All...I missed this morning too, because, just in time for the holidays, the wife and I have been beating off cold symptoms for the last 3 or 4 days. Decided to stay indoors one more day, so I don't go to work 1/2 sick tomorrow and pick up something nasty in my ER travels. Gotta be healthy for family time later this week!

But, I do want to encourage folks not to ride in the cold when possible. A dry, sunny day, even if only in the 20s, I'll take any day over riding in the damp when it's in the 30s. Like they say in the summer, "it's not the heat, it's the humidity." Layers, good functioning zippers, an extra pair of gloves in case you sweat through your first pair. Ear covering at least, something to shield the face on descents (beards or gators for you girly men with buttery smooth skin), a hot bottle of water and you should be good to go on a day like today.

Thanks to JP and Josh and Patrick for being out there representing. For those of you new to the club, you can pretty much count on a Sunday group ride (at least) happening every week leaving the New Jersey side of the GWB around 9am through the winter. The colder it is, the less time folks wait. The route generally stays the same from week to week--although smaller groups allow for more improvising--and has plenty of turn around points for folks to customize their mileage and efforts for any given Sunday.

These rides are almost always open to all regardless of club affiliation and tend to be moderate in difficulty (meaning a cat 4 with fair fitness should be able to hang in there without too much trouble), punctuated with a few shorter hard efforts with regrouping after climbs and sprints and generally in the 2.5 hour range from bridge to bridge.

JP, you made that all up.

Late pass: Sorry y'all for not making it out on Sunday - ended up being a poopshow of a day for me. Caught a nasty cold, either from Grace or my friend's three-year-old germ factory - er, daughter -and still had to ride out in the cold to run errands etc. Would've MUCH rather been out making my cold worse on an actual fun ride.
I'm back the 26th - looking forward to a few chilly ones before the new year.

anyone getting out xmas morning? or do most have child merriment duties?

Anyone riding tomorrow morning?

Posted By: Ryan JAnyone riding tomorrow morning?

I will out doing an easy spin to Rockland Lake tomorrow to get miles in. Still don't know what time though.

Yes for sat morning. I would propose 10:00 at GWB, unless I hear otherwise.

Posted By: dstokesYes for sat morning. I would propose 10:00 at GWB, unless I hear otherwise.

David,
Tomorrow (Sat) Alyosha and I are starting from Brooklyn-side of BB around 9:15, so we hopefully will be at GWB by 10-ish.

Saturday. 9:00 am GWB.
47degF.
Any takers?

@Stokes I should be in for that. Will be at Brooklyn Bridge at 8 a.m. for interested Brooklyners.

i wanted to ride tomorrow so that sounds good! gonna try bk bridge at 8 but may just take the train up.

Hey,

I'm in for tmrw... where we going?

I'll probably just do Piermont but others might want to go farther.

I'm probably 10 @ GWB. Shelled after the 70 miler today. Jeebus, I'm going barely over half speed up climbs. I guess 10-15 lbs will do that... Have fun, don't wanna slow you guys down anyway!

Jeff - If it's not snowing or raining I'll do 10 @ GWB. Have to hit the farmer's market first so no 9am for me.

Will you bring me some white asparagus and free range artisinal figs stuffed with morbier and wrapped in organic malted bacon? I'll give you a Clif bar in exchange.

I was just about to say... i can't make 9, probably going to be at the bridge at 10.

Wish I can do tomorrow with you guys, but gotta prep for the big New Years Eve Russian family feast (no, I will skip the Vodka). I AM however up for a nice long ride on Sunday. Let me know if anyone's in for a New Years Day hangover ride.

@ Jeff - how about some poached quail's eggs confit and a swift kick in the ass? WISEGUY.

Rain is at 40% at the moment - are we still doing this?

Sorry fellas, apparently my phone's idea of an alarm this morning was displaying the word "Alarm" on the screen. So I slept in.

@Ros, I might be down for a hangover ride tomorrow.

^lol - cell phone alarms

Nice ride today. Andy, Jeff O., our buddy Keith and I met up with John M. At SB and rode 9W to Piermont, then on to Nyack. Jeff had a tough day - a flat just over the bridge (mercifully close to SB) and then a spill at that nasty turn in Tallman Park (I'll let him describe it with all the appropriate embellishments). Still, he held on like a super-trooper.
John and I took the high road up Ash and whatever that dirt road is that takes you along the ridgeline, and Jeff, Andy and Keith took the low road to Nyack. Met up at the Spoon for a coffee and a chat with some Siggi's bro, then Andy and Keith went on to Rockland Lake and the rest of us turned back. We got kinda lost-ish on the way back, following Piermont Ave instead of doing the climb to the state line, but we got to see a LOT of Tenafly and Cresskill. ;)

Yeah, I was wondering why we went back the way with a steep climb where you had to stand, which is exactly what I was unable to do, since my meeting with a rock a few months ago hasn't really healed fully I guess...But it was fine. Just some of the ribs/tendons/ligaments are re-torn/stretched a bit. And I haven't had real road rash in like 3 years, so I was due. A beautiful big 5" strawberry on the right hip. Most importantly, the bike is FINE. Dug up some old tegaderm tho!

Basically, I never descend Tall Man for that reason, especially when wet. Only go up it. It's usually fairly car-free though, and since it was slick I decided to take a nice WIDE TURN on that one blind corner and of course.....there was an oncoming car! Perfect. Too much pressure in tires and the usual result. In the words of Hank Williams, I had a lot of luck but it's all been bad. Glad everyone else was able to steer into the mud and stay up.

I'll be back out tomorrow to enjoy the nice weather again. Probably late, due to alcohol consumption. I might have an IV hooked up to the bars.

Man, I hate Niki Minaj.

^explain^

She's annoying. She ruins my Hot 97 jams.

Oh, I forgot to embellish. There were also badgers and dragons and shit on the ride and we killed them. After falling down a frozen waterfall 500 ft and stealing the blarney stone.

Guys, for tomorrow's 2012Hangover™ ride, what do you think of 11am or 12noon GWB meet-up? Is that late enough for you folks to catch some Zzz? I'm thinking easy ride to Rockland lake for me. How many of you peeps are down?

Noon sounds good to me.

Posted By: Jeffrey WhiteNoon sounds good to me.

Jeff, looks like New Years festivities at the annual household finished up later than expected, so I won't promise a noon metup at GWB for me, but will try my best. Will post in the AM with update.

Happy New Year peoplz!!!

R

Ill try for prospect at 10 if anyone is interested

Ros - I am game for a noonish meetup at gwb - please post once you know your plans.

oof. Not gonna make it. Pretty sore/stiff. Amazing the cuts you find after hitting the deck. How did I scrape the top of my wrists? May go out tomorrow. Looks like 40.