Machka 

I made the comment in another thread about only being able to ride without a jacket approx. 3 days a year ... and I clarified that by saying that I am cold when I ride, so I will wear a jacket, or at least a vest, over my jerseys until the temperature reaches about 27C/80F.

I know the "3 days a year" is a bit of an exaggeration, but since the summer of 2002, it has seemed so incredibly cold everywhere I go ... so I decided to look up the temps in this part of Canada over the past year to see how much of an exaggeration "3 days a year" of temps over 27C/80F is and here's the breakdown:

Days above 27C/80F

January 2005 to May 2005 (inclusive): 0 days
June: 1 day
July 2005: 1 day
August 2005: 4 days
September 2005 to April 2006: 0 days.

https://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec..../canada_e.html

So over the past year and a bit, I've had a grand total of 6 days of temps above 27C/80F.

And I've experienced the same sort of trend in 2003 and 2004 back in Winnipeg. January 2004 set a record for being the coldest, most snowy, month in years there, and May to August set records for being the coldest and wettest summer they've ever had (11 days above 27C/80F). 2003 was pretty chilly as well.

Do you remember 2003? That was the year where France was hit with a massive heat wave ... I went to France that year, and the day I arrived (I was told) was the first cool day they had, and it just kept getting colder. I had to buy clothes over there because I was so cold!

I was told Australia was a very hot continent. I froze for my first two months there and it wasn't till I got to Queensland that I finally experienced a bit of heat.

The only real heat I've experienced in the last year was a few days in Davis, CA last July.



So much for Global Warming!! I swear we're actually heading into an ice age!!


But I'd like to hear about your part of the world. Has the trend been toward cooler temps and more rain .... or hotter, drier conditions?


I'm also wondering ... Is it just me?


BTW - for anyone planning to ride the BMB ... bring pontoons for your bicycles, and plan to wear your monsoon gear. I've heard the BMB tends to be a bit rainy anyway ... but I'm planning to ride it so if things go according to recent trends with me, Noah will be out there building an ark.

Nachoman

I'm in San Diego. Shorts and tee shirts all year long. Need I say more?

here and there

Late 2004/early 2005 was an odd year here in San Diego as we got about 25" of rain! We normally get 9-10". All that rain came after 182 days without rain!

Late 2005/early this year has been drier than normal (virtually no rain October-February) and we are about 4" below normal rainfall levels.

Summers have definantly been cooler here by the coast the past couple years. I've only used a fan 5-6 times the past two summers. Heck, I didn't break out the sandals until August last year. I hope that trend continous as I'm not a big fan of summer heat.

DieselDan

We count days over 100°F, and under 40°F. We usually have more 100°+ days then >40°.

daytonian

70's and 80's here in Dayton. Riding without a jacket is awesome.

GuitarWizard

Kinda off-topic, but unfortunately, I am now officially backing out of an attempt at BMB . As much as I realllllllly wanted to finally do a 1200k (ever since reading Ed Pavelka's writeup of the PBP in Bicycling Magazine back in 1991), it will not be this year. I think I will be getting the job I applied for which is all travel, and will make regular training just about impossible......not to mention I haven't been getting in the really long rides I had planned for as of yet - something always seems to come up. And from what I've read as well, there's always at least a day of rain in the BMB.

On topic, it sounds like you need to move to southern Arizona

Machka 

100F is 37.7C .... I haven't see a temperature that warm anywhere I've been in Canada since 1995. Not even close. The usual "extreme" high temperature is about 31C/88F and we figure that's pretty hot.

We've hit -41C though!!

Starclimber

One can only 'imagine' your bath water...prepared on the stove, I'd expect.

Machka 

I can hardly remember what that's like!

ken cummings

A few thoughts. I grew up in "upstate" New York where it could snow 7 months out of the year. I am glad being in sunny California but the born local cyclists think it strange when I peel down to a short sleeved jersey when they still have jackets on. Something about adapting while I was young. Did you spend any time in, say, Ecuador as a child? Is it possible that when a persons' body fat gets too low their body's temperature regulation get out of whack. I hope your body fat is at orjust over 17%. The wife likes sleeping in the cold end of the house but then she has been having hot flashes these last few years . Try vacationing in Yuma, Arizona or Laredo, Texas. The Santa Rita Mountains in extreme south east Arizona are good for mountainbiking and hummingbirds.

