I won't be riding in 16-24" snow. I don't have studded tires yet, but maybe I could attach my snow blower to the front. I can't imagine they will have the b&a cleared of all that snow in a day, not to mention all the roads from here to there.

Tough life down here y'all.
Key West, FL Forecast as of 11:30 am EST on February 4, 2010
This Afternoon: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. East winds near 15 mph.

Today's jaunt:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Keys-ride

Back on friday for more of what I left apparently.

It looks like I will postpone my Sunday Snow ride. I'm dragging my feet on leaving as much as I can.

Dawg. So you'll have to fill me in on what you think of that ride. I've been researching lately and though there is quite a bit of traffic the route from Key Largo to Key West A1a has wide shoulders and some bike paths. What did you ride? rental?

I'm going to eventually stitch together the Canada to the Keys route, maybe doing some end of this month or March. I've just ordered the remaining maps.

@Bob

Cool ride, Bob! I just posted a pic of it on my Twitpic account and then mirrored it on the new BBC discussion board (BBCTalk is essentially gone, now) under ride reports. You can add text about the ride, later, if you want, after you get back.

By the way, Bob, check your airline. There will be cancellations tomorrow into Saturday due to the monster snow storm coming to the region starting Friday morning and lasting to midday Saturday.


@Barry - glad to hear you're staying as long as possible. Now, if the weather will cooperate...

This mornings bike commute to work:

http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/29954

This afternoon will be the picture taking ride. Can't wait!

http://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/popcorn.gif

Hey guys: thanks for the kind words. My dad passed Wednesdays night. He went peacefully. He's better off but we miss him.

Hang in there Barry. I'm glad the ride is postponed as I could not make it this Sunday. You'll go when the time is right

Bob: looks like a good time to go to Fla. This winter has been a hard commuting one, though I haven't been on a bike since last Friday.

Isaias: Todays ride home should be a blast, tomorrows impossible but am sure you'll try.

Harry: I saw your post on the touring forum. Do post here if you go to Vermont this spring

:( Charlie, I'm so sorry, you and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

You, sir, are a mental case! :)

Just kidding! Be extra careful going home today.

+1000000000


Ok. It's about 2:15pm. The snow is coming down a little bit harder than an hour ago, but it's still not sticking--at least not outside of the windows that I can look out of, here, at work. I just may make it to 3:30pm with not much to worry about. Hopefully, MVOs are cowering in their warm homes, especially soccer-mom MVO and pimple-boy MVO.

:notamused:http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/29972

Charlie,
My condolences, I'm happy that he went peacefully.

I will keep you posted on the Vermont tour. I tend to bail on these long distance trips, not hard core enough, or I miss my kids, not sure what. I hope to eventually stitch together the entire Atlantic coast, from Canada to Key West. Am toying with the idea of doing that southern section in March. Again, sorry about your dad.

Snow plow stuck in front of my house!

http://twitpic.com/show/full/11pvzr.jpg

So I decided to go for a walk this morning. :)

Pics (if they show up; not sure I did it right) are from 11:30 a.m. The non-drifted snow was up to my mid-thigh (about 22"), and I wasn't standing on asphalt, so I'm guessing there is at least 25" of snow, probably more. Still coming down!

Great pix! Thanks for sharing.

The snow plow truck has finally escaped. They sent another truck to pull him backwards instead of forward out of the morass.

You know that I had to try - http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/29992


06 February, 2010 16:12

It just wouldn't be me to not try to ride in this snow. So, now, I can say that I did (sort of). I most certainly burned a bunch of calories trying to stay on the bike. I even tried to let some air out of the tires, but in the deeper stuff (what icebike.com calls road snow and chocolate mousse*) I just didn't have aggressive enough lugging to maintain traction.

Oh well. Tomorrow will be better.

* http://www.icebike.org/Articles/TechniquesDeepSnow.htm

[QUOTE=NoRacer;10370430]You know that I had to try - http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/29992


Yes, we did!! :lol:

Here's another few pics: this tree fell on the house while I was out shoveling. It scared the bejesus out of me! I heard a loud crack, but I couldn't tell which tree (the house backs up to a small wooded area, there's a ton of trees.) I had shoveled my way to near the cars, so without looking back I just dived between them, hoping the tree wasn't coming my way!

I think the house is fine. I live downstairs on the ground floor, so I'm definitely okay. My upstairs neighbor came out and said he didn't see anything busted upstairs; he checked the garage, too, that also seems okay. Some of the siding up top might be messed up. Not much that can be done about it right now!

Attachment 136329Attachment 136330

^^^^^^
Wow, Maxine! I'm glad you didn't get hurt. Scary stuff.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...n/IMG_1208.jpg

We finished out at just a hair over 31" here in Laurel.

Anyone hear whether we broke the all-time snowfall record yesterday?

I believe we need another 2.1 inches to break the season record. I think we'll have that by Wednesday.

I think this snowfall was still only #3 for snow from one snow event. I just saw the official count from Savage (which is only a couple miles up the road from my house) got 33".

Tried to ride in today, but there's too much snow on the road to do it safely in car traffic. I turned around, defeated.

I can't get the car out of the driveway, either. Too much ice under the tires. The rear end starts to drift sideways.

I'm stuck for now. I'll try again later, but I just might take the week off, since we're expecting another storm Wednesday.

This is just crazy, isn't it?? Work is closed today to non-essential/emergency personnel, and this storm that's going to start Tuesday afternoon looks like it could be another blowout. I think the NWS just doesn't want people to panic yet, but Foot's Forecast is calling for close to 12 inches along the I-95 corridor, with local amounts as high as 20 inches. (Foot's is put out by a bunch of high school kids who routinely trounce the professional weather forecasters in accuracy. They were calling this past snowstorm way in advance of the pros.)

http://www.footsforecast.org/

I may end up home all week as well. I was supposed to drive up to Pittsburgh Saturday for the long weekend, but now I don't know if that's such a good idea.

Yes, I heard about Mr. Foot's class on one of the news broadcasts. Interesting that they pretty much "nailed it".

I'm at work now, but not after having to wait until the pavement in my driveway warmed up enough to get some traction. Even then, I had to gun it to get out almost smacking my neighbors truck that is parked right across from my driveway ( :notamused: not amused at those butt-holes).

I suspect tomorrow will be a repeat, since everything will refreeze. I may take tomorrow off completely to prepare for the next round of snow.

I believe I saw Saturday had a chance also.

Wow, don't believe it that I commuted Mon and Tues and NR bailed out. (Didn't that could happen!) Rail trail still has 2 feet of snow on it so it was a choice of back roads or main roads. I picked the back road hilly way. Roads still 60 - 80% covered even today. Could not have done it without the Schwalbe Winter Marathons. These things are amazing! I only break traction when standing on the pedals on a lower gear climb even on packed ice. They weren't cheap but I was thinking today that I sure didn't waste my money on them.

Temps were the real challenge both yesterday and today. Leaving Glen Rock at 6:30 AM it was about 8 deg F, and contrary to normal trends the temps dropped heading north. I was reading 1 deg F in Seven Valleys. Thankfully as I climbed the hill up Cemetary Rd it warmed up to 4 deg F for the rest of the ride.

More snow rolling in this afternoon. I'll bail from work when it gets to be about 3 inches deep I'd guess Anybody have any advice on this? Should I leave before it gets that deep or will 3 - 4 inches of new fallen snow not be a problem? It's taking me about an 1 1/2 hours to cover the 18 mile ride home. (for a blazing average speed of 12!)

Andy