15 March, 2009:
Rode outside today for the first time since November, a quick ten mile loop on the Atala.
Winter is over and life is good.
Top

Top, winter over? I fear you might have cursed us!

Scott

Well, Top, I've decided to leave the snow tires on the commuter bike for at least another week (mostly because I won't have time to swap 'em out for another week or so). For sure, once I pull those off, we'll get pounded with early spring snow.

Neal

Top,

You have cursed us in Northern New England. Today is too true to be good. Pinch me to make certain I'm not dreaming.

Oh, sure, we'll get another dump or two, but the ever-growing snow piles, the -30F nights, the short, dark days are over. There is light in the morning, light in the evening, and light at the end of the tunnel.
The boxes from Bike Tools, Loose Screws, Niagara Cycle, and Nashbar have been waiting on my doorstep. The 27" Mavic rims for the Viscount are polished, the hubs have new bearings, and the spokes and nipples came this week. Bar tape, rim tape, tires, ect are all being readied. My daughter's 'new' '96 Trek 830 is good to go. The worst is behind us.
Top

Heh, me too!

Rode for the first time since November on my Atala, quick ~20 mile loop. Almost 50degF! Lots of melt water on the roads in town, but pretty dry out in the country.

The worst is behind us .... what about the black flies ? And the mud ?

Sorry to be so pessimistic .. here on the coast we're always 20 degrees color than a few miles inland.

Scott

Mud is here in NH. Snow fleas are prolific. 1/4 inch of sand covers the local paved roads, either dusty in the sunshine or muddy in the snow melt. Clouds of salt dust blow off the State roads. Thankfully black flies should wait until mid May, and they can be discouraged with generous amounts of chemicals applied to the body. It's a mess to go for a ride!!!!

This afternoon the wrenches came out!!!

I did end up going for a ride in today's glorious 50+ degree weather. The amount of sand/salt on the shoulder of the road made me wish I were on a beach cruiser!

Neal

where do you usually ride? There is some nice riding towards lake winnebago and high cliff, but I always hated riding in town, people are in NO WAY used to driving around bicycles. Especially towards the Fox River Mall. When I used to work out there, I was nearly killed at least twice a week!

Took the Schwinn Mirada down to the beach. Shorts & T-shirt weather, and Socal's finest babes are out of hibernation. Paul Frank beach cruisers are their favored transport.

Hoisted an ESB to the coming of Spring. That is what makes it so.

Gaaaaacckkkk!!! I don't know how you Yankees stand it! I got in two good rides this weekend on my fixed gear - 25 miles on Saturday and 30 miles today. It was 61 for the high both days this weekend and should reach 70 or close to it this week. But God it's still cold in the morining...and probably will be until sometime in June. I hate it! Here in Colorado when they say it's going to be 75 for the high it's still going to be 35 in the morning. On balance there are more good things here than back home but I long for the days when it was 80 for the low and 95 for the high and 100% humidity. Ahhh that felt so good. Then again, here I have a good job and I don't get blown away by hurricanes.

I live on the southeast side of town, by East High School, so getting out of town doesn't take too long (longer than it did 20 years ago, though) and it's a straight shot out to High Cliff.
That's a pretty typical destination for me -- out to the park and either up the hill and out the back way to the roads leading toward Stockbridge or Chilton and then back up toward Kaukauna, or just skirt the edge of the park and head up into Sherwood and then north toward Darboy. It depends on how much time I have.

Agreed: mall area sucks big-time.

Do you ride with any of the groups in town?

I actually graduated from East high, so I use to ride around there quite a bit. My best friend still lives on Lee St. though she is away at college right now. I'm down in the Milwaukee area now, but when I attended college at UW Fox Valley for a short time I rode with a mixed group of people from UW and Lawrence, mostly very informal though. A lot of rides downtown(I used to hang out at Beaners on College Ave. a lot), out to high cliff and through the park, some bike camping and light touring up in Menominee and Oneida areas as well, a couple trips we ventured up to the Shawno area. I actually really miss that area, I always felt like it was a great mix of small town, city, and country all in one.

I also graduated from East, probably a few years before you did (1973 ). My daughter used to hang out at Beaner's; she's now at Lawrence. Perhaps you've met her (Lauren)?

I usually ride the Wednesday night rides from Chain Reaction Cyclery on Superior St; they should be starting up again pretty soon.

make that 34 years before me!! Your daughter's name sounds familiar, but I can't place it exactly, so perhaps my mind is just playing tricks on me. I still make it up there several times a year, I'll PM you if I know I am going to have some extra time, perhaps I can join on a ride (or maybe just meet up to drool over your collection of bikes and related paraphernalia!)

On the original note of this thread: just did my first substantial ride of the year, far east side of Milwaukee to Downtown Waukesha, ~35 miles.