Saturday Sunday and Monday

Did a short ride today; home to Seal Beach and back. 30 miles, relatively flat so it was good to be on my fixed gear (42 x 14). Temperatures in the 50's so not cold but not warm either.

Coyote Creek Trail to San Gabriel Trail and back; a few dog walkers but well behaved

Overall a nice, if unexciting, ride. Quite a few walkers, runners and other cyclists out.

Rick / OCRR

rode for 100 minutes on the stationary while watching usc vs. penn st.

A really good 40 mile ride this morning. Temps in the low 70's with moderate humidity and some fairly strong winds that kept getting stronger as the morning progressed. The best part of the ride was no sinus problems. Must have been the first ride in over a month that I had no problems with the sinuses.

Snowed last night so I didn't do my usual morning ride. But the afternoon it was melted and nice enough out for 10.4 miles (16.7k) in a moderate wind.

2017: 43m (68k)♂Total: 15,021m (24,174k) · Tarmac SW SL3 43m (68k)



In 1967, protesters requested a permit to levitate the Pentagon 300 feet in the air, through songs and chants, to exorcise it of its evil and end the Vietnam War. Authorities agreed to only 3 feet.

Monday, 1/2:
1 hr. of weight training
Stationary bike: 30 min., 9.6 miles


Wednesday, 1/4:
45 min. weight training
Stationary bike: 18 min., 6 miles

Just got home from my second 45 min. ride of the 'new age'. There was more traffic this time since I went out at around 3 pm but it couldn't be helped. People here in central VA are still 'rednecky' about bicycles and I had one lady give me the horn as I rode the line between a right turn lane and the thru lane, as I was going straight. Sometimes I think they think you appreciate knowing they're there but as you all know we already know and the horns are not welcome. Years ago when I was in a club I studied the laws in our state regarding bicycles in traffic and became a bit of an activist on it. Unfortunately the average motorist of today actually seems to be more ignorant of it than those of the 1980s. We've had a number of deaths around here and I for one have no interest in getting out on the highway or back roads - its bad enough on the 25 and 35 mph streets.

21 miles Wednesday evening. Ambient temp was 37F so I dressed lighter than my last cold ride a couple of weeks ago. Comfortable throughout, unzipping the windbreaker when I felt a little sweat coming on, so I never got soggy. Toe covers helped with the Merrell shoes, which are lightweight with little or no padding or insulation. Hands were a bit sweaty in the insulated gloves, bit difference between the last ride at 23F.

Supposed to be much colder Friday. Should be a good challenge. Might grow another beard icicle.

Late morning doctor's appointment only allowed for a short, 25 mile ride. Need to get in a good ride tomorrow, before this weekends lousy weather arrives.

Just 5 miles Friday in some open fields to test the tires on a light dusting of snow. Rear wheel slipped a bit on one tricky slope but caught and dug in again. Quit by sundown when I saw the puddles freezing over on the street. I was more worried about the drivers than my bike.

Interesting experience, trying to dress appropriately for the cold. My torso was sweating with three light layers under a very thin windbreaker. My feet were fine in my old hiking boots with good winter socks. But my fingers were stinging from the cold within an hour. A windproof mitten shell might help.

Hmmm! Posted last night but doesn't look as if it saved it. 40 solo miles yesterday. Rained out this morning. Looks like we are in for an all day soaking. Time to clean the bikes.

We had a 12" snowfall in coastal Rhode Island last night and about 18" in nearby Cape Cod. No riding for me but I did get in a short tour on X-country skis at the local state park. While it was pleasant to get out on a bright and sunny day, a recent chest cold has left me with poor stamina. Actually, that is better than no stamina

Amazingly, yes.

We got 6" of snow yesterday, and the forecast for today was sub-20° and cloudy all day. I figured "no way I'm going out on the bike today!" So I decided to do some long overdue maintenance on a few bikes.

But mid-way through replacing the chain on my Sachs my chaintool asploded! Crap... well, you can't install a new chain w/o cutting it down to size, so...uh... hmm... AccuWeather says it's still 20°F with a 17mph wind, making the RealFeel/wind chill factor 5°F. And I don't own a car.

So I rode my foul weather bike to the LBS to buy a new chaintool. 5.65 miles round trip. And except for the 2 miles where I was riding directly into a headwind, it was actually kinda fun!

Ten miles on the trainer watching netflix.

10 miles, curtailed due to frustrating chain skipping after installing new spliced chain. Appears I bought the wrong chains -- box was labeled differently on front and back, and I'd looked only at the back.

It's always something. Hard to explain to other folks why bicycles are such high maintenance vehicles. Most casual riders never do any maintenance or repairs at all, and if they rode only as kids they only remember everything was rainbows and unicorn glitter, bicycles lasted forever and never needed any maintenance (never mind that dad actually did all that stuff for them, if it was done at all).

Had a great ride back from a bad chest cold. My new (to me) 7 series Madone was flawless and climbed well (2300 feet). I usually ride at 7 AM but waited until 10 AM and 70 degrees. I consider this my snow ride as Mammoth Mountain got 20 new feet. So Cal has been in the 40's and fifties for quite awhile with lots of rain- seems like 60's and 70's weather patterns so perhaps we have beaten the drought.

Saturday, 1/7
At the Y:
45 min. of weight training
Stationary bike: 30 min., 10.1 miles


Monday, 1/9
At the Y:
50 min. weight training
Stationary bike: 16 min., 5 miles

LOL! I still have vivid memories of the time my Dad took it upon himself to grease the bottom bracket bearings -- loose ball bearings, mind you -- on my circa 1965 Murray bike. That bike remained in pieces on our garage floor for over a year! I suspect he finally took it in to the LBS to get reassembled, but we never spoke of it so not sure.

25 late afternoon miles yesterday and 40 mid afternoon miles today. Wind was a killer on both rides.

29 miles, including 20 mph invisible hills along with the usual hills. Lovely day in the 70s, as balmy as a celebrity's tweet. Only briefly interrupted by a flat tire.

Yes. About 4 miles; dinner and a lecture. Good headwind on the ride back.

There was enough of a break from the wind and rain we've been getting to take the Raleigh out fro a spin, including some 'off-roading' on a small stretch of paved road (the intersection below my place).

2.5 miles around the 'hood after work this afternoon! Upper 30's, breezy but no precip and no ice/snow on the roadway.
(First ride since New Year's Day)

It's been two weeks since my last ride when I dumped the bike and rattled the gray matter enough for a slight concussion and not yet recouped from my marathon last Sunday I got out today riding 32 miles with the guys and 36 additional miles on my own.

At the rest stop I heard about.....http://www.peaceriverridersbicycleclub.com/.... so when I got home I registered for it. Nothing like 2 days notice for a 200 miler********** or whatever.

22 miles of loafcycling on a cool and clear Thursday evening, before the weather changes again this weekend. Too warm for a jacket, too cool to sweat but I was sweating anyway. I was supposed to be taking it easy, just stretching the lungs, legs and neck a bit after neck spasms from Tuesday's ride. Couldn't help sprinting a couple of times on a nice stretch of gravel. That sensation of the bike skittering across the surface is invigorating.