HC203

ooooh trash talking. You're all crazy, get a gym membership

I suppose I would have ridden to the gym today if I had some studded tires, a bit late now, guess I'll get them for next year, though, honestly the snowbike thing doesn't hold much appeal for me.

balto charlie

Hey all: Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. I don't think my Dad could have picked a nastier weather time to pass. Because of the funeral I (and a bunch of neighbors) dug out our street on Sunday. Within 10 minutes of clearing out our road the county snow plow came through. At least I got out for the funeral.
Max: cool looking picture of the fallen tree. I lost an awning and a gutter. We(feds) may not go in to work all week, not complaining though.
GB: did you ever make it back?? Being stuck in the Fla. Keys is an excellent option.
Harry: went by your street yesterday, your neighborhood is a mess. Did you guys ever get a plow?
NR: I think a wise choice to drive this week. With all of the huge snow piles I have found it difficult seeing cars let alone seeing bikes
Bandannaman: you're nuts. If you biked today you ain't going home. North of Balto is the center of the storm.
Me: Broke a snow shovel, lost a canvas awning, had to drive my daughter back to school last night(Salisbury) after my fathers wake. What a mess but I was able to get home before things got really nasty. On an positive note, I'm brewing up a batch of beer today. Just chilling for the first time in over a month. Later, Charlie

HC203

Enjoy that brew Charlie, you deserve it. I'm still trying to negotiate a short spring bike jaunt on the cheap.

I think the plow passed once early in the second storm, and we're right on the city line and you know Balmer city doesn't handle these things well, no money I guess. I've cleared me and my neighbors with the snowblower and we're getting some melt today. A good gradual melt would be best and local riding looks very distant. On the trainer today and to the gym tomorrow.

BandanaMan

Thanks for all the advice folks. It really wasn't that bad coming home on Tuesday evening. Only about two inches of snow on the roads by the time I got home. Traffic was sparse and slow, and drivers were actually showing some courtesy. (Yeah, leave the crazy guy alone, right?!)
Andy

HC203

There's a reason why they named that website crazyguyonabike.com. though I don't think it's crazy to be on a bike, it's the cars that are scary. I'm hoping to go to The Netherlands in July to see what a real bike culture is like. Plan is to take my 11 year old son who will be 12 in May. TDF starts July 3rd in Rotterdam, about 50km or so from Amsterdam. You can ride right from the airport, got my maps last night but can't make heads or tails, all in Dutch of course.

NoRacer

Today's ride in 2 parts:

https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/30139 Part 1

https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/30140 Part 2

It has pretty pictures, too.

greaterbrown

Nice ride NR.
Oh yeah, BTW I'm back. Got back last monday. Today was my first commute into work.
Only one short stretch through a neighborhood that needed to be walked.

Anyone else want to ride up to the Westminster bike swap meet with NR and I tomorrow?

GB- now, with tan.

maxine

NR, those really are very pretty pictures! I had to laugh at your "bike in the shower" comment. I remember making a similar crack several years ago -- degreasing a cassette in the kitchen sink, and thinking, hmmm, it's no wonder I'm still single.

He's "tanned, rested, and ready!!" GB, I am going to the bike swap, but on four wheels, not two.

greaterbrown

It's amazing what one nasty commute will do to change your attitude. I'm wimping out on NR and not riding up to Westminster.
My commute home was just too stressful. Too much ice. Too much walking and dodging traffic and dodging front loader operators on crank.

The morning commute seemed adventurous, but the ride home sucked. I'm not ready for more of that so soon.
The car is trapped in our back alley (no plows come down it). Will need to wait for more melt.

NoRacer

Yeah, the conditions, in general, sound bad--snow, ice, traffic, wind @ 17 mph in the direction we'd be traveling. Throw in heavy studded tires with higher rolling resistance and I'm right with you GB--wimping out. Maybe Andy can let us know how good the ride is to Westminster.

NoRacer

Thanks, Max!

I hope you find some good stuff in Westminster.

NoRacer

Valentine's Day Ride:

https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/30163

...with more pretty pix.

