New Years Eve Ride

A short but sweet ride to end the year. 9/11.1

13,082 Total miles for 2008

Precarious

I've been feeling kind of run down for a few weeks now. Cut back on time and intensity of my work outs to see if I can beat whatever it is. Several friends went down on ice today while walking around. The new snowfall has hidden the ice, but it's still there. So today I just kept things easy and safe at the gym. 0/0

The Rut Continues

Worked out at the gym again today. 0/0

Off The Ice

Stayed off the ice laden trails again today, so worked out at the gym. On a walk with Lynne, later on in the day, we saw three cyclists navigating the ice patches around Lake Calhoun. Maybe the ice will be gone in a few more days and I'll feel comfortable riding again, but for now I'm not interested. I don't know what it is, but I want to keep my face off the road.

This Totally Blows

Major thaw yesterday left all the trails and paths glazed with ice today now that the temps are below freezing. I thought I'd drive to the trail head of the Excelsior LRT, with hopes that the ice wouldn't be bad on the crushed limestone part of the trail. No such luck. I'm heading over to the gym now. Sucks big time. We'll see how long I can last on the elliptical.

Back from the gym and it wasn't too bad, but then my expectations weren't too high either.
2hrs on the elliptical 1/2 hr on the bike.

Off

Another day off the bike.

A Wonderful Christmas Ride

This was perfect winter riding today; not a cloud in the sky, temps starting out in the single digits, only a slight breeze, great company and a nice hard snow pack for the studs to grip into. Everybody Lynne and I came across were smiling and friendly, enjoying the crisp winter air and the bright laser beam sunlight. 25/10.9

Minnehaha Falls

And To All A Good Ride!

Hey! I Want To Go Out And Play

The evil one was feeling a little left out. Apparently it likes to play in the snow too. So I took it out for almost 2 hours. Freshly plowed trails, after a new 3 inches of snow, and temps in the low 20's made for one very happy bike.

20/11.9

Sore Quads

I guess plowing through 4 inches of snow on Saturday, and below zero temps on Sunday put a little more stress on the old muscles than I thought it would.
Wrong time of year for hurting quads, so I went over to the gym, and worked hard at not breaking a sweat. 0/0/0

A Little Brisk This Morning

Old Blue and I started the ride with the actual temp at 12 below 0. Windchill was at 30 below 0. I kept my route very close to home. I'm stupid enough to go out on a day like today, but not so stupid that I'd get stranded too far from shelter. I stayed warm as I passed dog walkers and joggers. We all would nod in each other's direction as we passed acknowledging the very exclusive club we belonged to.

I was patting my self on the back noticing that I was the only cyclist out. That is until I was crossing the canal between Calhoun and Isles. Was it? Could it be...a Birchie? Damn! It was Todd Sample. He looked happy! He was wearing about half the amount of clothing I was! The worst of it...he was heading to Excelsior, which meant he'd be riding farther, much farther than I was.

I was only able to last for two hours. Nothing on my body was colder than anything else, but the cold was really taking a toll. At about 16 miles I passed my place and was fading fast. It was so hard not to turn in and call it a day, but if I went two more miles and then turned around and came back, I'd have put in a nice round even 20 miles. So being the mileage hound I am I kept on turning the crank. I'm pretty sure I set a personal best today for the longest shower. 20/10.9

Oh What Fun It Is To Ride!

What a blast! Four of us took off from the band shell on our snow machines and played and played and played. We rode along the creek, lakes and greenway. Probably about 4 inches had fallen by the time I got home. Some of the trails had been cleared, but that didn't last long. After some hot chocolate at Caribou (they don't make it like I do) with Taylor, I took off on my own and rode the Hopkins loop. A plow hadn't even come close to it. Just kept on turnin' the cranks and plowin' my own path. 35/9.8


Snow Machine Cedar Lake Trail Along 169
Old Blue With a Little Caked On Snow

Minnehaha Creek

Friday Pictures

Off the bike today - play in the snow tomorrow. 0/0/-1

Last Time

Stayed inside for my work out again, so I could go see my granddaughters Christmas concert. It was so delightful to watch her. Big smiles...she'd wave at us from up on the risers. She was so happy to be being watched. I'll take tomorrow off and then hit the trails Saturday. A lot of snow is predicted in the next few days, but I just can't bear staying inside anymore. 0/0/0

That's It!

