2020 NorCal Fire Thread
#101
Junior Member
I had about a one hour window where is was decent. By the end of my ride the ash was starting to rain down again. Now it’s pretty hazy here again. I’m ready for some clear sky’s again!
#102
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Nope. Not in my area. Another no-ride day for me. Ash was falling this morning. AQ is still high on numbers and it looks and smells ugly outside. Yesterday was how it looked, today is how it feels and smells. Hoping for tomorrow but I have doubts.
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#103
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Nicely put. Yesterday, apart from falling ash, the air wasn't terrible. Today it smells like pollution and soot and smoke, and the numbers reflect it. There's more of a grey cast to the sky, vs orange or gold, but it's still a no go. And it's downright chilly outside. Preparation for nuclear winter I suppose.
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#104
Junior Member
No ride days are such a bummer! It’s like you get a good momentum going and then you have to back off. I even walked / jogged on my wife’s treadmill the other day. I did 30 mins and it felt like 2 hours. Hopefully these fires go away soon. They have caused too much damages, displaced many people, and are just a pain in general.
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#105
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The Arcata Plaza, four blocks from home
Carson Mansion in Eureka
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#106
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Wow, he really DOES have a purposeful grimace.
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#107
Junior Member
I know the AQI is apparently "not unhealthy" but man, there is literally ash falling from the sky. I'm not riding in this...I know it's the PM2.5 tiny-sized particles that are really bad for you, but you can't tell me this is "healthy" air, even if the AQI is under 100. We're so low to the ground on a bike, and every car that blows by will kick up a cloud of ash. This absolutely has to be bad to be outside, regardless of the AQI number. I hate riding the trainer, especially when it's not raining, but to hell with this!
But I did go for an hour-long walk Wednesday, when the air quality was still technically good, and I did see one cyclist out. And now that we're on our second day of abysmal air quality, I'm kinda wondering if maybe I should have at least done a short spin that day.
#110
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I know what you mean. I was looking at the very fine layer of ash that has coated our deck, and it struck me that while, sure this isn't going to get deep in your lungs the way the PM2.5 particles will, this ash is still fine enough to potentially cause some unpleasant nasal/sinus congestion if I'm out doing some serious cycling in it.
But I did go for an hour-long walk Wednesday, when the air quality was still technically good, and I did see one cyclist out. And now that we're on our second day of abysmal air quality, I'm kinda wondering if maybe I should have at least done a short spin that day.
But I did go for an hour-long walk Wednesday, when the air quality was still technically good, and I did see one cyclist out. And now that we're on our second day of abysmal air quality, I'm kinda wondering if maybe I should have at least done a short spin that day.
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#111
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Yep. Looks to be >150 (LRAPA adjusted) pretty much across the whole Bay Area. Same readings as last night. I had hoped, when the smoke from the August lightning fires largely blew out that we might avoid a repeat of 2018, but this is looking awfully familiar.
I hate the trainer. I generally find it really, really hard to get my HR up to a decent level and keep it there, it takes too much concentration. I had been just playing loud music with a fast, driving beat on earbuds - The B52s, which I guess ages me! But I found that if I have a 'First Person Cyclist' video on the TV, I can actually get in a good ride. I found a local cyclist's videos on YouTube 'Shadow Cyclist', and strung together a 33 minute ride on Canada Rd from 92 through Woodside to Sand Hill and 280, then a 23 minute climb of Old La Honda, followed by a 5 minute descent of West Old La Honda. I even went to higher gears at the places on OLH where it gets steepest! It worked pretty well. But I miss the actual roads.
I hate the trainer. I generally find it really, really hard to get my HR up to a decent level and keep it there, it takes too much concentration. I had been just playing loud music with a fast, driving beat on earbuds - The B52s, which I guess ages me! But I found that if I have a 'First Person Cyclist' video on the TV, I can actually get in a good ride. I found a local cyclist's videos on YouTube 'Shadow Cyclist', and strung together a 33 minute ride on Canada Rd from 92 through Woodside to Sand Hill and 280, then a 23 minute climb of Old La Honda, followed by a 5 minute descent of West Old La Honda. I even went to higher gears at the places on OLH where it gets steepest! It worked pretty well. But I miss the actual roads.
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#112
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I'm not saying the air is bad today, but if I rode outside, I'd have to clean the chain on my return.
Barry
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#113
Senior Member
If you get NBC's cycling pass, they have an ad-free TdF, you can stream the full stage (live or replay). Simon Gerrans and Ant McCrossan do a phenomenol job with the commentary. Simon retired from the Pro Tour in 2018, so he brings a very unique perspective to how the riders train and race. Ant does really good job of prompting things and keeping the action rolling.
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#114
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According to IQAir Arcata's at 245. My mild headache and slightly burning throat agree that going outside would be a bad idea. The cat sleeping on my thigh adds emphasis. Joke's on him, though, as I have to use the bathroom. Podcasts and crochet today, I think.
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#115
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Yep. Looks to be >150 (LRAPA adjusted) pretty much across the whole Bay Area. Same readings as last night. I had hoped, when the smoke from the August lightning fires largely blew out that we might avoid a repeat of 2018, but this is looking awfully familiar.
