Snow?
 

Hey NR. Congratulations again on your achievement!!

Looks like the snow is going to just brush past us to the east-

Took a short ride downtown yesterday (Xmas) to enjoy empty streets and just roll around. Was hoping for snow, had my cyclocross tires on the 520.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/5229947...7625550917665/

Nice pics Harry. I can't read all of your comments (they're cut off), but I like your sentiments. I wouldn't quite describe B'more as melancholy though. There are no hand-outs here like there are in rich cities- LA, Chicago, NYC. Baltimore had it's day in the early part of the 20th c. and it's nice to see the remnants of it like the monumnets, etc. I think of Baltimore as an inside joke- behind the shabby drapery are people sprouting plans...

BTW nokians are on the back porch.

bmore
 

Yah I know, I'm very cynical about Baltimore, definitely more photo ops than county though.
GB-You definitely have a better attitude about Balt than I do. I'm fascinated by the history which is incredibly rich, especially if you dig a bit, and it certainly is a place only half understood even by locals. The place has definitely advanced and is a different city than the one I went to school in back in the eighties, but in some very frustrating ways very much the same. I would love to see Druid Hill park actually populated the way it definitely once was. As it is now I generally feel like I'm gonna be mugged. Did I tell you bout the kids trying to break into my "man cave"? while i was working.:)

finished my winter ride. Almost looks new. RD looks shiny. build harder than I expected, short 1 foot of cable housing. Might test ride this morn but the wind will have the final say. Way to nasty for a rec ride right now at least for me. I'm sure some of you intrepid souls will put the rubber on the road.

Serious wind
 

Anybody rides today they deserve a medal for valor!!

I've been invited to hike up along the Gunpowder this aftrnoon. Will be a good gear check.

Charlie Good to hear you've got the winter ride worked out. I will pick up my cross check this week from BBW.
I plan on riding Steve Z's BBC ride out of meadowood park tomorrow at 10 AM. Anyone wanna join me? Then I'll need to ride to the shop for a little year end work.
I've been mulling over a long ride this week, but I can't do thursday. Maybe a wednesday ride up to Susquehanna SP?

winter rides
 

GB-You getting a new bike? Is that what you mean? Surly Cross Check? :)

Mounted those Nokias, took about 15 minutes. They definitely take up less space than the cyclocross tires, now I can put the fenders back on. They're heavy and seem bomb proof, but the 520 already weighs a ton so I'll get good traction. Thanks man.

Regarding tomorrow. I am interested but do have this weekly job that has to be done by early afternoon. I'll check the ride start time.

As for longer rides this week. I would be interested, for some reason I have been thinking of riding to DC. That is of course a long day with all the urban riding.

I must've eaten too many rum balls- Steve's BBC ride is wednesday at 10. I guess I"ll give it a go tomorrow. You up for it Harry?

riding
 

Oh. Why didn't I catch that? Melissa makes some killer rum balls as well.

Yes, I'm up for that tomorrow. I have certainly lost some of my fitness and I feel like these antibiotics are making me wheeze-so hopefully Steve will have mercy.

For New Years Day I may or may not head down to DC for that Chuck and Christa Ride- I may just ride up to O Ridge and catch the BBC ride which should end up being a metric with ride to and from start.

I'm feeling ambitious but I think if I try a century on Jan 1 then I'm likely to bail on the Rando on Jan 2.

Bennett, who some of you know, has posted these pics of riding down near his farm, close to Old Rag. We need to get him to invite us all down for a weekend. Great riding in the valleys and on Skyline.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikerbe...60699615/show/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikerbe...86501958/show/

You can rest assured that it ain't gonna snow now that the bike is tuned to perfection, studded tires mounted and inflated, lights attached. Good luck with your new ride/build. What do you have to do to finish it? No derailleurs, brakes??, I guess when BBW puts on a head and BB then the job is done. Good reason for riding a fixie.
I'm at work today and tomorrow so no rec biking. I am thinking of joining the Friday AM group downtown for a quick 20 or whatever they ride. Thursday night is CM ride and thinking about that as well. I'll post when I know more. Weather ain't too bad out there today. At least compared to the last 2-3 weeks.

nice pictures of OR. Bet it's icy up there

air temps
 

The air is definitely warmer, wind still strong. Did 30. Hands sweaty but toes cold after 30-so much for Sidi winter shoes. Thin wool boot liners with neoprene socks. I think I fared better with the liners and heavier wool socks, no neoprene.

Does anybody know of any New Years Day rides besides the Chuck and Crista or BBC rides?

Charlie-Let me know about that downtown ride, assuming that is the Light Street Cycle thing.

Got back this afternoon from my mom and dad's place in Abingdon. I biked up on the 26th and returned today with no riding in between.

The 26th is when my parents celebrate Christmas giving my brothers and sisters Christmas day with their kids. It was a chaotic evening with a house full of people. It was good to see everyone else, but I'm a solitary being, so... I enjoyed the 27th more. I spent the day with my dad. We played 8-ball on his brand new billiards table, then when my mom got back from her outing, we had Chinese food for dinner.

It was a nice 48 hours well spent and with no pressure to get back on the bike.

BUT! I'm sort of hearing the call of a winter Civil War Century! I didn't think so... but... I'm feeling it call.

:lol: Oh, I can *so* relate! A portion of my extended family gets together Christmas Eve, and I do love seeing everyone, but after a night of 13 adults and 6 kids crammed into a small space, with all the noise and chaos and bustling (actually, it's very much like a milder, smaller, Ukrainian version of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" :D) I start itching to return to the usual silent staring contests with my cat.

Oh, by the way . . . Happy Early Birthday! ;) :) I'm going to be out of town and away from the computer for 5 days over New Year's, so I won't have a chance to say so on your actual birthday.

I'm scheduled to hike up Old Rag on Jan 9th with Bennett, training for Mt. Washington in February. OR is the closest thing around to that kind of exposed rock summit, though of course not as extreme. Never done, looking frwrd to it.

Anyone ride down near Arnold, Annapolis? I am looking for a group ride on Saturday mornings. During the week I ride near Severn and Elkridge.

Thanks for the birthday wish, Max. :)

Happy Birthday Isaias. Hopefully I'll be able to buy you a beer on 1/9!

Got in 53 today on a bbc ride with Bob. Second half I hung back with the last rider-was hard to get back to main group after that-but did manage to hook up with a few stragglers. Damn ham cramp again about 2 miles from home. Not enough riding and not enough stretching. Not a hydration issue-just one of those things.

NR, you've tempted me to ride CWC, but the more I think about it the more I don't feel like enduring the drive up there. Right now, I'm thinking of riding a check out of the newest version of On Again, Off Again on Friday morning. Leaving at dawn- if anyone's interested. FYI: if the route is a good one, I'll likely run it as the Feb. Ramble.

Thanks, Harry!

Sounds like fun, but you may need studs for the trail portions or portions of the trail portions.

I guess I'll see you on the 2nd at the monument, then.

I just accidentally unsubscribed to this stream and can't find the link to re-subscribe.

You guys are intrepid. A few long ride options over the next three days. I think I have my wife's blessing but not sure she understands that it means out before dawn back after dark. I'll work on here while were in DC with the kids today.

It's under "Thread Tools"

Hey Barry, got any NYC snow pics for us?