kaos joe

Ha, the old bear joke......

Going IN 3 weeks, FOR 1 week. It's tough to carry more than a weeks worth of food. Not going to see much woods, as we will be above treeline within a few miles of the trailhead.

The only times I've encountered bears have been in NY. My wife's backpack was torn to pieces years ago at Lake Colden (not wearing it at the time!). We are careful to take the proper precautions, carry CounterAssault, use food canisters, etc. Still, as night falls, one tends to look out into the gathering dark, and wonder.

Steve B.

I recall being solo in a lean-to at Marcy Dam one night as a momma bear and cubs hit lean-to after lean-to as I watched the noise and flashlights. My food bag was dangling from a nail at the front of the LT. Also had a hanging bag stolen at Lake Colden one morning. They now require bear canisters as well.

I will be camping at Forked Lake, ADK's this coming weekend, canoeing and stuff, with some buddies I've known 45 years. They got me into the woods stuff. We are careful to bring coolers that'll fit in the bear boxes. Gotta keep the beer cold.

kaos joe

Steve,

ADK bears seem smarter than most. There was a sow at Marcy Dam that figured out how to open BearVault canisters, so that brand was taken off the approved list. I remember hearing about people at Colden resorting to putting food in dry bags and sinking them in the lake with stones.

It sounds like we both have some good times to look forward to, although cold beer is a luxury my group won't have until we come down.

Someone I fear is going to tell us to get back to bikes. Enjoy your trip!

kaos joe

Back to bikes. Very very humid out here in the mornings, but beautiful day. We wanted to get back early for breakfast, so not a long ride, mostly the same route as I posted Monday. But a nice variation which we did today takes a right turn near the north end of Springs-Fireplace Rd onto Old Fireplace Dr., which loops around 180 degrees and turns into Gerard Dr. This takes you down the length of a long sparsely populated peninsula, with almost no car traffic and beautiful views of Napeague Bay and the entrance to Accabonac Harbor. It's a dead end out-and-back but quite nice, with a beach at the end for riders inclined to take a dip. I was sorely tempted. I was really feeling the humidity and today, the stoker could have clamored for "40!" till she was blue in the face. On the way back we pulled into Hither Hills and I stuck my head under the beach shower. 37 and off to breakfast.

GlennR

Just finished a "stupid" hot ride. It wasn't bad when i was moving, but once i stopped at a light the sweat came pouring out. Even though I was doing 17mph with a breeze, the skin on my arm and leg was burning from the sun. I decided to alter my route for one with some shade. I also cut the mileage short since I was drinking about twice as much water as I normally do.

23 miles @ 15.6mph, 821c, temp was 93*F at one time.

kaos joe

We did a "stupid humid" (hey, I like that) ride. It congealed this morning into a thick fog, way too dangerous for a ride. We attempted to wait it out but gave up & drove west to Amagansett where it was mostly gone. Did a meander along the coast to Bridgehampton with a bit of random exploring. Shortest ride of our vacation due to late start, at 35 miles. Enough, in these conditions, and back in time for an early lunch. Now the sun is shining overhead but fog is blowing in from the ocean like smoke from a brush fire.

GlennR

Got new wheels and tires for the SuperX. Zipp 30 Course and Bontrager AW2 TLR 32mm. So since this is my "rain" bike, it was time to break them in. It never poured, but it did rain on and off. I took shelter under a overhang when it got harder. But it quickly stopped and I mostly dried off.

The tires are much better than the knobby 35mm I have on the stock wheels. These actually hold the road and you can corner. They're really comfortable, I tried 60/65PSI to start.

I just did 22 miles and other than the rain in my eyes, it was a fun ride.

GlennR

Nice cool afternoon ride. 18 miles was all i had time for.

kaos joe

"Nice cool afternoon" sounds like heaven. We rode over 200 miles last week, in the mornings while on vacation, and it seemed every ride was just an epic sweatfest. Unfortunately today both jobs had their teeth into me, so no fun.

kaos joe

Epically gorgeous when I got home this morning! But I had only had 5 hours sleep since Tuesday morning, so the choice was clear. Walk the dog and hit the......road of course. Rode up to Caumsett and ate a Clif bar for breakfast, looking out over the Sound. Very nice. I meandered a bit on the way home and stretched a usual 47 miler into 51.

I saw a guy walking on the B'page MUP wearing a military type gas mask, otherwise unremarkably dressed. I don't THINK I was hallucinating.

GlennR

Afternoon ride with my sons friend. 25 miles @ 16.4mph

kaos joe

Ughh. Another sweat fest of 41 miles through Huntington Bay. We both felt sluggish for some reason today. Last week we rode longer, faster, and it was hotter, and we felt better.

I guess every once in a while an off day comes along.

Steve B.

Nice 21 this AM, first time I could ride in bike shoes in a mos., broken toe finally feeling OK. Local route thru Baldwin, RVC, Franklin Sq.

Not too hot or humid, felt strong (or motivated at least) after only 5 rides in 4 weeks.

At least I won't burn out in Sept. Like I usually do after riding hard all summer, yuk, yuk.

GlennR

30 miles @ 15.5mph and 1000c

Not as bad as yesterday, but still hot.

kaos joe

Good for you guys! I don't mind heat as long as it's not humid.

Working again tonight, so had to get some sleep today. Shaping up to be a good week, hopefully.

Papa Tom

Our outdoor concerts ended Saturday and, after a weekend of sleepover company, I had the day off today (Monday). All I really wanted to do was crash and burn, but instead, I took a 6:40am-ish train from Syosset to Port Jeff and did what amounted to a 36-mile ride out to Riverhead.

