Got a late start at the MUP so I ended up doing 25.6 miles today rather than my usual 30. Winds weren't too bad today as compared to some of the afternoons here lately. Tomorrow is another day and another ride.

Temp - 32F, wind gusting to 20-30 mph.

Rode to swim for 45 mibutes, then rode another 20 miles, a part on the road below. Ending temp in the 40's

http://www.ourwebs.info/fallwinter3.jpg

Got in 20 miles in shorts this morning. Nice and mild here today, about 55.

Yesterday's ride. This is why running will not trump cycling.I had so much fun on this ride. Although my legs were confused. http://app.strava.com/rides/2318021

10 mile training ride this morning; WTW

Rode about 25 miles on gravel along the Des Plaines River during my mid-day break. 60-65f November weather with a 15 mph wind. Partly sunny. This weather is a gift considering the time of year.

Road 23miles today. Went to the LBS and test drove a Specialized Sectaur, re-rode the Giant Defy 1, and rode a Cannondale Cad8--each about 5 miles each and on a couple of hills---so, I guess in total I rode nearly 38 miles collectively.

20 miles total to and from work today.

Loaded up the panniers (90 liters total capacity) with glass containers (these are not accepted for street-side recycling) and took them to the recycling drop off site. Only a five mile round trip, but I'd swear that my bike weighed less when I went camping for a week.:twitchy:

Did my 23 today just shy of 1 hour 21 minutes, 17mph overall average. Today was so warm, I rode in cycling shorts and a warm weather short sleeve jersey.

Did my usual MUP ride except I ended up doing 25 miles instead of the normal 30. Temp was at 82º, blue skies and sunny but I had another wind tunnel headwind for almost the entire route. My definition of a wind tunnel headwind is any wind that causes the tops of the trees to sway two or more feet. Legs get the heat massager tonight.

10 mile early morning training ride with the wife.

Rocked some nice endurance miles this morning.

An old co-worker of mine came over to the house yesterday and we did a nice 15 mile ride at the usual MUP. He is a 28 year old runner and really surprised me at the speed he was able to maintain riding my hybrid, especially since he hasn't ridden a bike in several years. I didn't want to push him into my normal 30 mile ride, but I really think that he could have done it with no problems. After the ride, it was time for some honey mustard chicken and pasta for dinner. Simply delicious!

15 mile pre-dawn training miles this morning. Little too chilly for the wife this morning; 39 degrees F. I really enjoyed it! Had the long tights with a light thermal base layer and light jacket. It was perfect. Got a sprint up to 26 mph for about 1/2 a mile.

Far cry from when I rode on Wednesday which was like a cool summer day wearing summer gear. Today was sunny, but around 38°F(with a wind chill making it 34° before adding in the cycling wind chill). Was riding my 23 miles and finding the full fingered gloves weren't hacking it--stopped at the LBS and got some more thermal gloves, and finished my 23 miles(the LBS stop probably made it more like 24 miles). Thursday was a complete washout--rainy and very cold.

I left my house Thursday afternoonin temps of about 42 and overcast. About six miles in it started raining lightly. I had a quick route home, but decided to keep going. Not long after that the rain picked up and by then I was too far from home to bother with a shortcut. I did my usual ride, but by the time I got home the rain had turned into half rain, half snow. I was kind of miserable by the time I got home, but not enough to keep me indoors all winter. I'll have to keep an eye on the weather and make sure I have the right clothes when I head out. This will be my first winter trying to ride, so we'll see how it goes.

Left the house with the temp at 30°F and 23 miles later it was 47°F. I stripped off a layer after 9 miles.

I have been riding a mountainbike for the last month but today I used a roadbike to go up to the Tryvann Tower at 1700 feet. I was a bit scared going downhill as the temperature was a bit closer to freezing than I liked and the tarmac was still wet from yesterdays rain.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...P1020215-1.jpg

34 miles under damp skies. 45 to 50f, light sprinkles, 10 to 20 mph winds. One hour, fifty minutes.

I was glad to get outside.


"The powerful winds which swept the Chicago area Friday, producing gusts above 50 mph at a number of locations, spill into a second day Saturday. Gusts are to top 35 mph at times by afternoon and continue until a windshift in Sunday's pre-dawn hours when velocities will finally ease.
Friday's gusts were formidable in a month which has produced 12 days with double digit average wind speeds. Some of the strongest reported Friday included a 59 mph gust off Chicago's shoreline at the Harrison-Dever Crib and 54 mph gusts at WeatherBug sensors in Joliet and Pontiac. Waukegan Airport was hit with 53 mph gusts while Kenosha and Marseilles logged 51 mph peak velocities.
The 45 mph gust clocked at O'Hare Friday afternoon was the strongest to occur in November at the Northwest Side site in 5 years. The day's O'Hare average of 18.5 mph through late afternoon ranked the 3rd strongest to occur in a midnight to 3 pm period this month. It was the 12th day this month to produce a double-digit average wind speed".

By Meteorologist Tom Skilling

That sums up my month so far :-(

20 miles yesterday in a brutal headwind and another 20 miles this morning (mild winds) with my bike club. Lots of new riders showed up today after finding out about the ride at Bike Bash two weeks ago. Today's ride was very enjoyable.

Did about 35 miles in 40F weather. Grey, gloomy November sky but decent 10-15mph southerly wind. Didn't start raining until the last 5 miles. Stayed adequately warm except for my feet, despite silk liner socks, Smartwool socks, and fleece-lined shoes. I might need to get some of those chemical heat things for my feet.

10 miles this AM, 42 degrees,(Saratoga, NY) needed one more top layer, no helmet, gotta get a cheapo oversized one to fit my beanie under it...felt good though!

40 miles with my club this morning. Lots of rolling hills, which get annoying after awhile. I also got a flat; fortunately it was close to the end of the ride.

Nice day, Over cast, 68*-78*, winds 4-20 mph. Roy had 2 flats, me 3 flats, 101 miles.

Ended the week with 313 miles.

Roy just e-mailed me.....He had a third flat on his way home.