RIDES 2017 — add yours here

[jags]

cheers John ,i was always a good climber  hills didn't bother me at al but that was many moons ago ,
the problem i have is swollen discs  so when the pressure is on the pain kicks in,
i do pace myself when i'm on my own but in the group its a different story.guessi should stop riding in the group but i do enjoy the craic ith the lads and lassies.
john i have loads low gears 30 up front triple and 34 on the rear  thank god for low gears  .

i'm not ready for a motor yet  hopefully by the time i am they will have improved greatly  lighter much lighter longer battery life  i will certainly be in the market for one when the time comes but until then i'll suffer.

anto.

[John Saxby]

Wow -- 30 x 34 as your lowest, Anto!  I'm nowhere near that -- my Eclipse, which I'm taking to Oz, has a low of 24 x 34. Will let you know in a few weeks if, with that, I can climb the remaining bits of the wall of the ancient volcano on the Queensland/New South Wales border.

[jags]

  my son laughed as well John ,i got up some steep hills with it so far 
i'm well pleased with the bike and the build   rides like a dream the 4703 tiagra is really nice  every bit as good as ultegra 
at the moment i'm working on my tent  cheap naturehike  got my niece to sewn on extra  guy points to keep the fly in place ,going to pitch it tomorrow weather permitting ,if it's ok it will be the perfect tent for lightweight touring  lighter and bigger than the akto  ok obviously not as good but £50 do me fine i reckon.
im getting there slowly pity my back ain't so good but i'll keep at it until i drop.

anto.

[Danneaux]

...going to pitch it tomorrow weather permitting...

This will require photographs, of course!

Preferably some taken showing you inside as well.

 

All the best,

Dan.

[jags]

Will do DAn.j

[JimK]

not much of a ride, not quite ten miles: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18708470

but I got the studded tires mounted & found my cold weather cycling clothes, so I am feeling more properly set up!

[Mike Ayling]

not much of a ride, not quite ten miles: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18708470

I have an arthritic knee that became too painful to ride on at the beginning of November.
The orthopaedic surgeon said that it was not bad enough for a knee replacement and suggested physiotherapy.
I am doing lots of leg raises and other exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and I can now ride 15 km every second day without discomfort.
Next target is 25km.

Mike

[Andre Jute]

I am doing lots of leg raises and other exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and I can now ride 15 km every second day without discomfort.
Next target is 25km.

The thing isn't specifically how far you go. That's arbitrary. The thing is to go just the tiniest fraction further than is really comfortable, so that you get full benefit of the exercise but don't do yourself any harm.

Rinse and repeat.

[David Simpson]

Mike --

Sorry to hear about your knee, but I'm glad it is slowly getting better. It's a good reminder for all of us to be thankful for the health that we have. Too often I take my own health for granted.

- DaveS

[Mike Ayling]

I am doing lots of leg raises and other exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and I can now ride 15 km every second day without discomfort.
Next target is 25km.

The thing isn't specifically how far you go. That's arbitrary. The thing is to go just the tiniest fraction further than is really comfortable, so that you get full benefit of the exercise but don't do yourself any harm.

Rinse and repeat.

Thanks Andre,

I will give that a go.

Mike

[JimK]

I was definitely pushing my limits today: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18722868

Bought a couple panniers of groceries at the turnaround, the low elevation of the ride, and hauled them home. A good kick-start to training for the new year!

Mostly I was on the Pioneer Rail Trail, the D&RGW line - Denver and Rio Grande West, I suppose. Most of the trail is clear asphalt, with several short icy patches and one section maybe a quarter mile that was packed snow and ice. Very happy to have the studded tires mounted!

About 20F today. My hands were too cold! I had on some well insulated gloves, but really this is mitten weather. I use some big nylon mountaineering gaiters to keep my ankles warm which does keep my feet warm. Anyway the temperature is forecast to go up next week so maybe I can save these lessons for... well, surely we'll get another cold blast or two this season. My first Utah winter!

[JimK]

Today it was the studded tires whose limits were tested, or at least my ability to ride on them. The Weber River Parkway http://www.weberpathways.org/projects-2/weber-river-parkway/ is plowed and mostly quite clear in Riverdale where I live, but head further into Ogden... I crossed Parker Drive and all of a sudden it was soft snow over ice. I turned back and was going to get onto Parker Drive but a guy walking a couple dogs said the trail was plowed again just over that little hill. So with my confidence boosted I got back on the trail. Ha! Yeah a plow had been through at some point, so it was only two inches of soft snow over an inch of ice, but still... I had one full off, a full body dive into the snow alongside the trail. Along a few stretches I could ride pretty well, other stretches I'd be putting a foot down every third or fourth pedal stroke, and then I just walked a good part of it. Even walking was tricky, especially with the bike to push. Very slippery with enough snow to make pushing the bike a struggle.

Ah and where the trail goes under the railroad tracks north of 31st St. wow, it was like a foot of water with big chunks of six inch thick ice floating around! I could keep one foot on a pedal and use the other foot to negotiate the ice, while using my arms to hold on to the top of the wall enclosing the trail. OK, I will be skipping this trail for the next few months!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18816740

[geocycle]

Today it was the studded tires whose limits were tested, or at least my ability to ride on them. The Weber River Parkway http://www.weberpathways.org/projects-2/weber-river-parkway/ is plowed and mostly quite clear in Riverdale where I live, but head further into Ogden... I crossed Parker Drive and all of a sudden it was soft snow over ice. I turned back and was going to get onto Parker Drive but a guy walking a couple dogs said the trail was plowed again just over that little hill. So with my confidence boosted I got back on the trail. Ha! Yeah a plow had been through at some point, so it was only two inches of soft snow over an inch of ice, but still... I had one full off, a full body dive into the snow alongside the trail. Along a few stretches I could ride pretty well, other stretches I'd be putting a foot down every third or fourth pedal stroke, and then I just walked a good part of it. Even walking was tricky, especially with the bike to push. Very slippery with enough snow to make pushing the bike a struggle.

Ah and where the trail goes under the railroad tracks north of 31st St. wow, it was like a foot of water with big chunks of six inch thick ice floating around! I could keep one foot on a pedal and use the other foot to negotiate the ice, while using my arms to hold on to the top of the wall enclosing the trail. OK, I will be skipping this trail for the next few months!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18816740

Sounds awesome and terrifying in equal amounts!  We get little ice around here so I'm able to avoid riding on really bad days or I stick to main roads when commuting/utility riding.  Never had to clear pack ice with my foot though!

[John Saxby]

Serious business, Jim.  Those streams rushing down the canyons do spectacular things all year round!  Carry on, and I hope it won't be too long before spring arrives.

[macspud]

A few pics from the first few rides of 2017.

I like your photos rualexander, especially the second one http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12169.0;attach=13386  I really like that, where was it taken?