Initially, I used my roundabout route through Rocky Point, but when I saw how fast the ride was going, I suddenly got the bug in my head to race out to Greenport to try to catch the lone train out in the afternoon. At this point, I switched over to 25A for a shorter ride, but when I reached Calverton Cemetery and realized how close I was to my parents' graves, I just had to take the detour and go see them. This little side trip, plus the wrong turn I took out of the cemetery, put me too far behind on time to try to make Greenport, so after correcting my route, I set my sight on Riverhead again. Has anyone seen that little Grumman Memorial Museum right where 25A and 25 meet in Calverton? That cost me another 15 minutes or so, too.

I arrived in Riverhead well before my 1:22pm train, so I detoured over to Rt 58 and had an awesome lunch at Chipotle before continuing on to downtown. That place is some study in contrast, eh? One block is filled with tourists visiting the museums and riverside shops; the next block looks like the worst row of crack houses you've ever seen on a TV cop show. I tell ya, I had some interesting conversations with people who just kept popping up out of the alleyways.

The Riverhead LIRR station was quite scary, so I tooled around the aquarium area (looking for a tourist decal for my bike) for a good hour or so. The train ride home was about 2 1/2 hours and involved three different trains. Not really worth it.

Otherwise, this was a good ride -- as any ride is. I probably won't do it again, but I am glad I followed through and didn't stay in bed this morning.

GlennR

I will never complain how hot it is on Long Island. I'm in West Palm Beach, visiting my mom, and it was 96* with 92% humidity this afternoon.

It was like a steam room.

I'll be hone in a few days and looking forward to riding on a mild 87* day.

Papa Tom

Gonna be in the mid 90's with off the charts humidity on Long Island today -- and the weekend doesn't look any better. Stay in West Palm Beach!

GlennR

Went out at noon for a short ride. I decided to cut it short due to the heat... 93*, 15 miles @ 15mph.

I should get my head examined.

Steve B.

It's not actually as bad as yesterday, the humidity is a touch lower.

Still it was hot this AM at 7;15, did 30 with a buddy and his daughter. The SW breeze actually was welcome. We did some service road and saw very few riders out today.

Amazing how tiring riding in the heat can be though.

Papa Tom

I thought I was the only one out today.

It took a lot of boredom and some coaxing from my wife, but I suited up and headed to Cedar Creek at about 1:45 for a ride to the ocean. My car thermo read 96 degrees when I arrived, but the breeze in wantagh made it almost tolerable.

I have to admit, I almost turned around at the first bridge. The wind was rough and the breeze was so hot that it seemed to singe my chest when I inhaled. I was the only person out there heading in either direction, so I could have easily turned around and maintained my cool -- although I probably would have confessed to you guys anyway. I kept going, promising myself that if I made it to the second bridge, I would give myself permission to abort. As I approached the second bridge, the breeze got a little cooler, so I decided to forge ahead. Before I knew it, I was entering the almost abandoned parking lot of the Jones Beach Theater, where I proceeded to the snack bar to refill my water bottles and gorge myself on some salty chips. I guess it was even too hot for the bay today, but the ocean side didn't look a whole lot busier.

Of course, the ride back to Cedar Creek was a dream. The breeze was still hot, but it was propelling me from behind so forcefully that I had to forgive it. All of a sudden, I noticed there were cyclists and bladers everywhere, as if they had all waited to see if some idiot (me?) was going to be the first to get on the path today.

Once again, I am happy I prodded my lazy butt to get out there and ride. I couldn't imagine being on the service road (rather than by the ocean) today, though. You, sir, are crazier than I am.

Steve B.

After Muttontown, the north side of the LIE was during a period when it was cloudy, so we lucked out. Plus had a SW breeze so it was OK, then turning at Jericho and had the shade all the way back as the sun was still low in the sky (8:30 ish). Only hot heading south back to BP. It could of been worse.

Ferdinand NYC

I didn’t get out to Long Island during these last four days, doing all my riding in New York City. But I just wanted to say that the riding has been wonderful. I love this weather, and I took vacation days on Thursday and Friday just to revel in nature's bounty.

I rode 50 miles per day during this four-day period. There is literally nothing better than riding on a day such as we've had lately. Not sex, not pizza. Nothing. I wish it could be like this all the time. These are the kinds of days that remind us that it's good to be alive.

Papa Tom

I don't mind riding a 50-miler in this weather if there's a reward at the end, like a dunk in a hotel pool. Otherwise, the 10 miles up-and-back I rode to the beach today was just enough for mid-90's temps. Perhaps if I was a beach swimmer, it would have been different.

I can definitely understand your affinity for riding in heat and humidity, though.

kaos joe

Slowest. Ride. Ever.

My wife & I went out on our own yesterday, intending to do a short ride up the B'Page path & back, and determined to do no more sweating than actually necessary to go fast enough to stay upright. And we stuck to that, even when we were passed by a gentleman ON A MOUNTAIN BIKE WITH A KICKSTAND. Very amusing, that, and a definite first. We both detest this weather.

So faced with a similar forecast, I did the only sensible thing, and fled. So here I sit in the cool, dry and thin air of mile high Red Lodge MT. 4 of us are out here and intend to head on foot into one of those big blank spots you see on the map in the cell phone store. We will be mostly around 10,000 ft and need to acclimate a bit. So no bikes for me for over a week. Stay cool, everyone.