I Rode - Spring 2011

Gorgeous sunrise on LFP today.  So glad Spring is only a few days away!!!

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Permalink Reply by Holly on March 28, 2011 at 6:10am

I'm with Gin. In many ways, I find Spring to be harder for riding. It's just so windy out there.

 

The roads may be dry, but they're filthy. Last week, I got pushed to the side of a one way street by some road-hog driver. I saw the little pile of glass / crap on the street just as I ran it over.  Got my 4th flat in two months on my mountain bike.

 

The air feels really damp to me, too...like it's seeping into my joints and I don't feel like I recover from feeling chilled. I don't remember feeling nearly as bitter about the weather when it was actually really cold out there. (Perhaps that's just the newbie in me talking. I don't know, but I think I handled it much better then than I have been these last few weeks.)

 

Perhaps a lot of my wimpering is due to the fact that I was hoping that I wouldn't need to keep wearing the wool long johns. Alas, I'm still a slave to them.  However, until it snows again, there is no way in hell am I wearing winter boots! (They don't fit in the toe clips on my road bike, anyway. )

 

Oh, lest you think I'm a crabby appleton--hey, at least it's sunny, right?

 

 

Permalink Reply by Michael A on March 28, 2011 at 6:18am

My favorite part about this time of year is that the sun coming up on my LFP commute in to work. The cold, wind, dirty roads all seem to fade when you get a beautiful sunrise......

 

I am still anxiously awaiting warmer weather

 

 

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on March 28, 2011 at 6:27am

I agree on the difficulty with riding in the past week. I actually took the train to work on Thursday after getting really discouraged by the frozen snow the night before. It was tough to have that window of truly nice weather...having it get so cold and windy again does discourage me.

 

Definitely looking forward to a glove-free ride!

Permalink Reply by JeffB on March 28, 2011 at 7:18am
I'm with you on the winter fatigue.  I was out Saturday morning, sunny, around 30, strong NE wind, and all I could think of was "I am so done with this crap!".  But then I think, if I had a day like this in January I'd be like "Hell yeah!  Let's see what the trails are like."  Its like I've been mentally girding myself against the cold all winter, but I get a couple of brief warm stretches and all my defenses are laid to waste.
Permalink Reply by Jamie Elenbaas on March 28, 2011 at 11:01am
Yeah Jeff, riding up to Highland Park Saturday morning, the thought crossed my mind, "Why am I doing this?"  On the way home, however, with the wind on my back and the sun on my face, I was glad to be out.
Permalink Reply by Holly on March 28, 2011 at 11:17am

I used a lot of curse words today while I was on my little bike jaunt around town walking dogs. (All of them were in the voice that other people can't hear.) I was really cold...really, really cold.

 

I have to go out tonight and regret that I have no stamina or whatever I once had that would permit me to ride about 2 miles there and back.  I won't do it.  It was brutal heading south and southwest today. Just punishing. 

Permalink Reply by Mark Newald on March 28, 2011 at 12:47pm
I put my hybrid with snow tires away, it was road bike today! But this cold has got to go.........
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on March 28, 2011 at 12:51pm
I'll agree that if this were mid Feb. it would be great weather.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 28, 2011 at 1:37pm
I pulled the knobbies off of my bike and went back to the smooth summer tires.
Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 28, 2011 at 3:32pm

I can't even remember what it's like to ride without a balaclava!

 

That said, riding in the cold beats walking to and from the El station/bus stop and waiting in the cold and being jammed inside with a million other people any day.  Just thinking about that nightmare makes me glad to be riding.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 28, 2011 at 4:02pm

Speak for yourself.  I live a block from the underground Logan Square station.  I can hold my breath it is so close and once I'm there it's nice and warm inside. 

 

It's way more convenient in the winter than the bike!

Jenny T said:

That said, riding in the cold beats walking to and from the El station/bus stop and waiting in the cold and being jammed inside with a million other people any day.  Just thinking about that nightmare makes me glad to be riding.

 

 

Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on March 28, 2011 at 4:25pm

We'll see what we complain about when it's finally warm. My guess: too many bikes and too many cars (out-of-towners), humidity, rain. Feel free to add on...

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