Bike fever seems to be high...

I got out for a brief ride today. It was a cold day but almost no wind and beautiful clear skies with a warming, springlike sun shing down. I needed a short 15 or so miles to top 100 for February... a record since I started riding 7 years ago. Got in a short loop from the house and explored a bit of Cedar Creek.

I saw more people out riding today than I expected. Frankly, I was surprised. It seemed there were more people out than I usually see on this route, even when its warmer. And the types of riders were more diverse. A MTB biker cruising on the road (I rarely see this), a racer in full winter kit (see this somewhat regularly), a guy like me (recreational road rider, see these regularly), and a couple, riding upright hybrids (I see this very rarely) cruising along. This all makes me hope that the coming spring will see an upswing of cyclists on the road.

I have a crazy busy week ahead of me and then am out of town next weekend.... so I think I am done for February. So far this has been a great year for my mileage goals. I set personal bests for January and February, I am ahead of my best year ever at the end of March, and I am thinking about upping my mileage goals. I have been shooting for 2000 miles a year for the last 6 years, and have struggled most years to make it. I travel, have kids, and am way over quota on excuses why I can't ride more.

Well, this year, I am trying to ride more but am finding that commuting and having a regular ride, mid week helps alot. Not to mention I am not letting cold or darkness stand in the way. So maybe it is too early to up my miles... my busy travel season is April, May and June. So I will re-evaluate my yearly goals come the end of March. But right now I am expecting to have a best ever year and hope to crush my 2000 mile goal by good percentage.

I am making arrangements to fit in a ride at one or two of my upcoming travel trips so stay tuned for photos and reports from Oklahoma City and Orlando.

Yet another nice night for a ride...

Thursday night is my ride night. I have permission from the family and my schedule is clear. So out I go...
Tonight was cool but another great night. About 12-15 people were out tonight and it was good.

A note to safety... I almost t-boned a truck that did not see me when I was riding solo to meet up with the group. I have a headlight and a flashing light on my helmet. I always try to flash the light at the drivers to be sure they see me. This joker, was following 2 buddies off of K-7 onto Prairie Star Parkway and did not look my way after the others made the left turn across my path. He just followed. I was able to brake, although hard, and he realized his error. So, everyone be careful out there. Drivers still don't see us and we have to anticipate their stupid moves.

Last week and the warm windy weekend...

Kansas weather is amazing. It was mid sixties last Thursday and another great night for a ride and last Friday turned out warm but very windy. Saturday was 70 and Sunday was nice but a little cooler.

The Thursday night group was a bit more spirited than normal. While, usually, this ride is casually natured with some brisk runs from time to time, this night was a much faster pace. Maybe it was the weather or the feel of the coming spring, but the pace was up and it was a great workout. felt good to sweat and feel the legs burn. It was a great night and I find myself really enjoying the night riding. I am looking forward to spring time an some of the area's full moon rides.

Friday was a great temp day and the commute to work was very nice. Temps were upper 30's and very low winds in the morning, but, on the way home it was a different story. The winds were 27 MPH out of the South - Southwest when I looked on Weather.com just before leaving the office. My coworkers thought I was nuts. Of course, my route was South-Southwest directly into the head wind. Really intense. Truly a slog.

I was again amazed at how mental wind is. If I had been trying for a fast ride or was trying to get somewhere fast, it would have been very disheartening. But I was looking for the challenge and bragging rights for braving the wind.

I did jump on the trails by Lake Lenexa to get out of the wind for a short stretch. Even had to dodge a tumbleweed along the trail... it was moving along pretty well when the gusts hit it right.

I did not get out over the weekend. I had kid activities, stuff around the house and a dozen excuses. The wind was blowing but it was a great temperature on Saturday. Sunday was nice as well... I like that cooler weather.


So far this has been a great year for cycling. I am off to my best start in years and have high hope for the coming season. The mild weather (at least not much snow or rain) has really helped, as have the Thursday night rides and the commuting to work, even if it is only one day a week. Maybe this will be the year that I finally feel ready for the MS150, with enough miles under my belt by the start. Every year for the past 6 years I have felt unprepared for the MS150 with not enough base miles. This year I hope to have 4-500 more miles than last year.... about 1300 last year. So if I can get 1700 or better this year by the MS150 in September, I should feel ready.

They just announced that the KS MS150 is moved back two weeks since it was going to conflict with the end of the Tour of Missouri. That helps a well.

See you on the road.

Weather rollercoaster...

Thursday. 60 degrees. In January.
Friday. 30 degrees and falling. Windy.

Welcome to Kansas.

I took advantage of the Kansas weather on Thursday and got out for a night ride with the Thursday night group. The weather was wonderful.... starting in the low 50's and dropping to low 40's by 8:30 or so. Minimal winds and a great group of folks... about 8-10 strong.

This is becoming one of my favorite rides and this night was the best of the best. Not because I had a great average MPH. Not because the sprints were fast, or the paceline was hauling, but because I really enjoyed the company and conversation. Coupled with a relaxed pace, and a georgous night, it was a different side of riding.

