General Cycling Discussion - Your first “Real Spring Ride”

Spring is coming north, but it’s not here yet. When I can ride without a jacket and tights - in just jersey and shorts - then I know that spring is really here. That’s my first “Real Spring Ride”

Remember last year’s first real spring ride? Birds singing in the fresh air, the sun warms your skin, your body is caressed by the cool breeze that you create with your speed. You feel fit . . . strong . . . fast . . . and almost naked. It’s a very sensual experience. You want to ride forever.

Lets track the coming of spring as it marches up the Northern Hemisphere. After you experience you first “Real Spring Ride” tell us about it in this thread. Let us know where you’re from and tell us about your ride.

My first jersey and shorts only ride was this past Sunday, March 13th. Temps were in the mid-70's, with winds in the 15 mph range. My wife Donna and I did a 1 hour ride. For her it was one of her first longer rides of the year and for me it was a nice hour long recovery ride. During the ride we passed a lady several times that was out walking. As we approached towards the end of our ride she called out "I gotta get me a bike - that looks like fun!" Perhaps we've converted another walker into a biker :)

We live in Warner Robins, GA which is about 1 1/2 hours south of Atlanta.

We got out this past weekend, it was sunny and 70.I thought spring was here but today we have this! :mad:
http://img213.exs.cx/img213/9791/sno42gm.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
Snow and 33!!!!! Here in North Carolina.The pic is from Pisgah

We got out this past weekend, it was sunny and 70.I thought spring was here but today we have this! :mad:
. . . .
Snow and 33!!!!! Here in North Carolina.The pic is from PisgahNO that does NOT count as your first spring ride.

That should have been posted in "Winter Cycling"! I have seen enough of that stuff.

I know how you feel, they are predicting the S word for this weekend in Pa.

My first spring ride was January 21, it was about 60 degrees, and I was able to get into shorts and a jersey and go...

Since the beginning of December, we've only had about 5 days of winter (< 60 degr. temps.). Our seasons last about 3-4 days. Summer, then wind, then rain, then spring, then summer, etc (not always in that order). Boy, are we missing out. Today we're in the rainy season. Tomorrow should be cool (around 70 degr.) but Sat. and Sun. are supposed to be spring again (or still). We could potentially wear our "spring" outfits year round but just not all week. :)

d.tipton
Central Florida

I knew when I started this thread that we would hear from you smug Floridians and Californians. :p

I don't find them funny at all!! :D

So what is a spring "outfit"... great we are wearing "outfits" now AHH! :eek:

Where's the matching purse :lol:

It's been getting more springlike here, finally. I think it won't be too long before I can get out, but on the cross bike only. At this time of year, the roads are like the Koppenberg and taking out your road bike is asking for disaster. Nothing like the first real ride; last year for me it was late in april because I'd been sick. But it was great anyways. However, aside from potholes, wind is a big pain in the spring.

can't really have a good spring ride with a road bike until all the sand laid down during the winter is cleaned up off the shoulder of the roads
acorn

Started 2 weeks ago. Did 60 miles on a MTB last Sunday.
Sea level, Northshore B.C, Canada.

Can't find the dig=no pics. :mad:

Last year (2004), I think I rode in shorts and a jersey (no jacket or tights) for the first time on November 26th, when I cycled from Cairns to Mossman in Australia.

Starting in about August 2003, I've been COLD! I went to France in August ... and landed the day after the heat wave over there. I was chilly the entire 3 weeks I was in Europe. Got home in September 2003, to discover that the last warm day was the day before I arrived home. The temperature dropped after that and I haven't been really warm since. I did my November century at -12C/10F, and my December century in the aftermath of a blizzard - had to walk my bicycle through the drifts in many places.

2004 was a really horrible year in Manitoba. We had record cold and snow in January and February. I rode a century at the end of March where the starting temp was -8C/18F and it didn't get much warmer than that. My camelback leaked and I was literally frozen to my trunk bag. April's century was in a snowstorm. May, June, July and August individually set record for both coldest and wettest months, and collectively set a record for coldest and wettest summer on record. During the night on my 600K brevet, in JULY we rode in sleet. September wasn't much better.

When I got to Australia, it was cold, and often rainy for the first two months (October and November). We flew to Cairns, got off the plane and discovered that they were having unseasonable cold and wet weather too!! It wasn't till we were up there a couple days before it FINALLY got warm!!

A month of that, and I was back in Alberta where it has been cold ever since. It snowed about 6" here yesterday and the temperature has really dropped. Looking at the forecast, it appears that it will likely continue to snow for the next week at least, and the temperature isn't supposed to get much better.

Aside from that blissful month in Queensland, I can't remember what it is like to ride in a jersey and shorts without 1001 other layers over top. :(

I got out 3 days ago. Unreal trail conditions. I found I missed it more than I thought. I also found myself terribly out of shape for conditioning, but my overall handling improved. I can't wait till Sunday to finally get out on the trail again

My wife and I spent three hours last Sunday looking for buildings. She found an online picture of downtown Raleigh taken in 1909. We blew up the pictures and rode from the shop to downtown to find as many as we could. It was pretty fun, we took a lot of notes and plan to go back with a camera to index the remaining buildings and check out some other stuff. This should take care of our Sunday rides for the spring and summer.

Link to much bigger and better picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Raleigh1909.jpg

Ill get back to you whenever that happens (DAMN NEW ENGLAND)

I knew when I started this thread that we would hear from you smug Floridians and Californians. :p

What did you wear when the hurricanes blew through? ... ooops never mind :)

d.tipton

So what is a spring "outfit"... great we are wearing "outfits" now AHH! :eek:

Where's the matching purse :lol:For a purse some could substitute a fanny pack ... or a *** bag depending on where you are from. :D Or they could go all out and get the Joey Tribbiani man's bag!! :eek:

We never really had Winter this year then Spring was here for most of February & early March. We rode around in shorts & jersey on bikes that usually hang until May or June. But the weather the last few days fits with the bad cold I came down with Monday. Just sitting around feeling lousy & watching the grey clouds roll by. Come on Summertime!

. . . went to France in August ... and landed the day after the heat wave over there.

Got home in September 2003, to discover that the last warm day was the day before I arrived home.

in Manitoba . . .. where the starting temp was -8C/18F and it didn't get much warmer than that.

April's century was in a snowstorm.

May, June, July and August individually set record for both coldest and wettest months,

. . . in JULY we rode in sleet. September wasn't much better.

When I got to Australia, it was cold,

We flew to Cairns, and discovered that they were having unseasonable cold and wet weather too!!

A month of that, and I was back in Alberta where it has been cold ever since.
:(
Do me a favor - stay out of Pa this spring :D

Do me a favor - stay out of Pa this spring :D

Believe me ... I'm starting to develop a complex!! Everywhere I've gone for the last year and a half, all I've heard is, "Well the weather WAS beautiful, right up till you came here!"