Just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I'll be out of town for the next few weekends, but I'm looking forward to many group rides after I return to NYC in the new year.

I'm going to sound a bit like a broken record here, and if you've known me for longer than 10 minutes, feel free to skip past the following text, but we've got new members aplenty so...

I hope everyone is stocking up on some good cold-weather gear, because winter is such an important time to working on building your fitness and getting to know your teammates. We're not just a racing team, but we are a team that races a lot. And good racing comes from good training and good understanding of each your teammates. 

If it's dry and sunny--even when bitterly cold, say in the 20s--it's really easy to dress for a comfortable warm riding experience. 40 degrees and damp/drizzly/wet, that's just miserable and will usually mean I stay indoors.

And remember, group rides are NOT ONLY for the super fit. Yeah, we'll tackle a KOM or townline sprint or two, but the Sunday 9am GWB departure group is more about staying together, keeping warm and building some fitness together.

We're all over the map on fitness and experience levels. As such, for some these rides may be a little too easy, others a little too hard, others just right. But with the Piermont split-up, I think almost everyone basically gets the ride they need. Of course sometimes you just need to train solo. We all get that too. Anyway, the point is, no matter where you are at in your power/fitness profile these days, come out when you can for the Sunday ride.

(Saturday riding tends to be smaller group affairs, with folks "choosing their own adventures." So you'll see people posting rides advertising Prospect Park afternoon laps, Jersey Wormhole Bag-o-Hammers Slug Fests, Cunningham Park off road adventures, Long Island Triangle Yacks-attack-smack-talk express, etc.)

Stay warm and safe!

I'm hoping to get out Saturday or  Sunday , anybody around

River road Solo this morning early ,the heavy fog made for a "dream like" ride ,

I'm back and ready to ride.

I'll be at the GWB Sunday at 9am.  Headed to Rockland Lake.  Like to keep it social to Piermont, controlled over most of the climbs, with enough energy after Stateline to have a fast rotating pace line back to the bridge.

Who's joining?

I'm in. 

Whats the status of the police crackdown on cyclists running lights in Manhattan? Is it still an issue?

Yes me too! BB (Manhattan side or BK? @ 8?)

not feeling 100% will skip today (or maybe ride a bit later)

Enroute

slow late start today, but did get to hang out with Karla and Brian, so it was really good.

the mix of temp and precipitation forecast is trending towards Saturday as being the better day for a weekend ride ... who's in?

Hopefully, Scott.  I've got a nasty cold that seems to be at it's worst today, so fingers crossed BB 8am Saturday.  

I'm in. Where we headed?

I intend to be there Saturday!

BB = brooklyn bridge? which side if so... hope you dont mean bayonne bridge, trying not to be in/around staten island

Yes, BB=brooklyn bridge.  We meet at the entrance on the Brooklyn side at 8am and the NJ side of GWB at 9am for all group rides.  We'll generally wait only 5 minutes at each site.

In!!! Who else is reppin' from the women's team....holla!

yes! And good job @Scott Kuhlke for prudent planning

Confirmed, I'll be at BB at 8am Sat morning, GWB at 9am.  look forward to riding the overcast, early spring weather.

See y'all there. 

25% chance I'll be able to make it. I miss riding with the team.

Yes, rain is forecast for Sunday.  I expect to be out there all the same.

For those of you who find rainy riding a turnoff, I recommend going out regardless.  Maybe not over to Jersey and up to Piermont or beyond, but to the closest park or a nearby loop you have.  Make your best effort to guess how to dress for the weather and go.

The point is to ride.  Figure out how to get comfortable, if possible, or less uncomfortable.  That refers to both your gear and the conditions. There might be a time in your future where you've circled a race on your calendar, preregistered, rented a car, got a hotel room, and the morning of the race dawns wet and cold.  It's better to be able to race, than to have made all that effort and either not start, or mentally quit before the race has begun.

Ride as long as you can manage.  When you're really cold and/or demoralized, head home.  Have a warm drink, Clean your clothes, clean your bike, think about how you can do better next time.

#fasterstrongerawesomer

JP is right. Riding in the rain is not so bad as long as your clothes and the temps are appropriate (I avoid rain and 38 degrees).

Additionally, I really enjoy racing in the rain. Except for those few sphincter clenching moments as you go over some freshly painted lines the riding can be enjoyable, especially the  camaraderie with your fellow racers and the taste of that unknown road gunk sprayed in your face by the wheel in front of you.

I'm a bit borderline about training in the winter rain, light rain for sure, or if I have a specific hard workout, I'll usually headout even in hard rain.

Like Jim, I actually love racing in the rain in NYC (or cross)

simply: when raining you race against hardcore types, that well, show up and race in the rain. Resulting in a usually much safer much harder and smarter racing, as these tend to be riders that well, ride and race even in the rain.

The unavoidable point in the "should I" or "shouldn't I" train in the rain question, is that if you ever intend to race in the rain, you MUST get to know how your bike/wheels/brakes handle the conditions. You need to know what if feels like to ride/race while getting battered by the spray of the back wheel in front of you.

This is another one of those perhaps rude realities that separates bike riders from bike racers. This is another one of the "fun" parts of training for bike racing.

75% change I'll be at BB @ 8 tomorrow morning. First long ride in months - looking forward to it

Won't be able to make the 9am group ride, but will be doing a NJ wormhole ride around noon tomorrow. 3.5+ hours GWB to GWB. Endurance tempo mostly. There are some climbs will probably push the pace a bit more there.

Let me know if anyone is interested in joining this ride.

I set the weekday alarm, not the weekend ... I won't make it by 8 but will do my best to make it to GWB by 9 so don't wait for me

Last call...anyone up for a noon-ish ride into Jersey?

this morning was fun!
(my selfie attempts weren't very successful, but at least we got a photobomb by Tara)