When I first starting getting into riding and started calling myself a "fast recreational" rider, what I meant was I liked to go fast and was wrapped up in speed, pacelines, average MPH, and all the high tech carbon fiber aero whata madodads. But I am now finding myself more interested in the "feel" of the ride. The people, the scenery, the purpose beyond speed and such. I love commuting and wish I could do more. I am becoming increasingly interested in bike touring and camping (Upcoming post on this), and am way more excited by fenders, lights and panniers, than carbon fiber and 3 spoked wheelsets. But I degress.

Anywho... a great Thursday ride.

Friday, I commuted. I had been watching the weather and knew it was supposed to start int he low 30's and drop during the day. It was also supposed to be windy. Now I don't get to commute as much as I would like, and I am somewhat embarrassed to even call my self a commuter given the minimal number of times I commute each year. So I was determined to do this commute... and I have been finding that the cold is really not that big an issue... so I was gonna commute come hell or high water.

Turned out the be cold and windy.... but I was overdressed going in and about right on the way home.I took a shortcut home that helps me avoid a large hill and cuts 2 miles off the return. While not normally one to shy away from a hill and more miles, with the cold and the nasty wind, I was willing to give up on the joys of the hill to avaid the cold. This shortcut is not officially open yet. with about 100 feet still left to be paved. I love having the 32c tires and had no issues "off roading it".
Many people at my office thought I was nuts for riding in the cold. I kinda like the crazy label.

Sunday...

Got out for a short ride on Sunday, enjoying the warmer Kansas weather. Of course, it was windy... it's always windy in Kansas.


I was trying out my new bag... an Axiom Rear trunk bag. I have this bag thing... I have been messing with different panniers for the commute and wanted something for shorter rides for misc. stuff. I an not a huge fan of handlebar bags. They make steering more difficult and they are a large block to push through the wind. So I thought I would try a small trunk bag. So far I like it. I am planning on doing an entry on my bag search.... the 4 pairs of panniers I have gone through, the 3 handlebar bags, etc. I'll do that some day when it is cold and wet out.
Kansas has been weird with the weather... but whats new. I try to get out when it is sunny, not gail force winds and the temps are above 30. So far, January has provided me with more miles in 2009 then any other year.

Night riding...

Thursday night was a wonderful night for a ride. Winds were low, temps right at 32 and holding or even rising (crazy Kansas weather).

I had to take my son to swimming practice but used the opportunity to take in a ride while he was swimming. I met up with the Bass Pro Thursday night riders a couple of miles into their ride and rode back through Olathe and to the gas station at Cedar Creek and K-10. We enjoyed a small belated New Years toast provided by Badgerland, and then took off for Prairie Star Parkway ehading East. PSPW is, essentially, 95th street West of Renner. It is a great section of road and is 4 lane, devided and well lit. Currrently their is not a lot of traffic. PSPW from Cedar Creek to K-7 is just being finished and is full of roundabouts (you know, those crazy traffic circles that are supposed to keep trafic moving and confuse Kansans who have not driven on the east coast or in Europe). There are 5 I think in less than a 1/2 mile on this stretch of PSPW.

This section is also a hoot to ride. Currently the street lights are not fully lit, and in the darkness, it is fun to blast along. There is still some construction as you near K-7 and the road narrows due to construction cones.

Once you cross K-7, the road is well lit and 4 lanes divided. The group was breaking up as many of the 10 or so riders rode to the ride and were taking their leave and sprinting for home. I continued on with 2 others to PSPW and Renner where I turned around and went all the way back to K-7 and took the road that wraps around by Smiley's Golf Course. This was a wonderful, dark, traffic free stretch of road. I loved this section of hte ride the most.

Then it was back onto Woodland and back to the school to pick up my son.

I was dressed perfectly for this ride and the new wool worked wonderfully. A tip from Badgerland on layers and I was able to enjoy the 26 miles at 32 degrees in comfort.

Kansas weather....

What a day Sat. was. The weather called for low 50's, but that was not to be. Instead it shot up to the mid 60's. It made for a fantastic day for a bike ride.

I got out with my regular riding partner, Mark, and did a loop from DeSoto to Gardner lake and back. 27 miles or so. Started out dressed for low 50's but it was soon apparent that we were over dressed. Started peeling layers at the 2-3 mile mark. Here's Mark losing a layer.
The roads were a bit wet and I wished I had fenders, but I was riding the go fast bike today (Lemond Road Bike) not the commuter. It was amazing how fast the roads dried out. We were only out an hour and a half yet we started on wet pavement and it was dry by the time we got back.

I had an interesting sensation during this ride. Iwas wearing my black tights and at one point, on the ride back north, with the sun at my back, my butt was burnin'up. Yes, the thermal power of the sun was so intense that is was almost too much. Now, I am not complaining... a little bit of intense sun this time of year is very welcome. Makes me wish for spring.

Then there is today, Sunday. I am showing 14 degrees and a wicked wind. That's Kansas weather for ya.