Tomorrow is the last day in the gym. I just can't take it any more. 0/0/0

Positive

Above zero, but still in the gym. 0/0/0

No Temp Today

Never got above zero today. Guess where I spent two hours. 0/0/0

Ice Cakes

I've been caught in some tough weather conditions before, four inches of snow that had the texture of sand, lightning and thunder so loud it hurt my ears and made me duck, downpours so intense the rain hurt when it hit me, and tornado sirens sounding.
Today Amy and I started our ride in a little drizzle and temps in the upper 30's. About an hour or so into the ride we noticed a wind shift. Our bikes and clothes were wet, glasses covered with water drops, when in less than 10 minutes the water turned to ice. It seemed instantly that my bike had a layer of ice form on it about an 1/8 of an inch thick. My rear derailleur would not move because it became encased in ice. Amy's brakes froze and wouldn't close on her rims.
We were on paths and had mostly stayed off the roads. The paths took a little longer to freeze and we were able to navigate with little problem, but that didn't last. With about 5 miles to home it was a skating rink. Amy had turned off to go home and I was on the Greenway. I kept low to the bike slow, steady, straight with an even pace. Ice was building up on the inside of my fenders and made a crunching swishing sound. I got home upright and safe. I noticed when I got off my bike my footing became very precarious, and I wished I was back on my studded tires. Got in and to my garage without going down. This turned into a memorable (epic) ride for me.

The evil one was worth it's weight in gold today, and it weighs a lot. 36/13.1/0

Winter Riding At It's Best

Started out with 3 other cyclists. We all had various plans for riding so we rode for about 10-15 miles together and then peeled off on our own. With temps in the upper 30's I was tempted again to never come home. I knew better and resisted that, but did go up into Baker and Medina, a little farther than my original plan.

51/14.6/0

Downtown Bikes

Working in downtown Minneapolis today I saw some loyal, two wheeled, steeds waiting patiently for the return of their riders.

Took the day off the bike, but like a true love, I couldn't keep bikes out of my mind. 0/0/-2

Festive Workout

Listened to Christmas music by Trans Siberian Orchestra and Brian Setzer while gliding along on the elliptical this evening. Two hours went by pretty quick. 0/0/-1

Nasium Smasium

Same old two hours at the gym today. No Suspense. Basically uneventful. 0/0/-1

Snow Machine

Couldn't resist the sun (Lynne was right), so with re-inflated tires on the Cannondale to 60 psi, the R.E.D Frequency sitting straight on my head, I set out on a freshly plowed greenway. A staccato hum of three rows of carbide studs played on the patches of pavement left bare by the plow, and fell silent where the snow refused to be moved. Not all the paths and trails had been cleared, but old blue was up to the challenge. The most senior bike in my arsenal, it's the one I rely on to get me across the more torturous terrain.

Clouds absent from their usual overhead position, and fresh white everywhere lit the late afternoon, but produced only the image of warmth.

The last three rides I've been on have been the coldest of this season. No aches in my face during these rides may be leaving me excuse-less. 22/12.2/-1

Butt Cracks and Panty Lines

I walked into the gym and was greeted with an "aren't those shorts a little cold out there"? My response was simple "hairy legs". Apparently he didn't know they don't just win races for you, they even have some functionality.
There was a lot of suspense in Lycra Land this afternoon. Would the tights on the woman in front of me stay on? It was so close so many times, but just as I was certain the next obstacle was her knees, she'd pull them back up recovering the bare facts. It was only two hours today, it just seemed so much longer. 0/0/0

Cold Ride Warm Friends

I love being out, but the cold is so hard on this old body. I'm just worn out from two days of riding totaling 80 miles, and averaging under 13mph. Still both rides were so enjoyable, and riding with great company today made it hard to come home, even though my body was screaming at me to get my butt on the couch. My best friend today is Advil. 34/12.9

It's Hard To See, But It Was Cold Out There!

I was surprised by how nice this ride wound up being. Just took my time enjoying some winter scenery along the LRT to Victoria and Carver Park Reserve. Yeah, it was windy! I saw Pugsley tracks, but never actually came across one. The evil one handled the conditions like a pro. Rumor has it the women canceled their ride for today. 45/12.5

Day Off

Took the day off the bike and from the gym, but put a studded rear tire on the evil one. I should be adequately weighted down for tomorrow's ride, and am better prepared to keep the carbide side down. 0/0/-2

Gym Sucks

It's official, I'm tired of working out at the gym. I'll be off the bike and the elliptical Friday, but will be back in the saddle on Saturday. 0/0/-1

The Wimp Report

Elliptical 2hrs 0/0/-2

30's last month's 40's

Blood is getting thicker. Nice to get out...might be a few days before I'm riding outside again though. The weather is predicted to be cold and windy through the rest of the week.
In years past the cold wasn't too much of a deterrent to me getting out on the bike. However, as the temps have decreased this year, I've noticed the cold is pretty hard on my face. The bones that were broken in my crash ache in the colder temps, which hasn't been an issue in past years. My face didn't hurt today. It seems like temps in the 20's and lower cause the pain. I may just still be recovering a little, or my age is catching up with me. I'll get tired of being inside and venture out eventually, but am just not going to push it. 30/15.2/-4

The Season Of Fattness Ends

Today I started a regimen to lose weight. I'll concentrate on how much I eat, or in other words, count calories. Two hours on the elliptical for my work out today. 0/0/0