ridinfool

Ride tomorrow: Weather.com forecasts 39 degrees at 11:00AM, with 15 mph winds. Not ideal weather for southern fair-weather cyclists (of which I am one!). However the sun should be out, so that will help.
Suggestions for driving from Charlotte: Take I-77 south to exit #82-A - US-21 South / Cherry Road toward Rock Hill. Go appx 5 miles; changes to hwy 322 (McConnells Hwy). Continue appx 9 miles, turn left on Brattonsville Rd. Start/Finish should be in the next mile.
This is shorter and quicker than hwy 321 through Gastonia.

VV- Please stop by the bike shop in the morning and get some leg warmers; your knees will thank you, and they will last for years!

Hope to see you all there, as I don't want to ride alone.
Route - https://www.routeslip.com/routes/29682
To start/finish - https://www.routeslip.com/routes/30415

VegaVixen

Thanks for the directions, ridinfool!

I'll have something for my legs tomorrow. I just rode a short 15miles in shorts, SS jersey and windjacket in 50F. That was quite ok, and there were certainly headwinds, too. Hopefully, if I'm moving, it won't feel much worse with something on my legs, at least for the first hour or so. My average speed today in headwinds (and I wasn't trying to push so I wouldn't kill my legs for tomorrow) was 15.1mph. Beuh.

polara426sh, let me know if you want to follow tomorrow, or, if you have room in your truck for my bike (we can lay it in the back <shrug>) I'll ride with you and split gas. Up to you. I'm ok either way.

BikeWNC

VV - Protect your knees! Below 60 degree or so you should start to cover them up with knee warmers then leg warmers as it gets colder. Tomorrow, leg warmers would definitely be in order. You don't want to get tendonitis. You might also have a need for the warmers on the May ride.

BTW, we're having snow flurries right now up here. But we're chill'in having a beer (breaking training) and grill'in beer can chik'in. Salut!

VegaVixen

Thanks for the heads-up, BikeWNC.

I'm grillin' filet mignon here tonight if I can ever get over to the store and pick it up! And I guess I'll treat myself to a beer or two. Gotta carb-load for tomorrow.

polara426sh

If you really want to brave riding down in my truck, that's fine with me. Just as a warning though, I don't have AC(probably won't need it tomorrow anyway) and the radio sucks. If you don't feel comfortable with that, I'll just follow you down. Your call.

VegaVixen

No A/C, no problem. Sucky radio? We can talk. Or I'll sing. (Easy there, cowboy, I'm kiddin'!)

So if you have room for an extra bike, I'm game. I likes me some pick-em-up trucks.

polara426sh

Where do you want to meet at?

VegaVixen

See your PM, polara426sh.

You, too, ridinfool.

VegaVixen

Hey all you CLT area folks. In case you normally don't go to Foo, this is one time you should. Let Scott know we're thinking of him and his wife. He has at least one child. Scott recently had a bad 42mph crash on a downhill, and is still healing himself. And now this....

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=285469

substructure

I went and showed my support. I'll be praying for the family - for sure.

substructure

Finally! I got a chance to ride with my group on Friday. It was a bit cold but we warmed up quick. We were shedding gear the more we rode. Like I've always said, "If you don't like North Carolina weather ... too friggin bad!"

VegaVixen

Hi, sub! Sorry you can't join us this frigid morning. Think of us lunatics, wudja?

We'll all share our thoughts about the course with you later.

substructure

Sounds great. I'm here with my kids. Think of me too. I'm going to clank their heads together before the day is up.

VegaVixen

I'll probably be prostrate on the ground, beating my head against the asphalt, wondering why I hate myself.

bigskymacadam

cold indeed. i'll be the wussy today and stay in on the rollers. will be thining of y'all though.

VegaVixen

WARM and cozy-fuzzy thoughts, I hope!

RidinNC

I'm a new MTB rider and live around the lake. Any suggestions on any good trails around that area? I have visited LNSP and really enjoyed the trails there. Thanks.

VegaVixen

Hiya, RidinNC! <wavin'>

Sorry, baybuh. I'm not a MTB'er, so I'm really ignorant of MTB trails. But I think some of the other people who check in are MTB'ers as well as roadies. And I see MTB's on cars all the time in this area, so I know there is good MTB'ing to be had.

Hey, anybody have some ideas for this new CLT area rider? <curious Vega look>

serotta

Don't know if it's still there, but years ago I used to ride just off I-85 and Poplar Tent Rd.

I'm sure Cool Breeze Cycles in Mooresville will know of several places for MTB riders. You don't have to buy anything, just drop in and ask any of the guys about good MTB trails.

PAlt

Did I mention I hate headwinds... Between cold and winds, a long day in the saddle (4+hrs) today. Hope everyone who rode today got thru the day well. Hope the Easter Bunny calms things down a bit for tomorrow!!!

VegaVixen

No bunny here. Finally thawed out from today's ride. I'll post a ride report tomorrow. Too wiped to do it tonight....

substructure

I found out last night how great my neighborhood is for crit practice. It's a full mile of turns and hills and kids going, "WOW! Did you see that guy." I burnt my legs and lungs up real good - in just ten miles of sprinting and climbing. It really showed me how much I need to improve.

Hey VV, are you planning to go to the Monday night GCC ride? I may be able to. I'll know today.

CycleMagic

how WAS the ride yesterday? we tried to go for a ride, but it was too darn cold and windy. not fun at all!

VegaVixen

I'm planning on joining for the Monday evening ride. Can I tie my bungee cord to you? <curious and hopeful Vega look>

I'll post a ride report tomorrow about my ride with polara426sh. That first two miles of the course is ROUGH. I mean ROUGH, baybuh! Downhill, and you can't crank hard -- the road is so rough, you have to stand up out of the saddle on the pedals, and move your weight back a bit to keep control of the bike! Think MTB'ing! More on this later....

polara426sh

Yeah, the first couple of miles there are absolutely sucktacular.