tell me about your ride in detail so I can live vicariously through you . . . I’m heading out to plow the driveway in an hour or so (halftime of the OU and KSU game), up to around 8-10" and still going strong . . .
Well, I can’t help, but I can share your misery. I did 40 miles on the CT, then spent an hour behind the snowblower.
I’ll probably get two more sessions with the snowblower tomorrow. Today was it’s virgin outing. So far, it’s money well spent. I lost way too much training time to shoveling and the ensuing soreness last year.
I’m really considering a CT now. I managed to make it through a hour on the trainer today . . . it was tough. I probably won’t be outside again until spring the way it looks.
On the up side, I can make big mounds of snow with the truck and my kids have a ball making tunnels. I hate to admit it, but I even made a few tunnels last year . . .
First, let me just say that I think that riding a bike and playing in the snow are two things that you never outgrow, so don’t feel any shame about it.
Second, although they are a lot of money, I think that the CT is a good training device. I’ve gotten a little faster in the two months I’ve had it, but mostly, I am going faster with less effort, am improving my efficiency, and am able to go much longer than my prior indoor training.
The first time I used the CT, I found out the following:
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My overall efficiency is lousy. High 50’s. I’ve gotten to low 60’s, but still need work.
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My left leg spins better than my right leg, but my right leg generates more power. This boggles my little caveman brain.
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I spin more efficienctly, but at lower output going uphill than I do going downhill at a higher output.
I’m learning more every day. And I am improving.
How’s this for torture: Prior to CT, my long indoor training rides would be three hours on my spinning bike while watching The Fellowship of the Ring, Extended Edition. Now, I can dial in the first loop of IMUSA, and ride the actual course I’ll be racing on next year.
I would love to see some improvements to the system, but as it is, I think it can be very effective.
You might check out the nw system from Performance bike, which came out just after I bought the CT and costs only around $400. It isn’t quite as advanced as the CT, but offers many of its features.
I rode here in Lower Alabama (Florida Panhandle). 39 degrees, cloudy, 10-15 mph NW wind. 18 miles was all the fun I could handle. Gave up and went to the pool.
(halftime of the OU and KSU game)<<
Yeah!! HOW BOUT THIS GAME??? I’m loving it.
Riding outside? No, but I ran in shorts and a t-shirt. Beat the rain.
clm, graduate of Kansas State University, back when they were horrible at football
I rode outside today for a little over an hour. It was in the high twenties, but the streets had mostly melted off.
The most eventful thing was that I almost got hit by Santa Claus. Really. He was driving a Cadillac, and almost turned right into me.
In the past I’ve always reconciled myself to the dangers of road riding by telling myself that since we’ve all got to die, there’d be no better way to do it than enjoying a nice day on my bike and getting a killer tan. Since neither nice days nor killer tans occur in Minnesota during the winter, I think I’m going to put my bike away until spring. I really don’t want to be buried in my windproof tights.
Just a couple more inches of snow and the trails should be groomed!
Me…Me…ME!
It was a blustery (45-ish with 20-30 mph winds) day, but the 20 miles into the wind was definitely worth the 20 miles home!! 
I actually got a little too warm on the short run after.
At this time of year, any ride outside is better than a ride on the trainer. Besides, when we get a day like this in February, I’m tempted to wear shorts!
G
Rode 25 mi. on my fixed gear bike, in upper 40’s, light wind, after Yoga class. Then watched the rather disappointing Hawaii coverage tonite. Did they swim this year? The swim and bike took 25 minutes of coverage. Did they Swim? Oh, I already asked that. Much prefer OLN’s coverage of non Hawaii IM’s.
Here in Texas this morning it was mid-thirties blowing 15-20mph. My buddies called around 6am and I looked outside and touched the window and said “uh… NO!” and went back to sleep. (I later found out they could only muster up 3 people!)
This afternoon it was high-fifties, skies cleared out with no clouds and a 5mph wind. I had an end-of-year coaches’ soccer game, and once that was over I rode a quick 25 miles by myself but it was as beautiful as it gets and I wasn’t going to pass it up!
