miles to use a Snow Board.

you guys are nuts!

+1 :)

You Guys are nuts!

No, what's nuts is saying that the season is over in the middle of September.

So the sun sets earlier. BFD. Buy lights or start riding during the day. Who says you can only ride a bike after supper?

And who says that just because sunset is 7:09 today, that ski season is beginning. Snow doesn't fly around here for another three months. The more recent trend is January--four months from now.

Nope. Sorry guys. I prefer to live for today, not pi$$ and moan about what might, maybe or perhaps could happen several months from now. Could be dead by then, so why worry about it?

Meanwhile, today is going to be sunny, 70s and light breeze. I'll ride to a client meeting and back, for 18 miles or so, then meet the Monday Night Small Ring Ride at six for a nice 20-miler.

Supposed to be into the 80s by the weekend.

No, what's nuts is saying that the season is over in the middle of September.

Couldn't agree more with you on that. Down here in the Deep South we can ride year round without layering up too heavily. Mostly have to be concerned with staying dry. Heck, I will probably ride into late November in shorts and short sleeve jerseys.

What I was referring to was riding in deep snow or on ice. You guys that are experienced at it and equipped for it might be OK, but if it snows around here, I'll wait 'til it's gone. I can crash and hurt myself adequately on dry pavement, I'm not gonna tempt fate riding on ice. I ain't 20 years old anymore. ;)

We got 2.5 inches of snow one time last year, and it was gone by sundown! :D

Is that Alta?

Yes, for more see: http://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=67485

Cycle cross season is starting here and there is the fall power training that commences in October. Here are a couple of ski pics from skiing in Utah to get the juices flowing - Deer Valley and Snow Basin.

This is a pic of my wife going down the men's 2002 Olympic Downhill at Snow Basin. The men achieved 70 mph is 3.2 seconds. She does not have any poles because she was on skiboards that day - short high performance skis. The total run is 3000 vertical feet of expert terrain.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/rallen94402/2008%20Ski%20Trip/MEASnowbasinMensDownhill.jpg

Here is a pic of my wife at the top of Deer Valley. This time with regular skis.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/rallen94402/2008%20Ski%20Trip/PICT0018.jpg

I like to go right from riding to ice fishing then right back to riding. During ice fishing season (3 to 7 weeks) I ride on the trainer, unless its dry and above 20 degrees outside and no safe ice to speak of. there is just something, about pulling 8 lb walleyes thru 8" holes, 5 miles from land in windy cold conditions, that makes me want to be out there. I hate global warming!

2/3rds through September and riding around today- I don't think we are going to have a colourfull Autumn. The leaves on the trees are dead- just hanging on for a wind to take them off. No reds and yellows coming at all.

And as for winter- We haven't had snow since April- And 1/2" covering the garden for one day was all we had this year. Previous to this was in 05 for 2 days.

Only thing is that subject to floods- I will be able to ride every weekend- till spring comes and another load of decking to build.

I have a never ending summer for now;

Tom Skilling's 7-day forecast
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Monday


79
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60 Autumnal equinox at 10:44 a.m. CDT Cloudy with widespread areas of dense fog. Fog lifts and clouds thin by late morning, bringing blue skies and sunshine. Warm with highs around 80 degrees, but southeast winds 10-15 m.p.h. keep shore-area temperatures a bit lower. Fair overnight. Lows from the middle 50s inland to the lower 60s downtown.
Tuesday


80
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61 Plenty of sun along with some cumulus clouds. Warm with south winds 10-15 m.p.h. A few showers or thunderstorms possible at night.
Wednesday


80
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60 Some morning cloudiness could bring isolated showers, then partly sunny. Northeast winds keep shore areas in the 70s.
Thursday


78
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61 More sun than clouds. Warm with highs 5-10 degrees above seasonable normals. A bit cooler lakeside with onshore breezes.
Friday


80
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62 Another warm day. Mainly sunny with some increase in mid and high cloudiness. Southwest winds strengthen to 10-18 m.p.h.
Saturday


78
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60 Warm and a bit more humid with skies trending toward overcast by late in the day. Some showers and thunderstorms possible overnight.
Sunday


72
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55 Morning clouds and some lingering showers, then partly sunny and cooler. Fresh north winds 10-18 m.p.h.