Will Spring Ever Get Here?
 

Today is like the only Spring-like day in the forecast, and I am stuck at work. By the time I get out of work, it will be raining.

I am allergic to cold, so I can't go on any real rides until temps get up to about 50, but I decided to bite the bullet and scheduled a very short ride for Saturday afternoon (4-5 miles) and I planned to be layered with piles of clothing, and have my epi-pen with me. I just couldn't wait any more. I knew it wasn't going to be warm enough in the mid-30s, but each day the forecast for Saturday is getting even colder. The current forecast is that it will be 26 degrees with 18 mph winds... Honestly, I think I am going to have to cancel, because I can barely handle those conditions walking.

I envy those who can ride year-round (as I could when I was in California)!

Looks like it will be April before I can get my first ride in...

Is there anyone else who is almost losing hope that Spring will ever come?

I was initially skeptical when I read, "I am allergic to cold..." but I googled it, and it's a real syndrome: Cold urticaria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Sorry you have to deal with such a thing.

I will be down south without a bike during Passover week, and I expect to leave while it's in the 40s and come back to the 60s. I've had quite enough of this winter.

All this week, pairs of geese on the canal tow path. This morning, two peepers on opposite stress of the road through the swamp. In another few days there will be so many I won't hear individual frogs any more, just the incessant din. Spring is almost here!

Yeah, I understand the skepticism. I was fine with cold (didn't always like it, but no health issues) until I was 56 (a couple of years ago)... Ironically, I first started to notice the issue in the summer. I started itching a little when I was wading in the ocean, then a month or so later, I was holding a can of soda, and my hand started itching terribly, like I had poison ivy... after my hand warmed for a while, it was OK. But I did some research, thinking that it was strange enough that it might be a symptom for something else (my first fear was some sort of cancer or something). A month or two later when my throat started closing up while eating an ice cream sundae, I knew I had a problem. :) Fortunately, being careful, and using antihistamines has helped a lot, but I do avoid cycling because I have had an asthma attack when temps were just below 50.

Did very little commuting this winter; forget about riding for fun on the weekends.
But; this weekend - I was able to go along a club ride with the Five Boro Bike Club
to Liberty State Park in Jersey City. It was a bit chilly; but at least most of the snow
is gone. :)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7635/...07c01cb23c.jpgMar 2015, NYC by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

*looks at snow outside*

No. Spring is apparently a lie.

It's inching it's way up there. Today was my first ride in Maryland.

I know what you mean. I got my commuter bike built and going to commute to work this year, but the weather has been horrible. We got 4" of snow today along the lake! I look forward to those days that will be above 45 degrees, but every one of those days it rained! Supposed to be near 60 Thursday, but guess what? RAIN!!

I can do rain. No problem.

I just HATE ice. The ride home was scary. Wheels all over and the horrid crunching noises...

[MENTION=349999]katsrevenge[/MENTION], as a fellow NE PA rider, and a cat lover, with more than a handful of both bikes and cats at home, I don't think I have noticed you in the forums before.

I am looking forward to a first ride. It is killing me that I won't get out today due to work and other stuff to take care of. I may try to get out tomorrow after work, but I can never tell. I will get the rack on the car tonight, and air the tires so I can go home and get my bike if it looks like I can squeeze a ride in. If nothing else, I will be riding Sunday... Possibly Saturday, although the temp looks a little cool for me.

It is beginning to look like Spring just might win out over winter after all.

I've been around, LOL. I'm a member of your biking group too, but alas, you guys tend toward gravel and things unreachable for those of us sans bike racks on the car.

I have tomorrow off. I'm hoping the rain isn't too bad. Want to ride.

And, of course there is always the daily commute. I've been riding all winter. But I'm also crazy...so that's OK. :D

commuting this year was a bit crazy.

i scheduled my first couple of rides to start in Plymouth. Are you right in WB? i could easily move 1 of those to Kirby park, or you could ride the levee to Plymouth and join us until we turn around. i do cross post in NEPA Ground Zero, and have a couple of people signed up. we can switch to pm or meetup if you want to, to iron out the details.

