rumrunn6

well that 1st pic is on Battle Rd., no?

autonomy

Correct. Minuteman -> Battle Road -> Reformatory Branch

I have a Cycleops too with a Wahoo cadence/speed sensor combo. Zwift is pretty entertaining but they just raised prices. Lately it seems I spend more time fiddling with the sensors/app to make it work than riding. You have to find the right kind of soundtrack - live performances help in my case because I see the artists get into it.

jimmuller 

Thank you, and well golly I really don't know. I think Ive had bad luck with mine because about 5/7ths of the time it lands on a work day. A few times I've contemplated doing a b'day + 1/2 thing where I wait until May and ride my age plus one half. But what the heck, it doesn't come with anything gold-plated or redeemable at the bank, so I say ride it however you like!

Nice pics! It was indeed windy. And cool, bordering on cold. I had to watch for a few ice glaze spots this morning. Still, it's more fun that driving (and I used to like driving).

rholland1951

There does seem to be some adware infesting this thread. I've taken various countermeasures, and seem to be ahead of it. Among other things, blowing away the data segment of your web browser often brings (at least temporary) relief. On Android phones, Firefox seems more resistant than Chrome. McAfee and Malwarebytes also seem helpful in intercepting some of the frequent nuisances. BF should get its infosec act together, but that doesn't really distinguish them from most of the rest of the world. Beware of cooties...


rod

rholland1951

Jim,

Happy birthday! Both your rides and your builds give the rest of us inspiration. Roll (and wrench) on!

rod

rholland1951

Was able to wedge a little ride at noon in between paperwork in the morning and leaf raking, followed by more paperwork, in the afternoon. Temperatures in the now-balmy 50s, enough wind to fly the flag and help steer the Ebisu, but since it was a South wind, it was easy to forgive it anything.




Arlington's Great Meadow has abandoned any pretense of Summer, and is giving up on Autumn.




They don't make Noon like they used to.


At this point, any splash of color is welcome.


The Ebisu continues to please.


rod

rumrunn6

haha right. another month & that'll start changing back in our favor. hopefully the worst of winter will hold off 'till February

jimmuller 

Thank you!

mr_bill

Turkeys - Cambridge (our fair city) MA:



-mr. bill

jimmuller 

I thought we were supposed to avoid politics.

Oh wait, you were talking about real turkeys. Never mind.

I've been seeing Woburn's organic, free range turkey crop for a month or more.

mr_bill

From yesterday.

OK, I want to like this, but it’s hard to. My first time since they’ve reopened the lane.

I actually rode quite a bit faster than I should (do not try this at home!) but was just trying to keep to typical Amsterdam path speeds rather than road speeds, just to see what it was like (traffic was light and only one person walking), and yes trash day makes this worse, and it’s still not done.

But the hydrants and utility poles and concrete driveways conspire to make for a slow descent. Even with shoulder checks, the transitions at some intersections are awful. A couple of surprise we’ll dump you here you figure it out moments too.


Is Somerville trying to out do Cambridge (our fair city) MA in stuff that should be good, but is far from it?

(Faux pas of the fountain vent on 2nd and main, the slalom course in North Cambridge.)

-mr. bill

rumrunn6

so freaky. great video

autonomy

That one bit where the path just disappears and you had to go around a parked car Is this going to be a 2-way cycle track?

Sounds like Arlington is getting rid of the confusing Hawk signal in Arlington Center and making more improvements (it's going to cost HOW MUCH?)
Another round of updates is coming to Arlington Center's main intersection - News - The Arlington Advocate - Arlington, MA

This was an interesting tidbit:
Weellll than, that's a pretty dangerous situation than because quite a lot of people do that.

I commuted to work Mon & Tue this week and this will be all for my saddle time until at least next Wed

rholland1951

The good news is that most of the components of the existing system can be reused in the new one, which should hold costs down.

rod

jimmuller 

My sweetie and I took the tandem out for 32 miles today. It felt like 50 miles for a bunch of reasons. We rode part of the Reformatory Trail, only slightly scary on a road tandem. Also rode The Road That Time Forgot and noticed some new road patches!



Had to stop as Hutchins Farm, of course.

mr_bill

Sights and Shadows and Sounds:


-mr. bill

jimmuller 

We tried exploring parts of Sudbury today. Had to improvise some because one road I wanted to take was signed Not A Through Street, which really means Not A Thorough Street because they built only one end of it.



We did find civilization again in time for lunch.



We ended up with 33.23 miles, not a bad day for November 25.

Ghazmh

It was a very November long weekend, I snuck out for 30 early morning sub freezing miles Thursday. I was in full winter garb, barrier pants over the tights to keep the freezing wind at bay, thermal mid layer over the Endura wool base, goggles and face mask. The mask was stowed after about 8 miles. Much to my surprise I crossed paths with another lone road cyclist on a bright orange BMC shortly after sun rise. Friday was much more agreeable. I covered my 40 mile route and followed that with 45 on Saturday with a local riding friend. All 3 days I was on my Roubaix as the Smoothie is pulling trainer duty and the R3 is hibernating. Sundays riding consisted of the usual Sunday morning routine of dragging my Nomad trailer with my Montare hybrid to the grocery store. That was followed by a short 4 mile hop up the Charles River path to Russo's with the same hybrid, returning home with panniers overflowing.

jimmuller 

@Ghazmh, would you say it way windy today?? Yeah, it was, wuzznit?

I took the Masi out today, ended up with 53.75 miles. Spent part of it on the Old Reformatory Trail trying to avoid the wind but ultimately decided 23mm sewups weren't the right choice of tire!



However no harm came of it and lunch was good.

Ghazmh

It was a windy day but I was in before 9:00 AM. For me the sun rising and shining through the branches as I steamed East up the path was my biggest challenge. In fact yesterday afternoons low sun was posing the same problem for me.

rumrunn6

better when it's frozen solid

rholland1951

Took the Monster Trucker for a spin on the Minuteman at sunset. Of course, that meant that I left a little before 4, with the sun already kissing the horizon and painting the clouds: ridiculous, but that's they way it goes here at this time of year.


3:56 pm...






Most leaves are gone, leaving bare tree-structures, abstract dendritic forms in the crystalline air.




Rolled out with the sun, rolled back with the moon.


Last of the daylight reflected in the surface of Peepers Pond.


Winter lights in Arlington Center, new bulbs with a warmer glow than the ashen, spectral white of recent years.


The Surly gleams in the dark as it waits to be put to bed.


rod

mr_bill

There may be more lights on that one tree than used to adorn the entire of Arlington Center. I may not morn the passing of the traditional one squiggle per tree though.

-mr. bill

rholland1951

We seem to have gone from tastefully understated to exuberant. When setting lights against the darkness, I guess it's better not to stint.

rod

rholland1951

Your shadow is quite a riding companion. Plato would approve.