Metro Boston: Good ride today?
01-17-19, 05:33 AM
#7926
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Thanks for the warning; Sunday is my usual day of rest (from cycling), so Monday should be passable by bike.
BTW, FYA see this post on the Touring Forum thread, where is the best place and worst place to bike (link)
BTW, FYA see this post on the Touring Forum thread, where is the best place and worst place to bike (link)
01-17-19, 07:33 AM
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Thanks for the warning; Sunday is my usual day of rest (from cycling), so Monday should be passable by bike.BTW, FYA see this post on the Touring Forum thread, where is the best place and worst place to bike (link)
01-20-19, 08:32 AM
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Yesterday I mounted my Bar Mitts onto my Smoothie for a Nice 22 mile ride. I tempted fate by only wearing light summer gloves, which felt like asking for trouble in 28* weather. It actually was a well balanced combo. I my fingers were comfy inside the mitts. It was otherwise a nice ride that I’m glad to have had.
01-21-19, 10:37 AM
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the difference is surprising, isn't it? I still carry an extra set of gloves, just in case. I remember at least one ride where my hands started cold even with the barmitts (17F deg.?). they warmed after 20-30min & the barmitts helped that & they stayed fine. haven't been riding under low 20s yet this year. I keep telling myself I'm looking forward to it .. hahaha
01-21-19, 08:01 PM
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the difference is surprising, isn't it? I still carry an extra set of gloves, just in case. I remember at least one ride where my hands started cold even with the barmitts (17F deg.?). they warmed after 20-30min & the barmitts helped that & they stayed fine. haven't been riding under low 20s yet this year. I keep telling myself I'm looking forward to it .. hahaha
01-24-19, 01:32 PM
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soft ground & high winds = trees coming down. past few months I've passed so many that made me glad I didn't ride in it. there was 1 storm I rode & was looking at the trees over me thinking, OK ...stupid!
cpl pics from riding AFTER storms
cpl pics from riding AFTER storms
01-25-19, 05:55 AM
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Not me. I've had various things keeping me from riding many days lately. But I did see one poor soul on a bike slogging his way through the evening downpour last night. I've ridden through rain like that a few times. It isn't much fun at first but once you get wet you can't get any wetter so you just enjoy the unique experience. And try not to get hit.
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01-25-19, 08:43 AM
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when I got out of work early yesterday (bossman is in Vegas) was toying with the idea of heading out when the rain & wind died down, but when I got home I discovered some sump pump issues I had to attend to ... 
01-25-19, 03:14 PM
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01-26-19, 07:33 PM
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went for a walk at Great Brook Farm in Carlisle. good cycling if you have a studded mountain bike
the ice was tricky cuz it looked like snow. but also lots of frozen ground showing. wouldn't try it w/o studs tho. got a head cold so I limited my exposure, but getting out let me feel better
the ice was tricky cuz it looked like snow. but also lots of frozen ground showing. wouldn't try it w/o studs tho. got a head cold so I limited my exposure, but getting out let me feel better
01-26-19, 09:27 PM
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I ran after a green line trolley....
....for 200 meters....
....in San Diego!
I didn’t catch the trolley, but....
....first time I ran with my trecking poles....
....I LOLed because I looked and sounded rediculous!
Then I broke out into a grin, said [expletive deleted] it I’m not waiting 15 minutes for the next trolley and walked to the next trolley stop 1 mile away....
....along the Rio San Diego Bike trail!
I won, hah!
-mr. bill
....for 200 meters....
....in San Diego!
I didn’t catch the trolley, but....
....first time I ran with my trecking poles....
....I LOLed because I looked and sounded rediculous!
Then I broke out into a grin, said [expletive deleted] it I’m not waiting 15 minutes for the next trolley and walked to the next trolley stop 1 mile away....
....along the Rio San Diego Bike trail!
I won, hah!
-mr. bill
Last edited by mr_bill; 01-27-19 at 08:15 PM.
