JayBlurr

Upgraded the Raleigh Wyoming Touring, new fork and wheels. Took it through a quick ride around The Charles, it was a nice day, a few gust but not too bad. Joggers need to wear one head phone and have to stop jumping in to the lane without looking. Almost killed a squirrel as they were in a group I was passing them and they scattered. One suicidal squirrel ran right in front of me, it was a hair away from being road kill.

jimmuller 

I survived "The day JJScaliger tried to kill me".

SBP, I was not so far from your ride today. JB, rather far from yours though, and considerably more rural. I met BF member JJScaliger in Coventry , RI, and we rode northwest to Quinebaug, CT, then south through Woodstock, Pomfret, Brooklyn, and Canterbury, then east through Central Village, Moosup, and Sterling, and (eventually) back to Coventry. By JJS's computer it was 70.64 miles. That's 6 miles more than the required birthday total.

It was a cool day but not too cold. Traffic was light early, though JJS kept saying it was heavier than normal. The ride was wonderful and bucolic, but danged hilly! I think JJS said it had over 3000ft of climbing. Even with the custom low gears on the Masi there were a few hills I had to stand on the pedals, not my preferred way to slog up long hills. However we kept slogging and made it to the tops. As far as I know I'm not still out there slogging up a hill. We pushed harder than I would have by myself because we were chasing the sunset, trying to get back to the cars before dark. JJS had no trouble though. He's a strong rider! It was spectacular day.

JJS's De Rosa and my Masi:


A covered bridge in Coventry (I think), with tolls posted:



Some Woodstock sights:

rholland1951

Jim,

Happy birthday! Sounds like a great ride.

rod

sherbornpeddler

Jim,
A belated second to Rod's birthday wishes. I didn't pick up on your extra 6 miles meaning the 18th. I guess I noticed the road toll and still don't see signs of rode toll. Would I get any forgiveness if I suggested 16 might be a more expected number for the delta between your birthday and your ride?

Congratulations on what looks like a terrific ride in an interesting area.

jimmuller 

Thank you, Rod and SBP (bad puns and all, heaven forbid it was troll bridge, paying a troll can be costly).
Well, the 18th was three days late but we had a crisis at work on Thursday which ruled out taking the day off, now didn't it? Crises always come up at the last minute. Otherwise they wouldn't be crises.

So I should go with 54, is what you're saying? I keep hoping for the wisdom of 64 and the body of 34 but it usually works out the other way around. I must say, riding with strong riders (such as yourself or JJS) can be humbling. That's not a bad thing. I sometimes have a hard enough time acting my age anyway, so I'll take whatever I can get.

FWIW, the birthday ride concept is a "thing" they do over in the 50+.

Obligatory "Did you ride?" content: Oh, I did ride the Blackstone again this afternoon.

sherbornpeddler

Dear 54 year olds and others,
Another nice day today riding the obligatory Strawberry Hill in Dover. The news is I did it on my single speed and tightened up the Brooks saddle. The saddle was better and the ride was better than I expected.

JayBlurr

Nice day, went for another ride through Storrow Drive decided I'd go farther down to Watertown. Completed around 30 miles today. Time to start shopping for a decent pair of sew-ups I enjoy them so much compared to clinchers. Any suggestion, looking to spend $60-$80 for a nice pair?

jimmuller 

Nice pics. That's a nice run through there. You can follow that path on one side of the river or the other, paved except for one short section, nearly all the way to the center of Waltham.

Can't help you with sew-ups. You have experience with sew-ups to judge them yea or nay? Then you must know that they can't be swapped on the same rims. You'll need complete new wheels or you will have to restring your hubs. Either way it isn't a cheap conversion. However there is a big difference in feel between different clincher tires. I like the Panaracer Pasela as a very good inexpensive tire. The TourGuard version has an aramid anti-puncture belt. I've ridden a few clinchers I seriously didn't like. If you are willing to spend some money and your rims can handle really high pressures, consider the Vittoria Open Corsa EVO SC. The 23mm is rated at max pressure 145psi. I run these on my Masi. They seem to roll foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

JayBlurr

I have 2 sets of tubulars, Mavic Mach 2 CD on Dura Ace Hubs and Mavic GP4 on Miche Pr1mato hubs, tires the Mach's came with are Continental Sprinters and the GP4's are hutchinsons. Might have to go over the budget and spend a little more.

sherbornpeddler

JayBlurr, I also like that trail. Heading east, I pick up a western chunk at the Old Norumbega Park aka Marriott at Rt. 30 and the Pike. OK, I really try to but in truth go out to Comm Ave and go in at Lyons Field on a dirt trail or pavement on Lexington to Rumford and meander roads to Prospect then the cool DCR trail to Moody and the Industry and Tech Museum next to Moody. After crossing the river again I follow the Blue Heron stencils on Elm and back on the trail for good to Watertown.

