20 days till spring

Marc Bertucco said:

Okay Vlad, we get it. You've made up your mind. No need to be snarky with references to a picture I posted last week.

I'm going to wait until tomorrow morning to make my decision about riding out doors.

Nobody is being snarky Marc. Vlad has an important point.

Many of us know one another, so it's easy to put beardicles in perspective. I think fondly of my own from a ride with Stearnsy years back.

People who are newer to the forum don't have that same perspective. After a winter spent indoors posting about hating the trainer and longing for some #trainingcamp it wouldn't be hard for people to get the wrong idea - specifically that we're more about showing our bravado in freezing/inclement weather months than we are about supporting one another at races, in training, and even in recovery.

It's been a rough winter for two wheeled bonding but just because the "First Sunday before racing season" is upon us doesn't mean there won't be dozens and dozens of opportunities for that bonding when it's reasonable to ride.

I for one bow down before our Snowy Overlords and admit defeat. There will be plenty of time for bonding in the sun, holding Kondatori in one hand whilst admiring our bare-legged tan lines.

Although you *do* get a badge on this forum for breaking a bone, you won't get one in real life - even Garrigan the Mighty got called a DUMBASS to his busted-up face for riding in the ice.

If you are on the fence - ask yourself why - if it's because there is normally no way in hell you'd ride in this but it's a Team Event then get yourself back to your trainer cave and stay safe. It's a nice tradition but so is just about every other Sunday ride, and the Family Men rides to boot.

#hugs

One more quick note on riding in inclement weather...

DECIDE NOW what your criteria are for:

a) riding
b) turning
c) calling a car

In the warmth of your home with an adult beverage of your choice in your hand is when you can make good decisions.

After you've gotten up early, almost woken one of the kids (or a spouse, significant other) getting out of the house and frozen your nuts/ovaries for a couple of hours is when you have a giant honking sunk cost bias are are likely to make bad decisions - or at minimum decisions that are far worse than those you'd make when well rested.

I'm pretty sure I covered this in the How to Ride & Race doc that you can access just under the twitter feed to your (upper) left on the forum.

Don't just be safe out there folks - be smart.

Whate evs....tomorrow I play who's your daddy with my computrainer...

twoyacks said:

Whate evs....tomorrow I play who's your daddy with my computrainer...

We know who wins that one Chris  

I HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE.  i need to prove that i still remember how to ride a bicycle that isn't clamped into a trainer!  looking forward to getting out of the apartment.  i'm getting plump from all this fireside videogaming.  (Dragon Age 3 level 18 knight enchanter for those who are curious)

i'm all for staying indoors when it's too dangerous to ride, but i'm not convinced tomorrow is one of those days.  i drive a car to work every day and the roads are fine lately.  it's cold, yes, but i've not seen this ice everyone's talking about.  it's not raining or snowing tonight so i doubt the roads will spontaneously sheath themselves in ice before 8 am tomorrow.  they are currently bare and covered in a thick layer of de-icing salt.  wunderground says a 44% chance of snow at 11 AM tomorrow, before that much lower.  tomorrow's weather events are in the early afternoon to evening, which is when our ride terminates.  i'm still in.

Rigs if you are going out tomorrow, I recommend you bring along your "fire sword" to thaw off your appendages.
http://www.weather.com/weather/alerts/localalerts/l/11565:4:US?phenomena=WW&significance=Y&areaid=NYZ179&office=KOKX&etn=0011&tid=715140

elephant in the room in this discussion ….the northern Manhattanites, close to the GWB denizens vs the Brooklynites et al who still have an hour to an hour and 15 plus to travel before getting back to the warmth of their home once  they hit the Jersey side of the GWB

this thread seems a little on the exaggerated side -- on all sides.

I have nothing to prove and still plan to be in the brooklyn bridge at 8 am GWB at 9. Depending on how it looks, might turn around earlier.

If the temp is below 18F or snowing, I'll stay in. But forecast is for warmer and much later snow.

cheers!

Brendan Rigby said:

I HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE.  i need to prove that i still remember how to ride a bicycle that isn't clamped into a trainer!  

I thought you were a rollers guy?

eloy said:

this thread seems a little on the exaggerated side -- on all sides.

Indeed.    

That we're doing this (bike riding/racing several hours a week basically year 'round) at all, in any weather is silly.  Too much time and mental focus and money wasted.  Whatever glory you might think there is, know it's small and transient, and what you're left with is your enjoyment of the process.  That process is why you got into it.  And it has lots to do with riding your bike.  

     That people are making grandstanding-type decisions based on a forecast that is, at best, undecided as to the chance of snow is silly.

     That people use Bruce's and Garrigan's misfortunes as "proof" is silly.  Bad luck.  It will strike at any time, on dry, sunny days, too.  Riding across the Brooklyn Bridge is a far greater risk factor than doing it in bad weather.

