Just a couple more Weeknight Rides after work remaining!
 

Our small group that normally rides on Tuesday and Thursday nights have gradually moved up the start time of our ride from 6 pm to 5 pm-plus shortened the distance from 40 miles to 25 miles the past few weeks. How quickly we start losing daylight after work (I don't want to hear it from retired riders!!).

We acknowledged tonight that we were fighting a losing battle and only had one or two night left before the hour switches back to Standard time. I suspect I did more of the T/T rides this year an ever which meant playing less golf.

Tonight was a perfect night to ride except for the quick blanket of darkness. Temps in the 70's and little to no wind. There were just two of us but we moved along like a magnificient machine. I guess that makes up somewhat for all the 90-100 degree afternoons we had this summer.

We did agree to touch base if we ever had the opportunity to trade some work hours in the afternoon for a bike ride.

Two words - Business Park! :D

Both my weekday groups gave up two weeks ago. I'm taking a break and doing some limited riding on the weekends. The ironic thing is the temps in the Raleigh area are absolutely beautiful.

We continue our rides after dark. Anywhere form 2 to 10 guys will meet @ 6:30 in a small crossroad community to ride 1.5 hours or so. Our rides are out in the flat countryside with little traffic. Really decent lights are available now for under $75.

I left for work this morning before dawn (on my bike) and about a mile from my house I saw a train of lights coming at me from the other directions -- 15 cyclists with headlights on a group ride.

I find myself getting a bit depressed at this time of year as the light fades. I have good lights, relatively safe places to ride at night, and a wife who understands my need to ride. What I lack is as much desire to ride in the dark. It can be fun for me at first, but the appeal quickly fades. Recently, since I'm the boss, I've been thinking about changing my schedule to take a 2.5 hour lunch break and either come in earlier or stay later to make up the time.

Agree-I shudder when I think about trying to keep up with those guys though.

One thing that has really helped me in keeping on the road is good headlights just for the this reason.

Old age (or middle) should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Our Monday night ride already finishes in the dark. We're keeping it going with lights and (if need be) rain gear.

I think that this time of year is much more depressing when I'm in a northern latitude, where winter comes with ice, snow and very cold winds. Setting up the bike on an indoor trainer stand is the only logical alternative many days.

When I'm in a southern location like Phoenix or Los Angeles, this time of year is actually very pleasant. The heat of summer is nearly over and a nice winter of daily temps in the 70s is ahead. The only thing that's a pain in the butt is the low angle of the sun all day, and the short daylight hours.

Our Tues. / Thur. evening club rides carried on after darkness; everyone knows to bring good lights front and back, plus many have additional lights on the back of helmets, refelctive leg bands, etc.

Our start time is still 6:00PM since many of our riders can't get there any sooner due to work and traffic issues.

Rick / OCRR

Our Tue/Thu rides are winding down too. And like many of you I hate it because the temps are finally great for riding. One of the guys is planning his 'G.O.P.' solution for the 'winter' we have here in Florida. The Garage of Pain is a bunch of us fools sweating while we ride our trainers. Not sure I can do it, probably will just ride the local bike trail with some lights or just ride weekend mornings.

Mark

HTFU and get some lights.

Several recomendations for lights and I have a good front lamp. Expensive but a light I used for offroad. 3 levels of brightness but the bright setting is only good for 2 1/2 hours so I needed a supplementary lamp for when I used it on low power.

But that is offroad. I reckoned that on the road I would be able to use the lamp on low power for the majority of Road riding. That gives 8 hours so it would be long enough for a road ride. No Way- On the road I still use that high power. Can get by on the medium level in the towns but as soon as I get on open roads with fewer cars- I need that high power.

Last week I went out for my first night ride of the year. 2 hours into the ride and I got the warning as it automatically turned itself into low power. That meant I had 15 minutes of light left and I was still 5 miles from home. Those 5 miles were taken very fast and I just about made it home.

So if night riding- Make certain that you have a secondary light available for emergency use.

But Night riding in the evenings is not going to happen very often. I have got soft over the last couple of years and it will have to be a dry "Non-Cold" evening to entice me out for some extra training. Looks like the gym will be receiving my patronage this year.

Good lights, Schwalbe Marathon tires, short, hilly rides. I ride 10-15 mile rides several times/week, alone, on very rural roads. The locals must be getting used to me doing this. Even had one guy yell out and ask me how my ride was going. Actually these short, intense nighttime winter rides are some of my favorites. I love riding on a cool dark night. And its all hilly where I ride so I can easily work up a sweat even in sub-freezing temps.