Don' know about PA, but Spring is HERE in NY in spades today. 60°+, blue sky, nice breeze. Same temps tomorrow, but rain coming in (hey, it's APRIL), but the last of the snow in front of my house melted. But I still saw some under the trees in the park on my way home this evening.

Anyway, all of you here in the NE, make sure your bike is good to go.

60* on Long Island but a 22mph SSE wind.

I still had a great ride.

Two days ago, I rode my motorcycle up to 11,000' feet in the mountains.
A few days before that, I mowed the lawn.
Today is it snowing.

It's getting here. Low 50s today, sunny and gusty winds. In the shade however, the strong winds off of the remaining snowpack in the woods was cold, like suddenly riding into a freezer. I hit some dirt roads on a 40 mile tri-state ramble, some mud and puddles but it was a blast.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pslieqrbsf.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pspqjupqmj.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psmcwy7hrb.jpg

It was, but it was mostly fun!

We are right downtown. I had hoped to ride the **** through Kirby to Kingston with the man this weekend but it isn't looking good. I have this head cold from the nether regions of Hades that I was hoping would have cleared up by now.

Although, I think that's the same ****? We've ridden it to a bridge that connects with rt 11. Does the bike route continue that way or is it just semi-safe curb roadway? I've read it heads all the way up past Scranton but towards Hunlock I have no idea. Oh, B won't ride in a street.

Obvious nonlocal here, LOL.

The levee does have gaps. from Kirby Park going north there is about 1/2 mile of road in the Forty Fort area, including the freeway onramps for the cross valley expressway. I don't like that road section.

Going south on the WB side the road section begins at Wilkes University. The roads are very lightly traveled, so I ride the road, but I think you can ride sidewalks too. just turn right whenever you can, and you will see a ramp to the next section of levee that leads to a small passageway through the wall.

once you get to the bridge just cross it on the sidewalk, then at route 11 turn left. I use the signal and walk across... you can ride the sidewalk to the next left and head down a hill about 1 block where you will see a ramp to the next section of levee. that section is the last, and goes about 1.75 miles... at the end is where i start my Plymouth rides.

if you two are ever interested in riding the Lehigh Gorge, I often have room for 2, including bikes. it is gravel or crushed stone, but it is almost as smooth as pavement, and smoother than some roads in WB. ;) it is great to ride through the scenic wilderness. Or if you ever want to do it on your own, you can rent bikes at White Haven or Jim Thorpe. Depending on how far you want to ride, White Haven to Rockport is about 10 miles, and you can shuttle back... or 25 miles all tge way to Jim Thorpe from White Haven. it is all slightly down hill from White Haven heading toward Jim Thorpe.

Tim and I have ridden from Mountain Top to Jim Thorpe, about 36 miles. A few years ago I rode from Jim Thorpe to White Haven and back (about 50 miles)... but this early in the season we start much shorter.

one minor warning, the 1 mile either side of White Haven is rougher than any other section of trail, so if you start at White Haven, don't get discouraged. I have regularly seen road bikes on the trail, so it would be fine with your bikes, but just know if you start there it does get better. :)

First ride yesterday! Felt good. Wish I had time to do it again today before it gets cold again. It'll be here soon!

spring ride pictures and videos! cool!

I know it's coming, but as I get older each year, I have less and less patience waiting for Spring. For me, the riding season is short, so I take it very personally when nature tries to make it even shorter.

Not only am I itching to commute (to bring some joy back to my work days), but I cannot wait to get out there on my mini weekend bike tours this summer.

It doesn't look like Easter/Passover weekend will be the big breakout. Maybe NEXT week?

Yesterday was an incredible day. Wind made it a tab bit chilly but I put in some good miles. Can't wait for it to warm up even more. Going to bike into work on Sunday.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to remember that. We thought that the levees ended at the bridge.

We've ridden that bit of road. He will actually street ride with me there as it is so quiet.

Might just take you up on that one of these days. :) Most roads are smoother than those in Wilkes-Barre, LOL.