Mountain - Plains - I hate Winter!

I keep telling my wife that we need to move to a warmer climate, but she won't listen! This may call for a divorce!!:notamused:

Nine inches out on my driveway this morning. Now my back hurts.

Ouch! I only had 3"!

Patience, guys, only another couple of months.:(

Is it that tough on the other side of the mountains? Living in the shadow in Denver, I actually find winters to be quite mild and get a lot of cycling in between cold snaps. I really miss climbing up high, but I want the snow up there for skiing anyway. Another month and climbing will be ok, other than the wind...

I am sick of spending 15 min getting dressed for the morning commute. Typical February winter burnout.
That and I miss my lovely cycling tan.

Me too. I'm sick of being fat and out of shape. I'm sick of driving to go ski instead of riding out my door. I'm sick of freezing my fingers.

bleh.

Valygrl fat? So you weigh like 100lbs? :p

I keep telling my wife that we need to move to a warmer climate, but she won't listen! This may call for a divorce!!:notamused:

You told her this on Valentines day?

moooo

Not yet! haha

I live just east of the Great Salt Lake and we always get the lake effect snow that is about double of what everyone else in the valley gets.

lAKE AFFECT SNOW PLUS ROAD SALT, LOVE THE MIDWEST!

I actually took a test ride on a bike yesterday, in a blizzard. The owner of the shop had his commuter there, which was the same size and make of the bike I was interested in. Trucks were splashing slush at me, and I wasn't dressed for a test ride at all. I got drenched, and almost wrecked twice, but I loved every minute of it. It was nice being on the road again, on a bike that could handle that crap. Fenders and 32c tires rock.

Hey Aloyzius, haven't seen you on here in a while. Maybe this year we can get some rides in if you still work downtown.

I don't know how you guys don't like winter riding.... I commute every morning in it and love it. There is no better sound than a set of studded tires cutting fresh tracks on the bike path in morning, if it snows I don't even put on my iPod... The big snow flakes kind of hurt the eyes when going down hill but it's a small pain in comparison.

Junky and Valygrl - ya'll need to try cross country skiing during the winter. I started skate skiing 6-7 years ago and its been a real blessing for my winter fitness. Tones the arms/core/arse and thighs. Even with the minimal snow we've seen on the front range this year Eldora has had pretty good conditions since the second week of december. Lets you get outside, breathe some unconditioned air. Keeps me from bloating up and flipping out in the winter months.

Junky and Valygrl - ya'll need to try cross country skiing during the winter. I started skate skiing 6-7 years ago and its been a real blessing for my winter fitness. Tones the arms/core/arse and thighs. Even with the minimal snow we've seen on the front range this year Eldora has had pretty good conditions since the second week of december. Lets you get outside, breathe some unconditioned air. Keeps me from bloating up and flipping out in the winter months.

Oh I am... my goal for the year is to get to the picnic table at Phoebe/Meadows w/o stopping. Sunday I stopped only 4 times, a new record low for me. Hardest sport ever. But, you see, I have to *drive* to get to Eldora.... bleh. (I know, there's a bus... but still.... it's not right out my door the way cycling is)

I did see a guy riding up the canyon towing skis in a trailer behind his bike... I'm not that 'core.

Look for me up there, I'm the one trying not to hurl on her skis or face-planted, depending on whether it's uphill or down. :)

Junky and Valygrl - ya'll need to try cross country skiing during the winter. I started skate skiing 6-7 years ago and its been a real blessing for my winter fitness. Tones the arms/core/arse and thighs. Even with the minimal snow we've seen on the front range this year Eldora has had pretty good conditions since the second week of december. Lets you get outside, breathe some unconditioned air. Keeps me from bloating up and flipping out in the winter months.

I thought about that. However, my finances are trashed and I have a young kid. Instead we are riding.
I'm just tired of spending so much time getting dressed. :p

Oh I am... my goal for the year is to get to the picnic table at Phoebe/Meadows w/o stopping. Sunday I stopped only 4 times, a new record low for me. Hardest sport ever. But, you see, I have to *drive* to get to Eldora.... bleh. (I know, there's a bus... but still.... it's not right out my door the way cycling is)

I did see a guy riding up the canyon towing skis in a trailer behind his bike... I'm not that 'core.