We had a snow crit today. It was crazy. Here’s the scoop -
Planned 30 min crit. Ended up being five laps Course has brief (200 m) parking lot piece (un plowed, of course!). Then, up the hill. Pretty long little run. Nobody succeeded in climbing the whole hill, so it was kind of more of a cyclocross. then the “feed” station - but the feeder drank the “feed” by the third lap in. Brief flat segment on top of hill - not really worth riding, and then on the bike for seemingly straight down descent. I wiped out completely second time down, but into a foot of powder, wiping out isn’t that bad. Chain kept coming off, though. I finished near the back of the pack unfortunately. Then, parking lot segment. So the whole race only took about ten minutes or so - prob less, looking back. “feeder” rode down the hill on his skies…riding a bike. boot → ski → pedal. amazingly, the skis survived. and he didn’t wipe out.
It was definitely the ultimate study break.
more amazing? i convinced someone to let me use their mountain bike - pretty sure i didn’t break anything. riding in snow that almost buries the hub is good fun. and…math final tomorrow morning at 8:30…so back to studying for me.
'night,
darrell
It wasn’t the cold (40deg) or the dark (like 3’ up a black bull’s butt), so much as the fog. Why I thought a 4am 25-miler into swim practice was a good idea now escapes me.
My headlight cut through the fog about 10’, which at 20mph gave me about .2 secs reaction time to the potholes and roadkill (this is Louisiana, ya know). Luckily most of the coons and nutria were pretty flat already, if I’d hit a big ripe one…urp…
With my blinky red taillight doing a whole hellava lotta good, the courteous drivers speeding in to their pre-work Morons Anonymous meetings usually gave me my obligatory 2" margin of courtesy, while laying down on the horn. By the time I got to the safety of the pool, my poor shell-shocked little adrenal cortex was squooze dry as a cracker (no offense).
The sad thing is, I have a perfectly good CompuTrainer, which I shall never be unfaithful to again. Swear.
Superdave asked me to go riding outside today but it is too cold for me. I am going running and to the pool. I just got back from Thailand: It was 90 degrees every day! This is killing me. I’m losing my tan!
who rode outside today ?
Me! 1 degree celsius, blue sky the whole day, rather windy here in Roth. After two hours my fingers and toes were cold so I rode home.
regards,
Frank
I just got back as a matter of fact. 55-60 degrees in the sun, 50 or so in the shade,light headwind coming back home. Only squeezed in 22 miles today. Did not have it in me to tackle the “mountain”. Mt Diablo, outside of Danville/Walnut Creek in the East SF Bay is a great climb. Looks like 4 days of solid rain for this week so I too may be indoors a bit more than normal this week. Good thing I Just got the newest Government Mule live 4 CD set from May 2003 concert in New Orleans. Crank it up and spin till you drop! It rocks!
Cheers, Karma in Walnut Creek
so much for 8-10", I’m over 30" so far and it is expected to snow tonight and tomorrow morning. Probably end up with 35-40" . . . enjoy your outside rides, I can’t even get out to run now . . .
I got outside this afternoon for 90 mins. It was 35F with a 10mph westerly wind. An excellent ride I must say. Today was the first time I had ridden outdoors on my new Fizik Aliante saddle and Santini Windstopper™ jersey and I must give a BIG thumbs up to both.
I hope you dig out soon.
Sunday here in Tokyo was a balmy 17C with a blistering north wind and crystal clear blue skys. I rode my 90km circuit up the Arakawa river. Cause of the salsa in my veins, I get away with wearing only long leggings, long sleeves, and wind busta vest but my local buddies dress in full winter mode. We usually get snow around the end of December but usually it melts pretty quick.
You missed a pretty good ride Tom. I hit some roads I never have ridden on. I rode west into Ypsilanti, south, then back east through Belleville and Wayne. A little bit of the smooth dirt roads I even caught the very end of the State Cyclo-cross championships at Lower Huron then rode back up home. 3:15 on the fixed gear. I bonked about 20 minutes from home and staggered in to freshly made chicken stir-fry and those decadent Pepperidge Farm’s Mint Milano cookies. It was about 28-32 degrees but not a whisper of wind. Only 13 more weeks of this cold weather and you can get back to your tan.
-SD
I did a century ride here in South Florida today. It was a nippy 70 degrees so I had to cover up, but no big thing.