Ghazmh

Jim was that you riding a blue bike on Lexington rd in Concord who waved at me this morning? It was a rather wet and cold ride on the again dirty Roubaix. The white bar tape looks anything but white.

jimmuller 

I suppose it might have been! I did ride a blue bike out to Concord from Waltham this morning, and I did wave at a few other riders. There weren't many riders out this morning. Heck, there weren't many of anybody. It was rather cool and wet.

Spotted this character in Arlington, not a great pic.



Went across this little bridge over Rt60/Pleasant St in Belmont.

Ghazmh

Yep, I think that bike pic confirmes it for me. Our paths had crossed today. It was raining and after being out long enough for the rain to overpower my "rain proof" gloves I was really looking forward to rolling into my garage. Today was a bit of a milestone for me, I hit my 1000 mile mark for the year. It wouldn't have been possible had winter been more winterier.

Yesterday my Ortlieb grocery panniers arrived for my Montare. This morning I hauled an SUV trunks worth of groceries spread between the panniers and my Nomad. The past few weeks with the Nomad has been very liberating.

Ghazmh

By the time I was able to saddle up and get out on the Roubaix it started to rain. Thinking to myself "not again" I set out in full rain attire. Knowing that Goretex, despite its claims of breathability, is still less breathable and thusly less comftorable than soft shell winter attire. It was still a nice ride. About 10 miles into the 32 mile ride the drizzle stopped.

Ghazmh

Got out on the Roubaix for a few lunch break 30 mile loops this week. I'm trying to squeeze in as much as I can before what I sure hope is winters last appearance this weekend. I shelved the Montare's Winter Marathons and sure as heck ain't putting them back on until we're in a month that ends in ember or uary.

rumrunn6

jimmuller 

This month may end in arch but its' still pretty chilly out there. I commuteded yesterday and today. (That's past tense of commuted.) It was nice.

Ghazmh

The only riding today was in a car to my LBS for their spring sale. Added a new pair of Endura rain pants and Goretex gloves to the cycling closet.

Ghazmh

I should have known better, each time I was "convinced" we are done with snow and taken them off it has snowed within a week.

jimmuller 

Well, don't do that again, okay?

rholland1951

Spent our snowy, besleeted Saturday working on the Ebisu build, out of the weather and thinking happy thoughts about Spring rides on the bike that's becoming.


On Sunday, I found myself on one of those Spring rides I had been musing about. The LHT with the studded Schwalbes was a little like a musk ox at an Easter egg hunt, but it was good to be out and rolling.


Near the Arlington Coal and Lumber yard, solar dazzle created glowing tire tracks where cyclists rode through bands of meltwater; the effect at the time was magical, these photos suggest a little of it.








With a little luck, this is the King Thaw that will put paid to snow and ice until December...






rod

jimmuller 

We managed 47 miles on the tandem today, out to Carlisle from home in Waltham. Saw a few bikes as the day warmed, probably passed Rod one way or the other. Lots of walkers, strollers, scooters, children of all sorts out today.

Had a nice warms sunny lunch.

jimmuller 

Two rides you need to do! First, the nth biannual CCRT ride by various folks mostly from the C&V thread but open to anyone. The spring ride is almost always Patriots Day Saturday, which means April 15 this year. Start at the Dennis trailhead 10AM, ride to the end in Wellfleet, make a short run over to the Atlantic, return to Dennis, total mileage close to 50. A nice social non-speed event! With a usual stop in the middle, the Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans. Check out
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...ring-ride.html

(We can take another person and bike in our caravan if you need transportation. Probably can't take two more bikes though. Well, maybe.

The following weekend BF member @qcpmsame will be in New England so we intend to treat him to some great riding. Most likely we'll start in Bedford and go through the Minuteman area because we know those roads best. No details set yet except that it will be Saturday, um, April 22. Drop me a note if you are interested in joining us.

qcpmsame 

Looking forward to riding up y'alls way. Hopefully Mother Nature will have gotten all the snow out of her system by then. Just take it easy on my old worn out body, please.

Bill

Jim from Boston

Thanks to jmm for the invitation. I'll make every effort to join.

jfB

qcpmsame 

This is great, as long as I don't have to talk with the bubbles around my words.