     That people think slogging away on the trainer is more valuable at this moment than riding with others is silly, especially when most of us are riding solo, indoors or out, on most of our rides.  People claim to be worried about stupid crashes, yet group riding will prepare them for riding in packs, which will help reduce their chance of crashing.  This is insanely valuable, yet people are writing it off as if it's nothing.  

     And people will probably be stuck riding inside most of next week anyway.  they should enjoy getting out while they still can. 

     None of this has any bearing on whether or not you should ride tomorrow. 

      My recommendation is to start.  We've got eyes, phones, the subway is at the GWB.  Just riding to the GWB and hopping the subway is probably a better ride than most of you will get indoors. More fun, too.  and I know what Tim's workout is for tomorrow, so those of you on his plan have no excuse.

   While I do live in upper manhattan, I've done near-freezing rain/snow races in Prospect and FBF and have taken the train home, so I know what it's like to be shivering wet and sitting on a train.  There are far worse things.

   No, it has nothing to do with bravado for me. 

Gonna ride CP laps today 10am-11:30am (or snow starts) txt me on the bike if you want company. 646 785 2107

Jules said:

twoyacks said:

Whate evs....tomorrow I play who's your daddy with my computrainer...

We know who wins that one Chris  

Jules shortly after I recorded this file...my computrainer entered the witness protection program. 

https://app.strava.com/activities/261660376

Great day for riding today.  (no sun=less mess on the road=cleaner bike)

Brendan, Eloy, Marc, Sean, and myself.  We agreed to shorten the ride, potentially only as far as Palisades, NY. and call an audible depending on what we could see.  Eloy turned back at Closter Dock (a 12:30 brunch?  Brunch is before noon only; seems hinky).

We did a lap of the Rockleigh course.  Turn 2 was icy.  We then finished the lap, used a phone to check the weather, and decided to head to Bradley, climb Clausland, and turn for home.

A few flakes fell on us as we hit Greenburgh.  That stopped quickly.  We climbed steadily, dropped to 9W, rode steady to Stateline, threw down on Stateline, regrouped, and rode a rotating pace line, in various formats, home.  

I accompanied Sean to the west village and then headed home.  It pretty much started snowing when predicted.  Noon.  By this point we were already to the meatpacking district.  My ride back uptown was fine.  

I planned on being there to ride with you guys this morning. I decided to drive to the N.Y side of the bridge and park up and cycle from there. When I got there, there was a big ass running race in progress. Parking was a nightmare and then getting across the street meant putting my bike on my shoulder and going through the subway tunnel. When I finally got to the jersey side of the Gwb it was 9:20. You guys had obviously headed out. I had no clue where you guys intended to ride, so I just rode up as far as "the market" and came back. It was my first outdoor ride since the end of November, so I was just happy to be out there. Roads where mostly clear and there where quite a few out there. Weather permitting I'll leave from home next week and get there on time to meet the group.

Kinda jealous reading this. Glad you had a nice ride!

I just now got an alert that gwb ped path is closed.
On Mar 1, 2015 2:53 PM, "mugwump" <

Bummer to have missed the ride!  I relegated myself to doing Central Park laps in case it started snowing.  @JohnMalcolmson I didn't check the forum before I left, otherwise I would have definitely met you…next time.  Hope to see some folks next weekend provided this glorious whiteness melts!  

Sunday is supposed to be 42! GWB @9am. Race got cancelled Saturday so be prepared to thrash.

There can only be one...

That movie sucked balls.

Craig London said:

Sunday is supposed to be 42! GWB @9am. Race got cancelled Saturday so be prepared to thrash.

1. No official cancellation yet.

2. Sure you'll make it? We were waiting for you this past Sunday.

1. Promoter Jim emailed me last night: "Craig - we didn't make the call yet, but at this point I think it's safe to say that we won't be racing saturday."

2. Was running behind last week. I'll be there this week if the bridge is open and it's above 12 degrees at 8am. 

Officially cancelled. See y'all on Sunday!

On the plus side, now you can sleep in a watch Strade Bianche, which is airing on BeIN Sports, conveniently available through SlingTV if you get the $5 extra sports package. Get on it! And get inspired by Kwiatkowski breaking hearts and legs.

Live stream from 8am EST. 

-Jake 

EDIT - not seeing Strade on the BeIN TV schedule anymore, maybe soccer takes precedent. Anywho, watch the Eurosport feed here: http://www.cyclingfans.com/strade-bianche/live

You may need to refresh the page to see the latest links tomorrow morning. 

Cheers!

Any one have an idea of how 9W could look by this Sunday? 

i'm going to rock fenders and gatorskins and have an extra tube or three.  the snow melt and debris and potholes will probably make it pretty gnarly out there.

Maybe we should start a Queens meeting point?  I'm planning on riding over to the QBBridge for the first time to get to the group ride!

9W?  After 1000 miles on my trainer, it will look like this on Sunday:

@Bruce van-Schalkwyk at least you had a break and saw the promised land during your own personal training camp!

I'de like to get out for a 3 hour ride tomorrow or Sunday...Sunday looks warmer