01-31-19, 08:11 AM
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shout out to the guy on the folder riding to the Acton train station this morning! my car thermo read -1F & he didn't seem the least bit anguished! 
02-04-19, 02:36 PM
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missing the plow on the MM. out in the burbs we have to deal ... ugh
02-06-19, 05:45 AM
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So, like, I mean, um, how is the MM between, say, Alewife and Lexington after Tuesday's warm weather?
And what happened to MassPaths snow report? It has been dormant since last March.
And what happened to MassPaths snow report? It has been dormant since last March.
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Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Last edited by jimmuller; 02-06-19 at 05:49 AM.
02-06-19, 07:07 AM
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So, like, I mean, um, how is the MM between, say, Alewife and Lexington after Tuesday's warm weather?
And what happened to MassPaths snow report? It has been dormant since last March.
And what happened to MassPaths snow report? It has been dormant since last March.
(During my morning teleconference walked over one of Somerville's seven, Spring Hill, 10K. A bit of a challenge. Six more to climb.)
Déjà vu PT redoux, back to biking to physical therapy.
Yesterday afternoon Arlington to Lexington border mostly clear, but from Season's Four to Hartwell repeated very large puddles. One particularly bad water hazard with sunk ice at Depot Square (Lexington Historical Society).
(Didn't make it to Bedford, my physical therapy is on Bedford Street.)
My left leg and I are getting to know one another again, still very much learning how to walk again.
But they say you never forget how to ride a bike? My left leg hasn't forgotten how to ride a bike.
20K roundtrip on a glorious warm February afternoon, plus a brief side diversion to pick up a microbrew.
Still laugh at my shadow though. My trekking poles stick out of my bike messenger bag rather awkwardly. Maybe I need a quiver?
-mr. bill
02-06-19, 08:29 AM
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maybe you can adapt an old courier bag. are they collapsible?
02-06-19, 07:38 PM
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It’s been a while since I have had an early AM ride before work. I had one today. I covered my 22 mile loop on my cross bike. The handlebars were adorned with my Bar Mitts and my wintertime stock Bontrager wheels were wrapped with my heavy Schwalbe Winter 30mm studded tires. It was in the mid 30’s and felt really good to be on the road.
02-07-19, 04:52 AM
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got out last night Concord to Billerica & back on the soft & slow Reformatory & Narrow Gauge Trails. temp was steady at 33-22 degrees. it rained for the better part of the ride. a nice cold rain, not frigid. didn't even wear gloves for the last hour. funny thing about rain & bar mitts. the rain flows down my sleeves into the mitts & pools inside them but above my hands. so I had to periodically tilt them down to poor the water out! hahaha. the dirt trails were a weird combination of soft slow mud, & ice over mud. the 29x2 studded Marathons were handy for the ice, & good & aggressive for steep climbs like when crossing route 62, but dreadfully slow thru most of the soup. hoping, come spring, all this winter work, will let me be stronger on the road bike
Last edited by rumrunn6; 02-07-19 at 08:13 AM.
02-10-19, 05:01 PM
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This afternoon I took out my Soma Smoothie steel 5800 equipped road bike for 30 cold yet refreshingly glorious miles. I rode out through Weston then up 126 into Concord Ctr then up Lowell st and on back. After having seen how clean and clear the roads were I was thinking that I could have ridden my virgin 7 Redsky which still has 0.0 miles on it.
02-10-19, 06:13 PM
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02-16-19, 07:52 PM
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This afternoon I got out on my cross bike clicking and clacking those studs for 30 miles. Boy were they heavy, good training for the sweet sweet day they come off. The roads were crusty and wet, enough so that I wish I eschewed vanity and clipped on my big ol wide fender. Despite having a wet back and a slow pace it felt exhilarating, restorative and rewarding to be out there,
02-17-19, 07:45 PM
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31 more today. I basically covered yesterday’s route with an additional side road added. Again no fender and with the few degrees colder air yesterday’s standing water and puddles was today’s ice.