^^^^^^

Sorry, I sat around and ate all day, then fell asleep in front of the TV.

So, how did the ride go?

Apparently, Lucasz was on a ride out by Oregon Ridge and Janet G rode around Lake Montebello, today.

I rode downtown to the Obama thing. Overdressed for the most part, totally hot on the way home. The toes are still an issue. Report later. Didn't seem so very cold, just the toes.

Harry were you on a MTB and watching the tv by the hard rock and the aquarium? I stopped and watched for a minute, thought I saw you next to some other people on bikes. I was going to say hi but I wasn't sure.

Saturday Ride Report

I wore what I said above, my legs were cold for about 5 minutes and warmered up, I always have problems with my hands so this time I put on both gloves and pulled the fleece over the bottoms og the gloves and then used my velcro leg reflectors to hold them there, this worked real real good, no cold air could creep in the bottoms of the gloves, my hands were warm, no joke warm nealy the entire time.

So back to the ride, I took boston st into the city, cut throguh the harbor and got onto the bike path @ the harbor, went up conway to the gywnn falls trail till I got to annapolis rd, I took that to daisy then to holins ferry. Basically the route as the monument ride. I saw a ton of cops around the trail and the parking lots at the stadium. After getting to the inlaws, I was warm, except my feet, they were starting to get cold. I hung out for a few minutes, I popped open the toe warmers and stuck them in, Took about 41 minutes to do the 12 miles, I was pumped and warm the whole way in I was able to avg pretty high espeially for the 18 degree ride.

After telling the inlaws I don't need a ride home and convincing them I would be ok, I left about 4pm, I heasd out and due to several short descents, holins ferry, annapolis rd (2 descents) my hands were pretty cold when I reached the raven stadium, plus the wind felt like it picked up ALOT,I then got a little discombobulated and ended up cutting through the ravens parking lots and coming out by camden yards. I could have made a left and got to lombard (but I was afraid it would be closed off) or a right and took 395!! So instead I broke the rules and took the crosswalk and side walk to the harbor, there was a ton of people there, I'm coming on the bike trail at a speed below 15 and people and just standing in the bike lane, I had to go around these ****ers and off curbs. I saw a crowd and heard some Obama chants and stopped for a moment to see one of the TV's by the harbor. I didn't stay long as I wasn't dress to stand still. I got back over to boston and the wind seemed pretty bad to me. By the time I got home the only thing that was cold but not even that bad was exposed parts of my face around my eyes.
Good ride 25 miles, about 1.5 hours, Avg 16.5mph

Also I started with 1 bottle of HOT water, it stilll froze prety quick, would gatoraid freeze as fast? it does have salt in it right?

Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in some rides this week after work 430pm or so, looks like I'll be fixing the wifes car finally, on saturday, me need more ride time!!!!

You sat around and ate yesterday while watching TV, NO NO NO you got your days mixed up.
Sunday (AKA "Raven kick Steeler butt day") is the day of eat,eat,eat and watch game day.

No, I was on my 520 tourer which I locked up to some newspaper boxes half expecting it to be gone when I got back. By the time you rolled through I was probably standing by the war memorial freezing my toes off. Actually my flanks and legs start to ache when I stand too long, I was warm but feet were cold. It's the damned clips, I'm sure. If I ride to DC on Tuesday I may just wear my hiking shoes with wool socks and wind covers, no cleats just use flat pedals.

No real report necessary for my ride downtown, had fun trying out routing on my gps. When I rode north after the rally I must have been not too far behind Obama's motorcade going up Calvert, no traffic on the street and by the time I got up to Mt. Royal I was alone, just cops or secret service waving me through. Made a left onto Mt. Royal as Calvert was blocked north of there then right onto Charles. Was held up at the bridge with other peds and cyclists while Obama's train made it's way out. Pretty cool. Big army helicopter circling Penn with I'm sure some snipers on board.

MD peeps. Not sure who's off tomorrow for MLK, but I'll be riding up to the ORR start of Steve Zeldin's ride. Info below. Regardless of their pace, I'll be taking it easy. Anyone care to join me?
-GB


MLK Day Ride - Monday 10:30 from ORR 33 miles - Piney Hill Loop

Weather willing ;-}

Monday's ride will be the Piney Hill Loop 33 miles 2600 ft.
There is no stop but we do pass by the Monkton Station at mile
15.

>Date: Monday, January 19, 10:30 am
>Speed: 15-17 mph
>Start: ORR - Oregon Ridge Park
>Distance: 33 miles

Extra mileage can be had by riding up from Towson with me.
I will pass:
Riderwood School (Thornton @ Landrake) at 9:50;
Thornton @ Seminary at 9:55
Jennifer @ Padonia at 10:10
to arrive at ORR by 10:25

Monday
 

GB-Wish I could but got a ton of work due tomorrow to take off on Tuesday.

But I will definitely be up for the occasional Monday ride, if that's your day off.

Tuesday sounds very fun. Whether you get close or not, I'm sure the Washington/Obama buzz will be intoxicating. Very cool what WABA is doing with the bike valet too. Wish I could ride down with ya.

Harry,

What's the "low-down" for tomorrow?

Leaving when?
From where?
What route?
How many others?
How many stops?

I'm on the "no" side of the fence, at this moment, but I'm trying to climb back up on it and fall to the other side if the data looks good.