Bill

Jim from Boston

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmuller

…The following weekend BF member @qcpmsame will be in New England so we intend to treat him to some great riding. Most likely we'll start in Bedford and go through the Minuteman area because we know those roads best…

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

Thanks to jmm for the invitation. I'll make every effort to join.// jfB

Quote:

Originally Posted by qcpmsame

Looking forward to riding up y'alls way. Hopefully Mother Nature will have gotten all the snow out of her system by then. Just take it easy on my old worn out body, please. // Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by qcpmsame

This is great , as long as I don't have to talk with the bubbles around my words. // Bill

By way of anticipation, I got to ride with and freely converse with @jppe into Boston on the last day of his cross-country ride from Oregon, and the Minuteman area is the vicinity we rode, including the length of the Minuteman Bikepath. That sector is described in my Cycling Guide to Metro Boston as:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

Western: Lincoln, Lexington, Concord, Wayland,etc: Very ritzy, buccolic and historic; very popular for riding. This area IMO has the steepest [but not insane] hills….

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

… It was one of my most pleasant cycling days in 40 years of cycling, to ride with jppe,and to direct his wife in the van to various locations and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean. We met at about 9:30 AM at the Wayland Depot, about 20 miles from the Atlantic Coast…

We mapped out a route to include a few historic sites that Jeri could meet us at by car. We stopped at the Walter Gropius home, a national historic architectural landmark; rode by Walden Pond; and lingered at the old North Bridge in Concord, site of the Battle of Concord on the first day of the Revolutionary War. The day was as perfect as the pictures portray…

We next rode to Bedford, and took the 11 mile Minuteman Bikepath to Arlington…We took a side jaunt to the Lexington Green, site of the skirmish that preceded the Battle of Concord, and then then rode through Arlington into Cambridge and meandered around Harvard Square…

The picture of the END ROUTE 20 sign was taken about two blocks from our condo in Kenmore Square. Again jp was so gracious to visit my shop and tell his story, one block further down, and closer to the ocean. We then headed straight though downtown for Castle Island on Boston Harbor…

jimmuller 

Great!

I haven't made any firm decisions on route or timing yet. I need to coordinate with q of course. There are some roads I'd really like to show off. The Road That Time Forgot, for example. A mile or so on the packed-gravel Bedford-Billerica Narrow Gauge Rail Trail which I have ridden on my Masi with 23mm sew-ups. We don't have much snow left now but yesterday we saw a lot of debris and road surface turn up by snowplows. Have some thinkin' to do, maybe some checkin' out too.

rholland1951

Had a sunset ride on the Minuteman before dinner. Encountered a woman out walking her dog pack. Temperature fell 14 degrees over the course of the ride, a little like a dip at Plum Island by the end.


rod

qcpmsame 

Whatever you guys plan will work for me, I got your email about planning, and I'll talk with Monica about riding as well. Just don't beat up on me too badly, please. One consideration I will ask, Monica hasn't been riding much, she has other interests now, nothing over the top please.

Bill

Ghazmh

I got out for a 21 mile spin in the thick of the action today. It was a true test of the rain gear i have acquired over the past few months to replace older less effective rain gear. From my perspective today's early afternoon rain was torrential and accompanied by sizeable puddles. I would say that I have amassed an effective rain ensemble.

Ghazmh

Spring was in the air today, another great lunch break on the saddle. Walden st just before it runs into Main st in Concord looks like a winter wonderland however. It appears someone is filming a winter scene for a movie there including a Christmas tree lot.

rumrunn6

Daddy's Home 2

been salivating over their outdoor tented grilling commissary in my (car) commutes home this week

Ghazmh

I got out for a wonderful 44 mile ride this morning. Weston, Sudbury, Maynard, Concord, Carlisle, Bedford, Concord the usual towns that make up my various routes. It started out in the upper 30's with a persistent headwind. It was great to see how much the salt and sand has washed off the shoulders over the past few days. The Sudbury and Concord rivers are both very high after all the recent rain. yesterday I mounted a fresh set of Conti Gator Hardshell 25's on the R3. I think I'll be riding with my Sunday best bike and kit tomorrow.

Ghazmh

I jubilantly took the R3 for a 40 mile Sunday ride, it was a slightly abbreviated version of yesterday's route. After enjoying the Roubaix and its bullet train like smooth speediness for the past 2 months I appreciated the R3's ride qualities. It's more akin to a nimble fighter jet, that sensation is amplified by the whoosh sound of the mid depth wheelset. The next milestone I look forward to is the blooming of the leaves and flowers accompanied by the scents of spring.