This morning at dark-thirty, I hopped on my Stratus XP and, for the first time, joined the ranks of those who bike to work. Since I moved to Crowley last month, I have been much closer to my job in Fort Worth. So, I laid out a route of mostly side streets, and tried it for the first time today. I think it's going to work well. It's 12.6 miles to work and 12.5 miles home, so it gives me my usual 25 mile weekday ride.

Does your house move?

I was thinking the same thing, sooner or later you can ride to work and be home when you get there!

too funny!

I think he's taking the short way home.

Y'all haven't laid out too many routes, huh. The best way from point A to point B isn't always the reverse of the best way from point B to point A. I don't take exactly the same route home from work as I do going to work.

It's only a little over 11 miles each way when I drive my truck. I take the shortest way with it. I take some side streets on my bike.

There, that should completely confuse you.

Don't worry Bud, I understand completely as my commute is 5 miles to work and 7 miles home. Hey, that's just the way it is!!

We've been on a little Road Trip, but I did manage a Freezy-Breezy 8.6 mile Sunrise ride along the Milwaukee shore-line on Sunday Morning...I'll post a pictoral report at a later date.

10 miles at 34F

A little late posting, but ... On Sunday, I rode my age - 67 - Temps ranged from 35F to 41F. It was overcast, with a light wind. Rode about 15 mi on a MUP, 25 on suburban roads, and the rest on 2 lane country roads. Had the camera along, but was too darned cold to take it out.

Other than really cold hands during the first two hours, it was a comfortable ride. Stopped for a big second breakfast and warmup at 27 miles, at Starbucks for a brownie and latte at 40 miles, and parts of a power bar a few times after that. I felt surprisingly fresh at the end ... no stiffness all ... and would have kept going if it wasn't for darkness setting in.

I have about 2,000 miles on my (new this year) Surly LHT, and am liking it more every ride.

Your doing pretty good Kid;but at 69/I dont seriously consider winter bikeing a challenge without a foot of snow and temp. below zero Farenhiet//:crash:/Kenneth

Tuesday 10/13/09... Interesting ride today for me at least. I had a doctors appt. at 8:20 this morning so I decided to take the bike instead of the car. I rode down the SWT (Seminole Wekiva Trail) to Douglas Road. Took Douglas for about a mile to the Dr office with time to spare. After the appointment I jumped back on the trail and headed north to my favorite Panera Bread. When I got to E.E. Williamson Rd I took a right to do my ride thru Mandarin Estates (this adds about 6 miles to my normal ride). I saw a rider about a quarter of a mile ahead of me so I took off after him just to see if I could catch him. It took me a little while to close the gap but I did. I spoke to him as I passed and rode on. When I got to the back of Mandarin I turned right into Vera Monte to add another mile and a half to my distance. As I was coming out of Vera Monte I saw him a again about a quarter of a mile up the road. So I took off again to see if I could catch him before we got to Panera Bread. I caught him about a half mile before PB so I made some small conversation as we road along. We talked some more at PB and exchanged phone numbers for future rides, seems like areally nice guy. He headed back and I had my usual salad and Iced Tea and then headed for home. When I got back to Montgomery Rd I turned left for about a 1/4 mile to the post office and dropped off my Dinottee Light that I am sending back for repairs. Then it was on to Publix to get my Rx filled and they filled it for free (how good is that). It was a good day for me.

countless squirrels today

All is well in Slo Spoke Jim's world.

31.44 (s)miles
253.89 (s)miles this month
5453.52 (s)miles this year
7 ride days this month (Oct.)

:cheers:

I took a short ride on the BRP today. It was panned to be longer but the leaf looker traffic was a pain, not so much in volume but in stupidity. After getting passed closer than my comfort zone a few times I pulled out and talked to a photographer for a good while. Then I returned to the car. Very pretty day today. Just 8 miles and 800' of climbing in about 35 min ride time. Stupid cheap gas.

Please don't get me started on dead wildlife, I see some everyride.

Edited: to remove dead Armadillo today:thumb::D
countless squirrels

All is well in Slo Spoke Jim's world.

31.44 (s)miles
253.89 (s)miles this month
5453.52 (s)miles this year
7 ride days this month (Oct.)

:cheers:

Did it look something like this?

Did an uneventful 29 miles and saw no dead wildlife after I said I see some every ride, go figure.
I did see a couple of geese, I hate those things.
I did go on a different route so I was not on mup where all the deer and that owl hang out.

Did 26 miles this morning with the temp at 31 and completed the ride at 39. Countless squirrels other than that no other wildlife sightings.

37 miles in two hours with 40 to 45f temps & a 10 mph wind. It was sunny, so I had to beat the storms coming our way.

9.6 miles to work and 9.6 miles home today. Exactly.

Yesterday I planned to do a fast 40 today. When I woke too late, there was a change in plans. I had to go get my blood drawn again because the other dr forgot to order the tests that my primary dr requested. Since it was a fasting blood test, I decided to incorporate the ride to the lab as part of my trip.

Maybe it was that I had not eaten, but the ride after the blood draw just wasn't the hammerfest I had planned. None the less I did get in about 27 miles, and set a new personal best high speed (31.4) in one of the training sprints. The rest of the day I was on an endorphin high. :)

Just like that except for the 3 turkey buzzards that were dancing around him.
:cheers:

Ride # 2 today

Tuesday 10/13/09... Decided to take a second ride tonight. The Dr prescribed something called Sulfamethoxazole (try saying that 5 times real fast) today and advised me to stay out of the sun while taking it. So my rides may be short and late evening or very early mornings or not at all for the next 10 days. I gave the car keys to my wife so that I will not be tempted to go to the LBS to get a fix.:lol:

1 Owl tonight
countless squirrels

All is well in Slo Spoke Jim's world.

21.04 (s)miles tonight
274.93 (s)miles this month
5474.56 (s)miles this year
7 ride days this month (Oct.)

:cheers:

One of my favorite rides of the year is during the first good snowfall. Around here the first real snow is usually those big fat snowflakes, visibility is about 2 blocks, and temps are just above freezing. Typically, the snow sticks and will accumulate to about an inch, but there isn't any ice.

My bike goes inside when they start spreading salt on the streets. I've ridden with temps at 20F, but not ever when it gets down into the teens. You Down Easter's are just a lot tougher than I. :)

DnvrFox (CO) and Latitude65(AK) rode a wonderful 30 miles together on the Cherry Creek Trail. around Cherry Creek Lake and towards downtown Denver. Typical Colorado - started out about 35 degrees and foggy (that IS unusual for CO) and up to 66F on the return, providing for shedding many layers of clothes, changing gloves, etc.