Slog...

Went for a slog today. I define slog, at least in the riding context, as a difficult and unpleasant ride. Today it was SW winds at 25 mph or so. But my need for some miles meant a slog was in order.

I took off down towards Gardner. It was a great temperature day, but the wind was brutal. The cross wind was not bad while heading east or west, but the south head wind sucked. I planned the ride so that I could slog through the headwind down to Gardner on the way out and ride the tailwind, north back into DeSoto. The wind was indeed brutal going down, but the tailwind home was a hoot.

I rode the commuter bike today. Full fenders really helped keep much of the grime off the bike. Everything was wet and gritty and the bike is in need of a cleaning.... I will get right on that after tomorrows ride, since they are calling for rain in the morning.... so it may be a wet ride tomorrow.

A couple of notes regarding the wind.

1) When I rode around Gardner lake, I went along the Northern edge. The lake is still frozen.... so the 25 mph wind from the south meant for a 10 degree drop in temp right at the north side of the lake... that'll wake you up.
2) The wind is mental. Totally. It is harder riding and slower, but very ridable as long as you aren't trying to keep that blistering average speed. I took today in much better mental form that usual. Likely do to the need of the miles and the promise of the tailwind ride for the last 10 or so miles.
3) One of my favorite bike riding experiences is the change in sound you get when you turn with the wind. That noise of the wind in your helmet when riding into a head wind or a cross wind can be very tiring.... but turn so that the wind is at your back, and the wind goes silent.... all you hear is your tires on the road.... I love that sound, or lack of. Probably my favorite riding experience.

37 miles today... 55 to go.

Oh, and I forgot the camera.... doh.

Oh so cold...

So, Saturday.... cold and windy. Temp was 23 and a cold NW wind was blowing. I had to ride.... why? Well, here is my challenge.


I am trying to ride my bike, outside (no indoor miles count) a total of 2000 miles a year. Now, this is not as epic as some riders out there, but it is a realistic stretch goal for me. See, I travel for work, 98% out of state, I have 3 kids and a wife who works outside the home. So with travel, running kids around and schedule issues, I can't ride as much as I would like. I try to commute one day a week, which is all I really can manage, and that only happens about half the time. I am trying to increase that over the next year. I ride most weekends and ride year round. So, this year I am currently, as of today at 1908 miles. 92 to go.

92 is not too bad.... unless the roads stay snow and ice covered or the temps stay in the single digits. But, I am bound and determined to get those 92 miles.... and just by placing those words here, I am really committed to it. The last few years I have missed the 2000 mile goal by as little as 200 miles..... which is hard to make up in a few days. But this year I am SOOOO close... that I really want it. So stay tuned.

So, back to Saturday. 23 degrees, brisk NW winds. I bundle up like this....

and head out the door. Layers are:

Head:

• Thick Balaclava
• Helmet
• Helmet cover

Body:

• Thermax Turtle Neck
• Long sleeve Jersey
• Thin down vest (that my mother made from a kit 30 years ago)
• Wind shell

Legs:

• Regular tights
• Rain pants

Feet:

• Winter socks
• Regular cycling shoes
• Neoprene booties

Hands:

• Glove liners
• Thick ski gloves

Roads are generally clear although on some of the lesser used roads there are patches of ice and such....
so I have to be careful. I found no issues with ice that I could not ride around or navigate with caution.

I did miscalculate one thing.... the NW wind was a tailwind going out.... so... of course.... a headwind coming home. And it got more intense as the ride went on.... doh. Add to that the cold toes I was experiencing and it was a miserable return.

Got home fine. Was plenty warm except for the feet. Toes were cold. Really need something different in the sock dept. These were not wool.

I also found that the layers I had one, while working fine for an hour and a half ride, would not have worked for a whole lot longer.... mainly due to the fact that I was condensing inside my layers and would have soon started to get cold. I think I need to invest in wool.

So, weather looks like this:
(OK, so it's hard to read) Looks like Friday, Sat and Sunday will be nice enough to get some miles in. I may be able to get a small ride in Monday or Wed., but with all the holiday stuff and I am working 3 days this week, I may have to rely on Friday, Sat and Sunday. I still think the 2000 is possible.... may the weather hold.

Boring little practice route....

Or not.

After yesterdays so-so ride, I was not wild about getting out today. I spent the morning doing more yard work so I really did not want to go out. I really find that I am better in the morning.... if I wait till the afternoon, I find I lose my motivation. But I know I needed the miles and the weather forcast looks cold and wet for the the coming week or so.

Anyway, I was planning a short hour ride on a 14-18 mile, boring route I use when I have limiter time. I took the commuter bike instead of my go fast bike, since I have been having flatting issue on the go fast. My route takes me east of K-7 on Prairie Star Parkway (95th Street) and passes over a new section of streamway trail. I have always wondered where the trail went and decided to take them today. The trail south went into the neighborhood and I continued around a loop that was part of my planned route that took me up by Smiley's golf course and back to Prairie Star Parkway.