JayBlurr

Yeah, its a nice trail better than the Minute Man I'd have to say, not many stops and no tree roots raising the pavement. My first time venturing that far out on a newly upgraded Raleigh. Round 2 is going to be Friday, trying to improve my average speed and time on Strava, I want to roast the Midnight Marathon come April.

Edit: also burn all that turkey and fixings I will be inhaling on Thursday.

telkanuru

Up the MM and down again today, first time in 2 weeks (I've been lazy). Saw a woman walking her goats. No, really. What?

sherbornpeddler

Tel, you are observant and insightful.
I was just at a Sustainable Community meeting where I learned Massachusetts ranks #1 in public transportation including bicycling. I think I heard over 1% of our population commute by bicycle.

I'm also aware traffic calming techniques contribute to safety. The speaker half heartedly noted congestion on trolleys and trains slow things down and make it safer. Round-abouts, narrowing the roads down at certain points, bike lanes, raised sidewalks, even pedestrians calm traffic.

So, biking and goat walking help make us #1. Thank you!

rholland1951

Heidi?

rod

telkanuru

Hah, didn't know she was a regular. It was just past the parking lot in Lexington.

Oh, and as the Romans used to say, diem gallopavonis felicem uobis!

rholland1951

Wedged a 10-mile ride to Lexington Center on the Minuteman into the mid-afternoon, before going home to cook (we're on a later schedule than many). Cool and quiet ride, contemplative mood. Saw several really little kids (3? 4?) on really little, really real (two wheels, pedals) bikes, riding along under the watchful eyes of a parent; the little tads were staying in their lane, if not neccesarily holding their line; at that age, I was terrorizing cats on my tricycle... Saw a middle-aged man doing some sort of martial arts sword exercise in the little park at Dow Ave., Lexington. The Arlington DPW has nuked some of the roots on the Minuteman between the Lexington line and Brattle Street. They did a good job, hopefully they'll finish the job before the weather stops everything.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

rod

mtalinm

hey folks, been off the bike for a few months with a torn calf muscle. just getting going, and ride to work for the first time last Friday.

today I had a special treat: my phone rang with a call from "Jim from Boston"! he said that he was going to ride home from where he works in Norwood and did I want to join him. so I rode from Westwood down to the hospital, met up with him, and rode back.

https://app.strava.com/activities/28944563

we are both pretty slow right now, but it was sure good to see him on two wheels!

jimmuller 

mt, your name has been absent for some while. It's good to see both of you back up!

rholland1951

Amen! Welcome back!

rod

rholland1951

10 miles on the Minuteman this evening, dark and cool. Had the trail to myself in Lexington, only a little company in Arlington. Saw what were probably the first few winter moths of the season, critters in an equivalence class with purple loosestrife as superficially aesthetic destructive invasive species; there goes the neighborhood. Spit at one, missed it.

rod

mtalinm

15 miles isn't much, but it's the most since my injury. averaged 12, like to get it up to 13 on the next ride:

https://app.strava.com/activities/29177185

sherbornpeddler

Mtalinm!

Mtalinm with Jim from Boston.

Welcome back. Getting out on a nice ride and posting it is a Thanksgiving gift.
Thank you!

sherbornpeddler

I went for a single speed tour de Sherborn and neighbors on a nice, cool day. I saw more families out on Thanksgiving weekend walks than kitted up, pelotoned cyclists cranking training miles and out of sync winter moths combined. I saw one tree out of sync with Sandy.

rholland1951

Rode to Depot Park, Bedford, and back, starting at dusk, 20 miles. Temperature in the high 30s, a blustery headwind outbound turned into a comfy tailwind on the return; from time to time my speed and the wind speed would match, and I found myself riding in still air; at other times the wind was loud in my ears. The winter moths are definitely back, in little fluttering flurries, supplemented by windblown leaves like the ghosts of dead bats; live bats would have been better, might have eaten a few moths. Had the Minuteman to myself for more than ten miles, empty West of Lexington Center.

rod

jimmuller 

Rod had the MM to himself yesterday. Today we had the BF to ourselves, except for a few pedestrians and joggers. After getting home last night from a train ride down to Virginia to visit my family, my sweetie really wanted to do a bike ride today. It sure beats going to the gym for an hour. So despite the weather (cold and windy) we did 28.9 miles, Bedford to Chelmsford and back.



Interestingly, our neighborhood has had far fewer winter moths this year, and fewer last year than the year before. In fact, I've seen almost none. I'm hoping that some natural biological development is responsible.