Fifty Plus (50+) - Start new year right, with a ride on your bike!

How many were able to start the year out with a ride today?
I was able to get in a 35 mi ride after the required dinner of peas and cabbage!
Who started that idea?

Peas and cabbage? Thats just nasty! BinLadin had to have somthing to do with that!

Road 35 miles today as well!
Great weather, decent speed, low traffic...........a GREAT start for 09........

3 miles with wife to Wendy's for a chicken wrap!

I was up late at a party last night and then had to be at work early. I was going to take a ride when I got home but took a nap instead. It felt pretty good. Tomorrow I will ride.

We went out with a fellow BF rider and some cycling club mates for a total of 66 miles and over 4000' of climbing. Temps were 39-42, fog was low and wet, and our BF buddy had a flat. However, the company was good, the ride challenging (a certain stoker forgot to bring enough food :innocent:) especially on the descents, and starting the year with a metric century + feels awesome!

Hi,

Did 64 miles. Started with my club, rode the "hilly" part by myself, and then caught on to the big New Year's Day ride heading home. Last 20 miles were at 25-30 MPH. :) Was very foggy and 45 ºF at the start and hazy sunshine and 55 ºF when I got home.

Rode for a couple of hours in sunny, 40 degree weather. Very enjoyable but the low angle of the sun this time of year makes visibility poor at times. The bike paths were strewn with sweet gum tree balls after high winds yesterday. Had to be very careful not to wash out on those things. I didn't realize we had so many sweet gum trees.

Got in 38 miles today. Rode from home to a 24 mile event ride then back home afterward. Weather was ok, 26 degrees with 25 mph winds. The 7 miles back home was sweet with a tail wind and lots of energy, for a good while I was in 50x12 @ 84/ 90 cadence.:D

I rode with my 11 year old grandson to the base gym (Naval Air Station Corpus Christi), we both did a little lifting, then rode home. He loves riding with his "papa"!!

Recovering from a cold, so didnt ride. I should be able to ride with the club on Saturday morning. Hate that I missed a New Years Day ride for the first time in several years.

40 miles, great weather, Coffee and Pie.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff346/Boaz47/janride62.jpg

I had to settle for a 3 mile run but still got in a half-mile mtn bike beer ride to the corner store.

A ride is a ride...

Eleven miles in chilly, hazy late afternoon light, through the mostly empty streets of Los Angeles (Miracle Mile, Hollywood).

33 miles in the surrounding hills. Got a bit chilled on a long downhill stretch late in the afternoon, but there was a Starbucks waiting for me at the end of the ride.

A chilly hour and a half of mountain biking followed by the true traditional meal of blackeyed peas and collard greens (with cornbread, rice and macaroni & cheese). Never heard anything about cabbage. Yech!

Oops. No ride here but congrats to all of you who have.

Worked a "Short staffed" 12 hour shift last night, shoveled 11.5" of snow off the driveway and walk today, working again tonight. :( I've still got a job at least. :)

Hoping to get a ride in soon as it's been quite a long time since my last one, partly due to not being in the mood and partly being snowed in. We recieved 46.2" of snow this December which is a record for us. Snowiest December since 1884 when we started keeping records of important things like snowfall and temps. and such. Folks living near main roads have a better shot at riding during snow events as the main raods get a lot of snow removal attention. I'm in an area of the city where 4 X 4's and snow plows get stuck on poorly maintained roads. So I shovel the snow and consider that cross training. I still get my fresh air so I guess it's not so bad. Good news is the snow is supposed to stop for a few days.

Two of the three daughters will be back to their homes away from home by tomorrow evening so there will be more discretionery time for riding. If I get a nice sunny spell I'll grab the Canon and post in the pic. thread.


Happy Trails

The Perfect Ride of The Year.
55.2 Miles, Temps 58* to 68*, Winds 3 to 5 mph

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Perfect%20ride%201-1-09/Beanz.jpg

Waited for the sun to come out but it was a no-show. Layered up and climbed on the road bike for 16 miles in chilly, overcast weather. No sunglasses needed in the North Bay today!! :thumb:

I did 85 miles with 6500 feet of climbing on the New Years Day ride. My 10th consecutive one. Some snow and ice on the road up on Mt Wilson but it was a beautiful day, the warmest NYD ride ever! If you saw any of the Rose Parade or the Rose Bowl, we were in those mountains near there.
http://www.socalcycling.com/Group%20Rides/annual/MtWilson.htm
Didn't have black eyed peas, etc., but that sounded wondeful BD. I had some chicken noodle soup, rice and home made tamales, followed by some home made banana cake with cream cheese frosting.