Did I miss anything?

Actually, I did a ride, came home, hot shower, warm clothes, updated the blog and BF, watched TV until Versus came on showing Lance in a criterium pre-"Tour Down Under" race, worked on the bike (replaced my spare with a new Tufo, cleaned the cassette and chain, lubed), fixed a steak for dinner, watched a movie on one screen of my TV--Ravens on the other, went "full screen" on the movie, came back to the Raven game just in time to see the "death blow" dealt, went back to watching other stuff, packed for the morning commute, and went to bed.

NR-I'm planning on leaving my house no later than 5:00-5:30am, leaving myself enough time to get lost, stop to defrost, etc. Hope to be down there by 9:00, probably end up being like 10:00 with road closures, confusion etc. I'll be riding my 520 with at least one pannier so I'll be going slow.

Like the Baltimore event I don't expect to be front and center, more likely just be there just to be there, check my bike at the valet, try to get on the parade route but most likely be parked in front of a jumbo tron.

Bennett is supposed to be there but so far it's just me riding down. I got one e-mail from the BBC group, a woman named Esther who I need to e-mail now.

Let me know if you wanna go-I'll be heading down Cathedral and then on to the Monument route. I hoping to have the turn by turn route loaded on my gps.

Sounds good.

I'm working on getting out of work tomorrow. So far, so good.

I doubt if Esther (she rides for Team BBC and does triathlons) will be up for a cold century, but I won't try to speak for her. Definitely try to get an answer directly from her.

What time will you be at Baltimore's Washington Monument?

Harry, looks like your ORR ride with Steve has been cancelled. Hope you saw that before heading out.

Looks like I may get a :innocent:"Snow Ride":innocent: in today.

NR-That was Greaterbrown that was heading out to O Ridge, not me, I'm working.

Tomorrow-Awesome, I could use the company-but keep in mind I am slow and will probably be even slower with the 520 and panniers. I was thinking I would be out of here no later than 5:30 so at the monument about 6am. I know of nobody else who is going down there, the Philly group bailed, no responses from Spokes or BBC except Esther who I e-mailed this morning. I'm cool going alone or better yet with you.

Whoops!


My schedule is probably about the same as yours--leave house NLT 5:30am and meet you at the monument by 6am. Hopefully, this time, I won't be fighting a headwind like last time.

I'm commuting today. Hopefully, the snow does not become ice.

A little concerned about leftover snow on the roads tomorrow, just need to be vigilant.

I'm taking a chance tomorrow by wearing my sandals with wool socks, wind covers, possibly the neoprene socks as well with chemical warmers. My thinking is that my mtb shoes are so tight that I can't wiggle my toes, so no blood, no warmth. Also the Shimano sandals have a solid plastic bottom and the cleat anchor is imbedded where as on the other shoes the metal plate is just under the insert.

+1 on the remnants, especially if we start having to deal with ice.

Sounds like a plan, Harry.

Just in case, I'm bringing along an extra pair of glove inserts, wool socks, and maybe even another jersey.

Also, I'm tinkering with the idea of switching out my pedals so I can wear MTB shoes. If we're going to be doing an appreciable amount of walking, I don't want to get stuck doing it in my road shoes. It's that or carry a pair of light running shoes.

I would bring an extra pair of wool socks and chemical warmers just in case.

That's a serious consideration, can't imagine clip clopping along too far on Sidis. I will be bringing at least one pannier, maybe two, so if you want to stuff a pair of running shoes in there feel free. You'll just need to do most of the pulling.

I'm testing my sandals out right now. I think either way I will be bringing extra socks, may go to Dicks tonight to return some stuff and pick up a few things.

Anybody ever try battery operated hunter's socks?

NR-Let me know how your snow ride goes. I've never ridden with snow on the road. Salt is not a problem but unseen ice is. I am in no way interested in canceling my ride but my concern is hard packed snow that becomes ice.

Battery powered socks; ask on BBCTalk, I think a few club members are electrified. ;)

I will also note that with sandals a damp inside sock swapped out to an outer sock becomes a toasty igloo.

I'm concerned about the trail portions of the route. I can't find my old all on-road route but between these routes you have a close approximation:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...a-to-Rockville
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/2004-Tour-of-Hope
http://bikewashington.org/routes/dc2thurmont/index.htm

I'm waiting for NRacer's road status. I can always head out in the a.m and see how it is.

NR-My original plan was to take the lightrail to BWI and ride from there. I may still do that depending on your road report. Not that it will make the ride any safer but better the odds, less time on icy roads. There's that long stretch through Anicostia or some such which won't be cleared but I'm more concerned with packed snow from cars.

Snow Ride #2:

http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/20108

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...0119091544.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...119091544a.jpg

Yeah!!!!

Read the blog link.

Did I scare you?

The roads weren't bad at all--I averaged 15 mph taking it easy. I'm sure the one that I took pictures of (same road different view) will look like the others in the near future (i.e., as if they were rained on). The salt/ice melt chemicals are doing their thing.

I hope that crap is non-toxic; could taste it on my lips. :twitchy:

Well logic tells me to bag it for safety's sake but who knows maybe the roads will all be clear. As soon as I get a chance I'm going to check the roads.

I'm sure there is some chemical agent in that salt mixture, best not to think about it.