A bit on the COLD side this morning for SW FL plus another windy day with 15/20mph sustained and 25+mph gusts. Made it to the LBS for the 8AM start and got in 37 miles. With the 20 miles before the ride and the 52 miles after, had a very nice 109 mile total.

I can tell you are taking this training for the cross country trip pretty seriously ..I love the "warmed up to 45 degrees" statement. Still too much Florida in my blood to see 45 as warm anything.

Sounds like a challenging day :)

Those headwinds today were a bear if they caught you on an open stretch, maybe worse than hill climbing I think, no downhill to look forward to, just a downwind.

Good ride!

Short Ride to LBS
 

Rode about 5 miles, hand delivered Christmas card to LBS owner. Was slightly below freezing here in Indy, tried out new Mickey Mouse boots on my old 3 speed. They were quite toasty!

JanMM- might I have crossed your path on a CIBA grand touring ride?
I plan to ride to the Tour de Luminaries tomorrow. Will be about 40 miles total.

Have ridden - by myself or with my stoker - on a bunch of grand touring rides the last few years. (Columbus, Greencastle, Metamora, Rabbit Hash). Very likely our paths have crossed. Haven't done the Luminary Ride. Have fun on it tomorrow!

Columbus and Metamora
 

I think we were at the end of the bunch at Columbus a couple of years ago. There was some doubt as to whether we had missed the first turn at the beginning. I was riding a LWB recumbent, and you and your stoker were on the Rans. I believe we both felt it best to let the DF riders get a lead, so they wouldn't be in our way on the descents.

Not sure I can make the Luminary Ride now. Suffering from diverticulitis, and while it isn't too debilitating, it does rob the ride of it's joy.

Merry Christmas, and safe journeys.

Gonna follow all these "cold" posts with a lovely 34 mile ride this morning. It was 2 shirt chilly when I began but halfway in was down to one short sleeve shirt.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=494237
Road down to Venice and then out the length of Casey Key.

Riding off the north end I had the pleasure of watching the Blackburn Point Swing Bridge in action. Built in 1926 it is on the Historic Bridges list and still works these days. The operator has to walk out to the middle of it to throw the switch to make it swing.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=494238

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=494240

I was just a bit early for the tiki bar right by the bridge. I might still be there if it were open. Beautiful day here in Sarasota, FL today

I can dress for the cold (32° this morning at 9AM) but when it's overcast it's just not as nice a ride as when sunny and cold.
Right knee still bothering me :50: so I cut it to 15.6 on the Roubaix @avg 12mph.

2015: 4810 Miles ♂ 2013-15: 9485 Miles
Allez 1212.5/2412.7 · Roubaix 1351.7/2517.5 · Sirrus 664.4/1956.6 · Trike 1580.9

Too nice a day to pass up. 50 more miles over to the inlaws for fresh Lexington BBQ. Felt surprisingly decent after yesterday's brutal 100 miler with the winds.

A short and slow 22 miles this morning with the wife and the Recumbent Rangers Trike Club. This was her very first group ride and since most of the 30 riders that showed up were over 65, she fit right in. As it turned out, I was the only two wheeled bike out of the group and kind of felt a bit out of place but it was still very enjoyable, nonetheless. It was our first time on the Van Fleet Trail (in Polk City, FL) but will not be the last. Very nice trail with lots of shade and pretty flat for my wife.

A llama ranch along the Van Fleet Trail. One of several in Central Florida but the biggest one I have seen yet. Zoom may not be that clear as I took this with my iPhone.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=494272

25.5 miles this afternoon, this one pushes me over my goal of 7K miles for the year. It feels really nice to have made this distance for the second year. Not through for the year by any stretch, there is almost 2 weeks to enjoy. Although, there is rain forecast for the entire Christmas week. I'll be looking for gaps in the showers to get in some bonus miles.

Bill

Just a short hop to the grocery store and back. Noticed on the return trip, which is all uphill, I'm no longer needing the granny gear even with the bike loaded down with 30-50 lbs of stuff. That's an improvement over a couple of months ago when I had to pull over to the sidewalk and walk it up. But I do need a proper front rack to keep the bag off the wheel.

Not so cold today - 13 miles at about 50F. A bit windy but was able to arrange a tailwind for a fairly long stretch with just a couple of stop signs.

Did I ride today? = No!
My bikes are clean, everything's adjusted, repair items checked in all seat bags, spare tubie ready - now we just need a break in the Seattle gloom & wet. If i hadn't had a couple of ski days, i'd be starting a crazy streak.

posted 12/21 - in honor of the fact that days will now begin getting longer

Time for some christmas cheer!

edit: wet turning white. We are about 700' above sea level.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=494429

12 miles Monday evening, mostly exploring some nearby rural development. Felt like doing more but my current lights aren't quite bright enough or good for more than an hour or so on full power. Didn't expect to enjoy nighttime riding so much, even in chilly weather. Maybe Santa will stuff some new lights in a stocking.

I rode for the first time in 9 days today. I came down with a bad cold and found it hard to kick. I rode a bit easier than usual but did ride my usual 16 miles. It sure did feel good to be back on the bike.

Weather is back to normal so I did a 50 mile ride this morning with my buddies Lou, Frank C and Steve to start the Christmas ride week.

Was hoping to ride a bit with the guys. 1/4 mile after the start a roofing nail found a new home in my front tire. Told all to continue on and took my time replacing tube. Never saw them again but that was a good thing since I have not recovered from the 109 miles on Saturday. Today was a SLOW 41 miler.

Sunny and warmer (51°) but heavy winds. 19.0 miles on the Allez. Tail wind made a 3mph difference, and visa-versa.
Wind was so strong it blew the frame away.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...psbvcak71o.jpg

2015: 4829 Miles ♂ 2013-15: 9503 Miles
Allez 1231.6/2431.8 · Roubaix 1351.7/2517.5 · Sirrus 664.4/1956.6 · Trike 1580.9

The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.

Great core. The levitation is a bonus.

edit: if you can hold that position, it's great leg muscles, too.

Hey, I bike commuted this winter! 19 miles total on a very mild day in Indy.

Attacked Avalanche Mt with much improvement over the first ride last Saturday. Brutal grade. It's a 415ft climb all within 1.25 miles.

23.4 miles on a December day... very good weather for an Ohio December day! 50 degrees!

Had a nice, 37 mile, solo ride this morning, even with the 20 mph gusts. Overcast skies kept it somewhat cool but had to battle with the high humidity this morning.

Cold, windy, but sunny. 14.9 miles on the Roubaix. The last 2½ were killer (strong head wind).

2015: 4834 Miles ♂ 2013-15: 9518 Miles
Allez 1231.6/2431.8 · Roubaix 1366.6/2532.4 · Sirrus 664.4/1956.6 · Trike 1580.9

Good girls are bad girls that never get caught.