To start the new year with something scenic (or at least quirky) I decided to start in downtown Omaha and cross the Missouri River on the new $20 million Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. This puts you in the town of Council Bluffs, Iowa with about a 12 mile ride on their MUP to the trailhead for the Wabash Trace Trail, which goes down to Missouri. The Council Bluffs MUP is kind of interesting, passing by a municipal golf course where the golf clubhouse has become a "biker bar" of sorts. Then the MUP passes through the parking garage of Harrah's Casino, on down by another casino, along an industrial road shoulder, through a small wooded area, by a big kids' sports complex, and then passes briefly through a trailer court before coming back out along a creekbank levy. Down the levy a couple miles south a bridge takes you into Lake Manawa State Park... and a nice woodsey four or five miles is left to the Wabash trailhead. In these woods I had to turn back due to icy conditions, but I filled out the ride with some exploratory time on the CB MUP that I had not seem before. Total=26 miles today.

Did a fast 14 miles this morning.
Temp. was warm, traffic was light but was a little windy.

Did 17 miles in the rain. Wet and windy, about 40 degrees. Lots of other riders out working on their NY resolutions, I guess...

Jan. 1, 2009, was the day I was cleared to start riding again after my Oct. 12th crash with broken arm/shoulder.


50's. 6 miles no trauma and a 1 mile run afterwards. I am nackered.

TysonB

A foot of snow yesterday and the road crews are taking advantage of the holiday.

A friend with an Outback called to say she'd bring over dinner. I'm no fool. I stayed home and cleaned the apartment.

Back to commuting tomorrow.

Happy New Year to all!

I rode the Polar Bear --Ride for Courage-- in Winston Salem NC Did the 31 mile route; started out at 9 am around 29 degree. Good ride ; good people ; Great Cause; help cancer victims
You all have a Great 2009 and keep on spinning
Jim

3 of my riding buddies and I rode 20 miles this morning. It was 38 degrees with wind. Cold for us Deep South Boys. Used my brakes down hill to stay warmer. We always have a New Years Day Ride. I would have rather waited till the afternoon but it never did warm up today. Some of the guys wanted to watch the Georgia / Michigan State game.

Temperature in the low forties, cold breeze, cloudy, slicks spots on the trail. Rode 9 slow miles, seemed like much more. Still beat riding the trainer.

I rode just over 3.5 miles. I found a real nice patch of very smooth, snow covered ice about a quarter mile from home. The resulting tumble and the gusting wind convinced me I had gone far enough.

Temp in low 30s..tried out my Craft Toe Covers and my "new" 84 Univega Nuovo Sport on a 14 mile jaunt around BWI Airport. Bright sun..almost no wind...very few out. Happy New Year.

Pete

Jan. 1, 2009, was the day I was cleared to start riding again after my Oct. 12th crash with broken arm/shoulder.

Welcome back!

It was cool, a bit windy, but sunny today in NW Ark. I rode 31 miles. Traffic was minimal. I'm assuming all the party-hardys were at home nursing the old hang-around.

Velodiva and I raced up Mount San Bruno and then rode another 20 miles for good measure. This is the first sanctioned race of the 2009 season. It was 44 degrees, damp and foggy at the start of the race.

Here is the course showing elevation and grade. The lower section is 7 to 8% and the upper section 9 to 10%
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/rallen94402/2009%20San%20Bruno%20Hill%20Climb/090101SanBrunoHill.jpg

Here we are on the steep part.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/rallen94402/2009%20San%20Bruno%20Hill%20Climb/3158944014_d1732ac183.jpg

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/rallen94402/2009%20San%20Bruno%20Hill%20Climb/3157812257_f279196f3b.jpg

50's. 6 miles no trauma and a 1 mile run afterwards. I am nackered.

TysonB

Thats what running does for you:innocent:

Take it easy after a lay off and protect that injury.

No ride on the 1st for me- recovering from the night before and it was cold. Hope to get out today as the weather is getting colder for the next week or so. Not much rain forecast but snow may be a possibility. Probably a white covering over Black Ice so might have to be offroad next wek.

