parkbrav

La Prima Vera "The Birth of Spring"

here on Route 38

rumrunn6

nice!

I also like pasta primavera (pasta w/ fresh vegetables)

gecho

My outdoor thermometer is reading +8C this afternoon. Lots of water flowing while I was out for a walk. Cooler again and maybe some snow tomorrow, but starting next Friday proper early spring temperatures. Much of the snow should vanish the following week. During the meltdown I like getting out early while everything, particularly the mud, is still frozen.

gecho

Really wet and sloppy the past 2 days. We got just enough fresh snow to make a mess, so I had to spray down my bike after the last 2 rides. It was colder when I was cleaning today so when I switched from spraying to wiping the chain and rotors were already covered in clear ice. Since the garage is warmer I can go from my brakes working when I leave the house, to frozen open in a few blocks. Today my rear was reluctant to completely release early in the ride, I had to get off and manually work the torque arm a few times.

Double digit celsius starting Saturday so all the snow should vanish in a week. Dry roads without studded tires will be nice.

gecho

Saw this on local red it, worse things than an iced up bike from road spray: https://i.redd.it/x4nwmnpbf6sa1.jpg

canalligators

Temps here in 40s-50s F and there has been enough rain to wash the street salt off the roads. Time to thank the winter bike for another season’s service, give it spring cleaning and store it.

canalligators

Is this often a problem in winter, or just occasionally with worst-case conditions?

gecho

Not too often, mostly in March for me. We get crystal clear skies and well below freezing temperatures so the bike can get wet even when it's quite cold. Then the garage is warmer than the outside, so the brakes can be good when I leave the house but freeze up a few blocks away. At the same temperatures when it's cloudy the roads are dry, but we do get a lot of sun all winter.

Noonievut

I love this time of year. 2hr mountain bike ride yesterday (multi use trails, mainly gravel but lots of up/down and turns); downhill skiing today with my daughter (empty and great snow conditions in the morning); and a long road ride tomorrow.

gecho

It was windy all day yesterday so I went for an evening ride. Which reminded me of why I prefer morning rides this time of year. Big puddles everywhere, what packed snow that remains softened up enough during the day it couldn't support my weight so you bog down in it. When I got back, the bike was coated in wet sand. 0C this morning when I started and the bike stayed nice and clean. I'll stick to morning rides this week and enjoy the warmer late day weather on foot.

Noonievut

I’ll ride in the morning when it’s minus Celsius, no wind and very little traffic. Sure the temps are higher later, but so is the wind and traffic. No thanks

gecho

I went for a walk this afternoon and got a sunburn, I guess it's spring.

MNBikeCommuter

I was 10 miles out yesterday on the bike on a 40 mile route when I had that "a-ha!" moment that I should have grabbed the sunscreen. My arms are between tan and red, fortunately nothing serious. The warm shower didn't cause any discomfort so I got lucky. Will I remember this afternoon? They're talking a record high of 84F. I first realized yesterday that spring might really be here when I got to the end of the cul de sac starting out and COULD SEE the cross street without having to inch past the snow piles.

FREEBIRD1

Its been in the 70's here and nice, but reality is coming back. This Sunday is supposed to be flurries, and back down into the 30's. Cold nasty weather does not give up easy here easily.

rumrunn6

yup, it's that time of year

& Wifey started using her head net, for her walks

gecho

Removed a few pounds of rotational mass ... from my feet. Switching from boots back to my summer shoes tomorrow. Going to start planting the cold tolerant stuff in the vegetable garden next week, so winter is finally over.

rumrunn6

nice
94 degrees last Friday, so I brought my summer footwear up from the basement, closed toe sandals, open toe sandals & heavy duty flip flops. only used the closed toe sandals for a cpl days, but they're out of the basement!

rumrunn6

had my 1st ride w/ my winter footwear about a week ago

for my own reference, just put the summer footwear back in the basement. temps in the low-mid 20s this morning!

noglider 

I did an experiment a couple of years ago without knowing it. So if I didn't know about it, can it be called an experiment?

We moved to our weekend home full time when the Pandemic lockdown started. It's in a rural area, and our road is quiet and lightly traveled. So every morning, I would go outside wearing very little or nothing at all and stand outside for just a few seconds so I could experience the clean, cold air. My feet were bare.

As a result, my feet tolerate cold temperatures much better now. I often go out in the winter wearing sandals with socks. Sometimes my feet even get wet, and it still doesn't bother me. It's weird, but I'm happy about it.

I wish I could do the same with my hands. My hands still get painfully cold easily.

_ForceD_

I believe gradual acclimating to colder temps certainly is ‘a thing.’ This is why I always make sure that throughout autumn, and early winter, that I get out there and expose myself to the colder temps. Consequently, I’m able to go for long rides when the temps dip down into even the single digits (F°). There have been years when an injury prevented me from getting out on those autumn and early winter days. Then, once I am able to get out there…mid-winter…even the mild days seem unreasonably cold because I wasn’t able to acclimate to them.

Dan

noglider 

Yes, @_ForceD_, I noticed that, too. It's very helpful to be riding during the months when the temperature falls, as preparation for the coldest times. I might not be hardy enough for the very coldest weeks, but I'm good for the weeks right before and right after. The surprise was with my feet, because I had never thought to toughen them up. I guess I'll try toughening my hands this year, as that's the final frontier for me.