Ten more days before it becomes moderate enough for me to start riding.
Lot's of snow in Berlin.
Too much snow on the ground to mountain biking for me.
However, show doesn’t stop this guy. Check out the Loam Ranger riding a snow bike. Jump to 6 minute mark where he rides the bike down the mountain at 47 MPH.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xytvXQWODo
I’m going to be starting a cross-country ride on Thursday on the Southern Tier Bicycle Trail from San Diego, California to St. Augustine, Florida.
Put a deposit on a Giant Revolt gravel bike this week!
Meanwhile, on Rouvy, I am finishing up the Tour de Stations challenge which is in Switzerland, and am finishing up the “Professional” level. I hope to be at “National Champion” by the end of March...
Please add me to your Ping List.
Still riding my 97 Trek 800. 8.5 miles yesterday on improved city park lanes. 1 hour. But hey I’m 80 years old.
80 miles on the road yesterday with 6000 feet of climbing. Pretty wet and muddy. This is the fiest year I’ve dedicated myself to getting regular, long rides in during winter months. Hope it pays off!
The first big snow came and I figured that was the break I had been waiting for. That was the day I discovered how fiendishly sticky volcanic soil can be when it gets muddy. It took me about 10 minutes to ride the first 100 yards, by which time so much mud had collected on my rear tire that it was fouling the seatstays and I couldn't push the pedals hard enough to turn the wheels over.
I tried cleaning the mud off but all I got out of that was cycling gloves that looked like oversized lobster claws. There was nothing to do but portage the bike back to my car, but the problem with that plan was I'd have to walk in the same mud I couldn't ride on.
It took me half an hour to slog on foot back through the same hundred yards of muck. The mud even pulled off my MTB shoes several times.
All of which taught me two important lessons.
No. 1, mud from volcanic soil is unworldly sticky.
No. 2, if you live on a mountain that is in fact a dozing volcano, don't expect the ground to freeze. Ever.