Probably a white covering over Black Ice so might have to be offroad next wek. Duh! and Yuck!

"That's what running does for you." Thanks for the laugh Stapfam. I'll think of that on leg three of my next triathlon!

As to the injury, it's getting there and an "injury free" 2009 is on the resolution list. (The one I never keep, probably.)

Best to All in 2009.

TysonB

I decided to go trail running instead, I had a great time.

I will go trail riding today.

It was mid-twenties but sunny here in NJ about mid-day when I went out for a ride. After about 14 miles, my aluminum seat post suddenly failed. Split at saddle insert junction. I pedaled home standing with saddle in hand. Total of 15 miles. I was just getting warmed up, too.

A couple pics from Mt Wilson.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u308/bigjohn53/mtwilson.jpg
Watch your step!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u308/bigjohn53/REDBOX.jpg
This is scvroadie, another 50+ BF guy.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u308/bigjohn53/LEE.jpg

Had a nice day today it got to 28 this afternoon so I did get in a couple of short hops to the gym for yoga and to lunch got about 8 miles in total

road new years eve, new years, yesterday and today first riding in over a month...yeah I know shame on me.

Did 25 miles today. only reason I stopped was my damn saddle is giving me the numb nuts...I've tried everything.:( looking to switch to a Toupe.

Chad

Got a beautiful 3 hours in today - temp about 60. Only problem was winds of 20-25 mph.

road new years eve, new years, yesterday and today first riding in over a month...yeah I know shame on me.

Did 25 miles today. only reason I stopped was my damn saddle is giving me the numb nuts...I've tried everything.:( looking to switch to a Toupe.

Chad

I never thought I would spend so much for a saddle but I decided to try a Selle SMP and I can promise you it will slove that problem. I happened ot buy the Pulse but they have several styles. :love: I have heard good things about the Trope and the Terry Fly and falcon as well.

I never thought I would spend so much for a saddle but I decided to try a Selle SMP and I can promise you it will slove that problem. I happened ot buy the Pulse but they have several styles. :love: I have heard good things about the Trope and the Terry Fly and falcon as well.

I was looking at the specialized Toupe, and the Selle Italia SLC.

what is the SMP? couldn't find it on the website.

Chad

My Jan 1 ride was a short 16 mile jaunt in 12 degrees weather with a wind chill of -2 degrees. I was shooting for 25, but the wind was just too relentless. My toes and finger tips were thankful I cut the ride short.

It was 20 degrees when I got up. I did 27.75 miles, riding out to watch the start of the I-Cycle Derby, an annual motorcycle time-speed-distance competition -- sort of an enduro on the icy streets of the Twin Cities. They've been doing it for 60 years! It was in the upper 20's on the way home. Lots of snow and ice. I was really tired at the end of it. I've done metric centuries that were easier!

Here's a video of the 2008 event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tNuDY6dLA4
A bit colder last year!

Me and the Missus started in Gilroy, CA and went about 40 miles to just before Pinnacles National Monument. We started too late to go all the way. Had we started in Hollister as the Missus had suggested ... well, we'd have made it and I'd not be in the dog house right now!!

We did 30 miles on New Years Eve. Tandem all the way both times.

Happy New Year, all.

Andy

40mi. yesterday to start the New Year right. Partly sunny, upper 30's low 40's.

My wife and I rode Mt. Diablo on 1.1.09
Started foggy and ugly, then we broke through the clouds. It was a great way to start the year!

Here we are just above the fog

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/3158080146_f185627863.jpg

And a view from the top. Those are clouds, not ocean!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/3158080476_177746e42d.jpg

I rode 28 miles from SE Denver to Meridian and return along Jordan Rd. There was a 15+ mph wind from the SE but otherwise a good day. It was my first time on the bike in almost two months and it sure felt it.

Chris

First ride of the year for me was today. A cold and frosty 60 mile out and back with the turn aound at the locally famous Black Diamond Bakery. Woke up lat and missed the group I was going to ride with so I went out on my own.
The best part was getting passed by a paceline with 4 young guys decked to the nines in team kits. Gotta accept the fact that I'm gettn' older...let the young guys have their day.
A mile down the road was a fairly steep mile long hill. They bogged down and I spun on past em. Only the leader gave chase and he and I topped the hill together with his friends no where in sight. We complemented each other, bumped fists then he stopped to wait for his buddies.
Yea, I still have some life left in me.