Look for me up there, I'm the one trying not to hurl on her skis or face-planted, depending on whether it's uphill or down. :)
Very sweet. Glad to hear it. Four stops is not bad at all for a 1st or 2nd year newb heading up 17th!! not at all. I'll be there this evening doing some night skiing and tomorrow night for the NightHawks race.

They call 17th ave a Green, but at any other Nordic area it would be a blue. The hardest part about that swing up 17th to the Phoebe intersection for me was not having a chance to warm up. You get about 50 yards of flat and then its pretty much climbing for the next half mile or so.
What helped me out was making a left on to Dixie instead of the right on to 17th at about 1/4 or 1/8th mile in. Dixie gives you a chance to get your legs under you until you get to Mill Iron and then Buckeye Basin.
What has kept me excited about skating is that I get better every year, start the season more proficient and end at a new plateau.

I feel the same way about skiing versus biking. I will take the bike down to Boulder or Golden to ride (had a great ride last year with DarkStar in golden) but the notion of walking out the front door and just taking off is really appealing.
There's plenty of insane folks around here. Sounds like that dude trucking his skis up the canyon qualifies. Just going up the shelf road to Eldora in the summer in enough of a ride. Pounding it in the winter with those 70 mph gusts? Eeeek!

You want company riding 119 or golden gate up here this year contact me. Maybe we can get darkstar or datajunkie to come along.

SKYLAB, I have hit Lookout a few times so far. I might try to get out there this weekend. Just got back from a week in Maui and gained 5 lbs! I need some climbing. Having spent the winter on my fixed gear, I am a different rider. Hope to start building the climbing legs again soon.

I love Winter...all that biking in the summer let's me put in 60 days on skis a year then it gets warm again and I put away the skis and pull out the bike. Fortunately that doesn't happen for at least another 2 months.

DarkStar - I hope you're not complaining about having to spend a week in Maui. That would just not be right. If you give me a days notice I could have a bike ready to go for a Lookout climb.
I'd like to see how my ski fitness translates onto the bike.
Give me a shout if you're planning something.

It's nice warm and sunny here(he he).

As it is here. A bit windy from time to time but not too bad.

I actually got the Ti bike off the trainer last week, thursday. Put on a ne set of Vittoria's and slogged through 15 miles. Wind gusts up into the 50mph range according to NOAA. Going around some of the curves where the road is open to the west was like getting hit with a mattress.
XC season is still hanging in despite the warm days. Looking to get my 50th ski day in today.

if i could, i would move somewhere else other than kansas city. i hate winters here, like you. however,if a person has the desire to ride, you will ride. my car has been not working, so i have been riding to work every day. i am getting more aclimated to it, and getting in pretty good shape.

People complaining about the cold in Boulder and Denver should try upstate NY. Nothing like seeing your car tell you it's -1 while you are driving to the gym at 5am to make you want to turn around and crawl back into bed.

Hey wait, we all stopped complaining about it over a month ago....

Yeah, but it's not -1F in the mornings in Albany now either (not that I'm there, thankfully!). I meant more overall: part of the reason for leaving Albany and going to Boulder is the milder climate. Average daily highs in Dec/ Jan of 46 sound like heaven to me by comparison to not getting above freezing for weeks on end. I certainly didn't mean for my comment to be taken too seriously! On some other forums, my complaints about Albany were ridiculed by Canadians and Finns. ;)

:) I know, j/k too.

I hereby resume the complaining: yet another weekend of rain. I'm riding anyway, darnit!

Same here. Last weekend was beautiful, I ordered some organic, grass-fed steaks, and they arrived just in time for a faucet to be turned on. Chilly rain ever since. Can't wait for the opportunity to grill them up over some maple wood!

I would gladly take these temps over Vegas. 90F and it is not even summer.
I am happy as a clam to be back in Colorado.
The funny thing was driving through the tunnel it was snowing and foggy on the way down into Denver.
Half the temps of Nevada. lol
My brother has some adjusting to do.