When I got back to Prairie Star Parkway I went back to the trails, and headed North. What a nice stretch of trail. I am not a trail fan, not for serious riding, but this is close enough to my house that i could bring the kids. And, as I found out, it heads North to Lake Lenexa at Black Hoof Park. I had been to the area before, but never actually been to the dam or around the park. I took advantage of this ride, and rode all the way around the lake.

I wish I had the camera with me. I had left if at home since I was planning a boring route... dang it.

The dam is really something else. It is very artistic and I would love to see it when the water is flowing.... I can't even begin to describe it.

I continued around the lake on the "soft surface" trail on the south side of the lake... I am very glad I have the commuter... 32c tires make a huge difference, althought this trail is not MTB material by any means.

I really enjoyed exploring the lake area and in spit of my soreness from the weekend, oh, and the cold I seem to have.

We shall see what the folloing week brings for weather... I am traveling to Los Angeles mid week... maybe I can bring some sun back with me.

Not my best day...

Got out Saturday... I spent most of the day working around the yard. Thought I would wait for the day to warm up. I was somewhat sore from some furniture moving Friday night and all the yard work on Sat.

I took off and had a flat with within 2 miles of home. I thought about turning around and calling it quits. But I needed the miles and I am pretty good at fixing flats, so I decided to fix it and continue. Now, I rarely flat. I mean very rarely, but have flatted twice on the same tire in the last 100 miles. So maybe its time for me to look at new rim strips or other things.... but, I think it's the tires. These are continentals, some cheap on sale tires I bought early this year. They seem to pick up stuff... like small fragments of rocks that stay embedded and work their way into the tire and eventually puncture the tube. My last flat was a rock and this one seemed to be a rock as well..l small pointy rocks. I think new rim strips and new tires are in order.
SO.... I continued on. I felt so so and with the soreness from the furniture moving, I really felt weak. Add to that the head winds and I did not feel at my best.

I completed the 27 miles with no other issues and, while I did not feel my best, I was glad for the miles.

Annual Thanksgiving Day Ride

Every year I try to ride from my house to my mother in laws for a massive recovery meal. I live at the very western edge of Lenexa and she lives in Raymore. It is right at 41 miles by the route I have now ironed out.

So I took off in 33 degree calm air with the sun promising to warm things up. It was a fast warm up. I was peeling layers at the 6 mile mark.

I wore the following:
TOP:
Short Sleeve Jersey
Arm Warmers
Long Sleeve Jersey
Wind shell w/ removable sleeves

BOTTOM:
Shorts
Wind Front Tights

OTHER:
Balaclava
Cross Country Ski Gloves
Toe Covers

This is a bit light if it was going to stay in the low 30's however I knew it was going to get warmer.... I was surprised at how fast it warmed up. Turned out to be a fantastic day. Low to no wind and wonderful warming sunshine, low traffic counts and the promise of Thanksgiving dinner at the end.

My route has been a trial and error event, trying new routes each year. I don't often ride very far East of where I live, so I have used Google Maps to plan a route. This doesn't give me any traffic info and the trial and error has lead to eliminating much of the heavy traffic sections of the route. I have done a couple of busy sections of 135th and Highway 150 that I would care to avoid. And I did some major zig zagging North and South through neighborhoods as well. It has been hard in the past to navigate without a map/cue sheet and the actual route has always been slightly different than planned. Well, this year marks the first year in 6 or so that I finally have a steady route that I can repeat next year, is simple and that I now, basically, have memorized. 127th street is my basic East West route and is a fine road for riding.

The ride was uneventful, but was very much needed. Relaxing and a nice 41 miles to help me with my yearly count. Here is a shot of the Big Blue River from E. Blue Ridge Blvd.

Here is a curious donkey/burrow/ass (I don't know my beasts of burden) who, once I stopped to check him out, decided to check me out.... he came over to the fence to get a closer look while I took the picture.

Here is a shot of one of the roads South of Longview lake. Some really nice riding out here.


Interesting roadside debris. No I did not open it to see who was inside.

Short ride on Sunday

I got out for a short ride Sunday. With yard clean up (I live in a very wooded area... lots of leaves), kids schedules etc, I was only able to get out for a short ride. Got out early enough to try my winter layers.... I am good into the mid 20's. I was wishing for fewer layers by the time the sun was out.

Hoping to get out Thanksgiving for my annual ride from Lenexa to Raymore. Mapped the route today and found a couple of new ways to try. I will take the camera and report at length.

Still here...

I am still around and still riding. I have seen fewer miles and commutes in the last 3 weeks. I travel a fair amount for work and it tis the season for some trade shows etc.

I did manage a ride today in the wind. But what a nice day... I got out late morning for 28 miles and it was wonderful. This is one of my favorite times of the year to ride.

Got a new light I want to try out. A DiNotte... tested it out and it seems good. Will fire it up on the bike on my next commute.... MAybe this week....