WINTER STORM Q IS COMING MY WAY

Trail riding lately seems to have me on my toes and the edge of my seat. The reason ICE. Most of the trails have thawed, melted the snow and refroze. Note the picture below of what the trail looked like and what I did not want to look like.

 

 

But now "WINTER STORM Q" is coming. This weekend should be lotz of fun riding snow mobile trails on my FatBack. I'll lift weights, stretch and ride indoor stationary bike on the days after work this week and hope for a couple of long fun filled days of outdoor riding this weekend.  

 

 

Seems every year about this time I get the urge for some long hot gravel rides. My Trek XO2 cycle cross is ready to please. I ordered a pair of tubeless wheel sets primarily for reduced flats.   I took that bike out for a ride around town and it felt fast and zipppy being I've been riding the FatBack exclusively since last October.

A couple of pictures of hot summer riding below.

 

Cooling down with the water hose after cooking myself out riding.

 

 

All righty thats it.

Things and other things.

I took tomorrow off from work. For one reason and one reason only. So I could ride my fat tire bike all day on country trails. My bicycle is packed and we are waiting for sunrise. I anxiously wait. Meanwhile I leave you with these photographs.

 

 

 

Riding with the pack.   

 

My new Fat Tire rig.

Riding with Albert

Having a stare down contest with the little man. He is starting to break me.

Waiting for the bus.

Rain and ice...

Woke up to pouring rain on icy streets. Began to ponder how do I manage riding in this? Riding indoors on a stationary bike for me is mentally painful and I can handle only an hour it seems, that's it. Riding for hours outside is mentally delightful for me. So therefore is the reason I have bikes for all seasons and clothing to follow.

Checking the radar showed most of the rain storm would be passed through by noon. So I visit with my papa and then riding it would be.

The ride out of town on a paved trail on hard packed snow was a rough ride over frozen foot prints on slick ice. A lot of hard bouncing

Riding today took a lot focus to keep the tire side down. Slick wet ice was most the ride.

 

At 20 miles out and a couple of close calls of almost going down on the ice I decided to turn around. Take my time and get home without bodily damage.  Trying to keep my focus was first on my agenda. Watching every rut, the changes in ice and snow as I rolled along. Having went down hard last year and ending up having rotator cuff surgical repairs I wanted to avoid that feel you get before you crash and one of your tires starts to slide slightly to the side. Which is almost always followed by a hard body slam to the  ground.

RIDING WITH THE PACK

Twas a fun day. Went riding with some local "Fatties" Some fun hills, some icey snowmobile paths and good times.
Spose to be all day freezing rain tomorrow. I need to ride. I have the hankering for a long distance, listen to music, get out there and ride day. So that's my plans.
Thinking about this race. The Birkie. Need to pull the trigger soon. Legs have been pedaling well lately. Peace.
Dave

Just been riding around...

HAPPY GROUND HOGS' DAY.

Been riding and such. Seems the more I can get out on my bike and ride countryside the less anything else worries me. Makes no sense I suppose, but it doesn't have to.
We got a good dumping of snow this week, some of the trails I rode today were covered with virgin snow, I found myself pushing my bike for a couple of miles in some places.

Pedaled through this section, was slow going at around 4 mph. Plowing and sliding through the snow. Two critters came this way before me but I was the first human being.

Riding last weekend it started to rain and it started to freeze. I was riding on gravel and about 14 miles out my wheels started to slide side to side dangerously. My biggest fear of crashing down hard on frozen ground is breaking body parts that will keep me off the bike. I was thinking this is getting too dangerous, time to turn around and call today's ride over. So I did. The problem was everything had turned to glazed ice. There were some times that I had to get off the bike and shuffle my feet forward and use the bike to help hold me up. Slowly making it home, home sweet home, with out any broken body parts.

 

JUST SAYING

 

 

 

Cheers to you,
Dave