Machka 

Ummmmm ... I actually severely burnt myself with boiling water trying to prepare a bath when the hot water tank in my apartment died for about a week.

But even still, my showers have to be HOT for me to be comfortable.

mollusk

I usually don't wear a jacket unless it is colder than the mid 50's F. When it is in the upper 50's the first few miles are cold, but if you work hard you warm up pretty fast. In the 30's F I wear a t-shirt, long sleaved wool jersey, windbreaker, leg warmers, and full fingered gloves. Below freezing I get the shoe covers out. In Florida they get very little use. In the 40's F I either ditch the windbreaker or wear a lycra jersey under a windbreaker.

This morning, being Easter, I wanted to get 35 miles in before my wife and boys got up so I was rolling down the driveway at 7:05 AM and the temperrature was 63 F. Within 15 minutes I was dripping wet with sweat and it didn't feel the least bit cold. Got home at 8:50 just as my wife was coming down the stairs to get coffee and the boys were still asleep. Perfect timing!

Machka 

When I was a child, I spent my summers in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, etc. ... and I loved the heat!!

I've no idea what my body fat is ... right now it's probably a bit more than I'd like it to be - winter will do that to you , but during the summer when I've reached my cycling peak, according to the BMI thing, my weight is usually below normal, so I'm guessing my body fat might be lowish.

Machka 

I'm sorry to hear that about the BMB. But next year the PBP is on!!

What about the new 1200K that's going in October in Florida ... would that be a possibility for you this year?

And ... I've got my eye on Australia!!

botto 

i'm used to it being just above around 8-12°C from november to may, with a chunk where it's colder, and a few days where it's warmer. july through mid-september it's normally around 14-18°C, and if one is lucky there will be a week or two that hits 20+°C

one reason why i count myself lucky that i travel

Machka 

Let me guess ..... you're from England, right?

GuitarWizard

Oddly enough, I had originally planned on doing the BMB this year as "practice" for the PBP next year. However, since I've been out of work since early Feb., the finances are a bit behind schedule, and I don't forsee a trip to France happening next year. Yeah....things definitely aren't going to plan....not real happy about it, but what can ya do....

I haven't heard about the 1200k in Florida. I'll have to scout around the RUSA site, but I don't recall seeing it there in the last few weeks.

botto 

nope, and i have the teeth to prove it live in the netherlands, but i'm not from there

daytonian

Machka 

Here's the info on the Florida one: https://www.ride-4-life.com/

BTW - I've got links to all the Randonneuring clubs in the US, Canada, and Australia on the main page of my website, and several other ultra-distance links on my Links page ..... you might find something interesting to ride in all of that ... a 24-hour challenge perhaps?

jimblairo

I live in Montreal and the past two weeks it has been about 4C in the morning with the temp rising to about 10C.

I wear tights and a really good wind blocking jacket until the temp reaches 12-14C and then I drop the tights for bibs and use a lighter jacket that I can stow as the day warms up.

Last year we had 3 days that were 30C+ and the year before 4 days.

spunky

Today was colder than it has been for the last week.....46 degrees. Lately it's been in the upper 50's and low 60's in the afternoon. The only time I wear a jacket is if it's pouring down rain/snow or below freezing.
I hate jackets.....too hot. I prefer wool layers....they breathe and still keep you warm if they get damp. Today I did 62 miles with a lightweight wool base, a midweight wool shirt and poly- jersey on top. Was plenty warm. Back in February I did some rides and a race in the mid 20's with no jacket...heavy wool.

GuitarWizard

I shall be surfing your site again momentarily to find out more about these 24 hour challenges...

2Rodies

Tomorrow is projected to be 100. God it's only April.

CardiacKid

Here in Austin there were 2 days this winter when I had to wear a nylon windbreaker. There were about 5 other days I wore a poly undershirt. The rest of the time arm warmers and knee warmers were plenty. Today it was about 95f/35c. Why don't you come down here and bring some cold with you.
Please come to Austin for the springtime. There ain't no cold and and there ain't no women like you. Sorry, I don't even like Kenny Chesney.