I hate the trainer. I generally find it really, really hard to get my HR up to a decent level and keep it there, it takes too much concentration. I had been just playing loud music with a fast, driving beat on earbuds - The B52s, which I guess ages me! But I found that if I have a 'First Person Cyclist' video on the TV, I can actually get in a good ride. I found a local cyclist's videos on YouTube 'Shadow Cyclist', and strung together a 33 minute ride on Canada Rd from 92 through Woodside to Sand Hill and 280, then a 23 minute climb of Old La Honda, followed by a 5 minute descent of West Old La Honda. I even went to higher gears at the places on OLH where it gets steepest! It worked pretty well. But I miss the actual roads.
I hate the trainer. I generally find it really, really hard to get my HR up to a decent level and keep it there, it takes too much concentration. I had been just playing loud music with a fast, driving beat on earbuds - The B52s, which I guess ages me! But I found that if I have a 'First Person Cyclist' video on the TV, I can actually get in a good ride. I found a local cyclist's videos on YouTube 'Shadow Cyclist', and strung together a 33 minute ride on Canada Rd from 92 through Woodside to Sand Hill and 280, then a 23 minute climb of Old La Honda, followed by a 5 minute descent of West Old La Honda. I even went to higher gears at the places on OLH where it gets steepest! It worked pretty well. But I miss the actual roads.
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#116
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Another morning with terrible AQI, but it doesn't have a choking smoke smell. I think with all the smoke and low clouds we've been blanketed with the past several days has trapped in smog and pollutants. I can go outside without gagging, but there's still a blanket of ash everywhere. This might have been a "go ride with an N95" day, I can tolerate the 'smell' of the air, but the ash just bothers my eyes, and again, it can't be good for the bike. Looks like there may be some relief in the coming days with some onshore flow, but this weekend might be more trainer days. There is just absolutely zero wind outside, nothing is moving! Hang in there everyone, we're all "spininng our wheels" indoors, but there may be some light at the end of the tunnel...
#117
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DId my first Zwift ride yesterday, in lieu of the Friday afternoon road ride I would normally do. Took a while to set up, but I think this will work out okay. It's less motivating than the real world, but more so than just listening to music, or trying to watch a movie. If I were made of money, I'd consider getting a smart trainer, but it actually works with just the cadence, speed, and HR sensors.
This morning's view on PurpleAir is amazing - bad air from Vancouver to Tijuana.
This morning's view on PurpleAir is amazing - bad air from Vancouver to Tijuana.
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#118
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I did a couple hours of urban biking yesterday and it wasn't awful and I thought today would be OK.
My riding buddy said he'd come if AQI<100, but it's close to 200.
And the ash that doesn't get included in the calc is still falling from the skies.
I slept in and made some special coffee.
I'd enjoy a smart-trainer too, but my garage is too full of crap.
My riding buddy said he'd come if AQI<100, but it's close to 200.
And the ash that doesn't get included in the calc is still falling from the skies.
I slept in and made some special coffee.
I'd enjoy a smart-trainer too, but my garage is too full of crap.
#119
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Really bad all over NorCal. Can’t even get in the car to find good air today. I’ll be riding in London or Watopia instead.
#120
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Have you heard, our smoke made it to Russia, the long way 'round! Next stop China; give them a taste of their own air pollution.
Another day of literal smog; smoke mixed with fog/marine layer. And another day of zero air movement; it's weird. It's also unseasonably cool, a tiny taste of nuclear/volcanic/asteroidal winter.
And seismologists are picking this year to map Yellowstone's magma chamber by using giant vibrating trucks to create artificial earthquakes. If it doesn't wake up the supervolcano, it'll probably wake up the Old Ones snoozing inside.
Another day of literal smog; smoke mixed with fog/marine layer. And another day of zero air movement; it's weird. It's also unseasonably cool, a tiny taste of nuclear/volcanic/asteroidal winter.
And seismologists are picking this year to map Yellowstone's magma chamber by using giant vibrating trucks to create artificial earthquakes. If it doesn't wake up the supervolcano, it'll probably wake up the Old Ones snoozing inside.
#122
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/californ...e-15504781.php
It was a great place to live and ride.
Alba Road is the one that the Praxis crankset is named after. It is a quite difficult climb. It says 50 houses on that road alone are gone, and I would be surprised if that isn't most or all of them.
It was a great place to live and ride.
Alba Road is the one that the Praxis crankset is named after. It is a quite difficult climb. It says 50 houses on that road alone are gone, and I would be surprised if that isn't most or all of them.
Morgan Territory is another road I have ridden a few times. Here in my home county, there have been much smaller fires along two roads I just rode in the past weeks. The early Portland Centuries I did took us to forest that are now devastated.
#123
Junior Member
Ah hell, looks like many of us in the immediate Bay Area are going to be shut down from outdoor riding for the foreseeable future (at least without an N95, which probably takes it from 10 packs to 1 or 2 packs of cigs per ride...). Just awful this morning. The fires are only going to get worse, this will likely be like 2018 where most of the fires burned until the first rains...so, 3, 4 months? Ugh!
I’m afraid you may be right though. I’m up in Vacaville myself, the air has been bad here for weeks. Not to mention all the people that were displaced because of the fire.
#124
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#125
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It was really a very nice day!