Short 16 miles with 2100’ of climbing this morning with the temp moving between 0C and -2C. Yesterday before dawn of Black Friday, we had our first dusting of the year. Last night and through dawn, a bit more came down. (No frogs were seen.)
First, over the ridgeline and down to the river valley and onward to get up and traverse (from left to right) the ridge ahead, eventually dropping down well behind me to the road on the other side of the river…
Yesterday we had a dump of snow, however it fell on fairly soft unfrozen ground so it wasn’t worth going out. Oh, there were 60km/h winds to deal with as well. It froze hard overnight so it was time to get out the fat bikes and go play. It began to snow just as we were about to set off and never really stopped all ride, it put 3cm down at the house by the time we got back.
Higher up it becomes an access track to a couple of houses and was quite icy, complete lack of grip on that so had to walk about 100m until it levelled off.
After this we had a few options and ended up going for the shortest one. In the event this was probably wise. A bit of hoiking the bikes over a gate wrapped with barbed wire (the area got really popular during lockdown plus there’s no BWs on it)
The next bit is normally rideable but the snow had drifted in so a bit of hike-a-bike was in order. Given the state of that I wasn’t sure if the following bit would also be drifted in as it was in the lee of a stone wall but it was mostly rideable for the climb and level sections then fine on the downhill bit.
At the end of this is a lane that regularly ices up so we walked it. Didn’t stop me from falling over, fortunately I landed exactly on my front tyre so a soft landing! The last bit of off-road is legal, it used to be one of those silly BWs that just stopped in the middle of nowhere but the last field has been upgraded from footpath.
OMG all that climbing and all that snow. That’s really impressive adaptation for a So Cal native! Heck - it’s just impressive! I wonder if the frogs are hibernating
Days are so short, now! I’m about to get on the trainer. I think it was dark by 5:30 today. Glad you got a ride in - the weather looked beautiful. Thanks for the picture!
Leaves are off of the trees, everything has turned brown and gray, but it’s still great to ride outside.
Mississippi River in St. Paul, Thursday afternoon, first ride of December.
A few pictures from Sunday’s ride. 2.5 hours Z2 outside, 74 km, with the gravel bike with fenders and road wheelset off the road bike. First half was dry, saw a nice rainbow, then it started to rain and continued to do so until the end. Started out at 1C, rainbow was 0C, then it dropped to -1C in the rain, classic Type 2 fun.
We were in Reno over the weekend for my daughter’s college graduation. Stayed at the Whitney Peak hotel and I’m thinking of going back next month because…
Had to turn around on the 2nd to last cross. Versus the prior training block, much better control going from tempo to above threshold and back to tempo
Back home and past the house decorated by the two 80+ year old ladies that live there:
I think they get help with the lights on the gutter. But the rest? I rode past the house several days in a row a couple weeks ago when they were outside putting up lights! Rocking grannies!
This guy rented high lift, trimmed his redwood, and put up a show!
off to the far right of the pic is a white tent top - that is our neighborhood microbrewery and CrossFit gym. Stopped and talked to Joe of BBQ Express Yoself, he was cooking outside the brewery tonight. No beer for me!
Hmm, on the other hand that means no more cowbell 
Can’t support that.