NoRacer

Some glare and black ice and wind blown snow this morning, but no problems negotiating it with the studded tires.

balto charlie

kudos NR for all of those ice rides. Showering with a bike is a tad kinky, not judging just stating the obvious;-)
It's been 2 weeks since I have been to work. I'm off today for Presidents day. Haven't been on a bike since the last Friday in January, wow! Anyway this will all change tomorrow. Back in the saddle. I forgot about the bike show, any reports? I didn't read BF yesterday so was out of the loop. Did brew another batch though and a valentines day with the wife.
Harry: Netherlands, nice.
GB welcome back.

BandanaMan

I knew you wouldn't be able to stand a second week off the bike NR! Yes, it was downright chilly this morning and with the detours made necessary by the snow it's taking about 1 1/2 hours to make the commute. More snow coming in this afternoon, but to me the brutal cold is the worse of the two.
Hey just to set the record straight, I really didn't intend to piss anybody off or come off as a trash talker. I was genuinely surprised that I was the only commuter early last week from this group of hard cores. So it was more of a "yea for me" than it was a put down of anybody else. I don't come close to running the annualy mileage of most of you guys. But I do seem to have a talent for pissing people off sometimes. Sorry 'bout that.
Andy

HC203

"Harry: Netherlands, nice."

Still in the planning stages, received my maps, all in Dutch, what a strange landscape but bike paths everywhere. I'll keep you posted as I firm up plans.

I'm still on the fence on this Fla. ride but will decide today.

NoRacer

No worries, mate!

NoRacer

Thanks. I'm glad you're keeping an open mind. You saw that I took Ridley out for V-Day!

maxine

I ended up getting delayed and didn't make it out to the bike swap, so no "goodies report."

My hat is even more off to all you guys than usual, LOL! Even if I had snow/ice tires, I'd be nervous about riding -- at least in my neighborhood. The snow piles are so high at the intersections, I can't see a damn thing (I don't even like it in the car.) Although I guess the advantage on the bike is I would be able to hear a car on the other side of the mound!

So I'm trying to console myself with thoughts of springtime, and future ride plans. I've "officially" signed up for two things: another go at the 24 Hours of Booty (August 28-29), and a supported bike tour across northern Pennsylvania. https://www.pedalpa.com/our-tours/the...thern-crossing (I'm doing the camping option.)

I'll have to see how my vacation/work situation shakes out as the year progresses, but I think I'd like to do another long-weekend credit-card trip to Ocean City, and maybe another long-weekend loaded trip to Gifford Pinchot State Park in PA, or to some other park.

NoRacer

My credit card has already been used for a room reservation--arriving on Friday, July 2, 2010 and departing on Monday, July 5, 2010. I'll be doing the "ultra-light" credit card tour, again.

maxine

NR, that was beyond "ultra-light," LOL! There I was, feeling pretty good about my "rear-panniers-only" load, and up rolls NR with his entire weekend wardrobe -- the disposable $10 O.C. Sunsations t-shirt/shorts/hat combo! That was just too funny.

I'm going to have to pick a different weekend this year, though -- I'm going on a camping trip to Niagara Falls 1-5 July.

greaterbrown

I managed to pull off a very enjoyable long ride today.
Rode frederick rd to Mt Airy and back. 75miles

Mostly, this was check-out ride for this sunday's rando ramble. My ride was originally going to be the "3-cities century" using over 20 miles of bike trails. That's just not gonna happen this weekend. So, I am changing the ride to "To Frederick. On Frederick" Balt City to Frederick on frederick rd. The route was reasonably safe. Wide lanes and about half of the shoulder available. Didn't make it all the way to Frederick, but everything out to Mt. Airy was fine.

balto charlie

I finally rode today. It was only 20 miles but felt good to be back in the saddle. Also went to the gym to do some climbing. I will agree w/ Max that you have to be careful at the intersections. Very poor site lines. I think my commute should be decent, at least the Balto end of it. I'll have see what PG county has done with their roads. Black ice will also be an issue as 1 bike does not run studs. The MARC (Camden line) did not run last week at all so I couldn't have biked if I wanted....... I did want to anyway.
GB Your link didn't work but the route is self explanatory.
NR: I was going to make a V-day comment but felt those personal moments should be between you and your SO;-) You treat her so well.

HC203

I rode today too, 1.5 hours on the stationary, wahooooo! The only thing that keeps me going these days are thoughts of spring. Too dangerous on the roads with limited space.

NoRacer

Check it!!!!

https://vimeo.com/9320780 (thanks Barry! via https://www.BaltimoreSpokes.org )