For weeks I was mentally preparing myself for January. December had a few challenging winter rides, and I even crashed on the ice a couple times during my commute to and from work. Having commuted through last January, I knew the worst was still to come. Or so I thought…
Water Break – Spring in January
January started off a little chilly, but then it got warm. Really warm. We’ve been in the 50’s during the day for a while now, and the extended forecast is for more of the same! There were shorts and knickers on today’s lunch ride. I finally stopped and rolled up my pants, because they became unbearably hot on the climb! Kristy and I even stopped for a few water breaks, drinking deeply from the bottle.
Back when it was winter a couple weeks ago, I ordered these Continental Spike Claws with 240 studs per tire. They arrived at the Bicycle Authority about the same day I bought some new Sorel snow boots, which also seems to be the day it started warming up! So maybe this false January spring is all my fault. I’m still holding out for a horrendous blizzard so I can try out the Spike Claws. Otherwise they will sit unused on the shelf until next year.
I’ve been taking pictures and writing of the lunch rides since 2001. It’s always fun to go back and see what we were doing in a particular month of any given year. As you can see from the picture above, January can go either way! Winter of 2005 was a pretty tough month, and I wasn’t even bicycle commuting back then. We were just trying to get a few miles in for exercise, but there was very little to ride.
One good thing about this weather, is that Jeff P has decided to plan an Iron Mountain ride for this Saturday! Expect to hear more details from him soon.
Scott R just reminded me that he bought some deluxe Lake winter cycling shoes . He’s as much to blame for this hot weather as anyone!
i keep holding out hope that at some point, we get obliterated with some real, hardcore winter. it’s just way too tame out there.
I curse you, Moser!
I just rode to work at -12. Our winter is a steroid-crazed bitch.
Don’t pray for snow.
Enjoy that beautiful weather.
I would kill for that here.
And I do mean kill.
We got 3% of our available sunshine in December.
3%.
Less than one day here in July.
Do you know what that does to a persons psyche?
I think I need to go lay down and have some quiet time right now . . .
Well if it makes you guys feel any better, today was not as warm. I think the windchill made it feel like 53 out there. Just awful.
Heavy headwind for the climb, x-wing fighter speed for the descent. What a hoot!
And the cloud cover has me suicidal!
I estimate that cloud in the sky to be 20-30 feet across. God help us if it blocks the sun.
Put away the Bikini’s boys looks like a storm be Rollin In!
This so called stormy weather isn’t supposed to do much according to local Reno station KTVN.com
http://www.ktvn.com/Global/category.asp?C=90453&nav=menu549_3