Going to try the park

It was a snowy mess out there today (though sunny and beautiful!) - DOT was just starting to clear the south side path over the GWB on my way home.  RR looked clear from the bridge, but when I got to the NJ side the path down to the park entrance was completely covered in snow so I just bagged and did 9W.  Shoulder was intermittently clear.

Since it doesn't seem like temps are expected to get above freezing tomorrow, the snow won't have melted much by then - use caution and 25c tires if you got 'em.

 

Good thing you took your "winter beater bike", Tito

an insulated bottle filled with some sort of sports drink (salt!) will allow you to drink out there.

PP is good, it is just really wet. Did 2 hours until my toes got completely wet and couldn't take the freezing pain. 

I discovered the other day that I lack appropriate cold weather gear for these temperatures.  I'll be in my apartment on the rollers, sorry!  Whoever goes, please post more nostril ice pictures.

Roads are gross. I will be on the trainer.

trainer is gross, I'll be out tomorrow- maybe a bit later the usual.

Immune system is gross. I'll be on the couch

I still don't feel 100%. I'm stayin' home.

I'll be on the trainer with Mike.
:-0

Roads are gross. I will be on the trainer.

Roads looked pretty dry to me, as I left work around 7:30 pm. I'm still planning to head out for some riding fun, although leaving at 9 may not be the ticket. Tomorrow, no chance of precipitation, and the relative humidity is going to be down, making for what might be some nice riding conditions.

If it's a small group of us, we can easily do one of JP's secret Jersey routes. I'm still working on cracking the code, but I've got it about 90% right. I can now guarantee that I won't get us lost. But it's too complicated for early turn around points. So if you are in with me, you're in for the long haul. It's a 4 hour affair, possible 3:40 with a group of testerone slingers keeping the pace up on the flats. Nice longish climbs...including one that took my fat slow ass about 8 minutes the other day.

I'll post later again when I've got a estimated time of departure. Give a holler though on the forum if you think you might be interested.

I'll be there.  At the usual time.

Tandem trainer? Ewwwww. Pics please.

9am GWB? Which means a big fat maybe for fat boy (don't wait)

Marc, I may be up for it. let me know what time you're thinking- i might be good for 10am but not much later than that from gwb.

Okay, well I was convinced by JP to get up and moving for the usual 9am Sunday start. So, that's what I'm shooting for.

k im coming.

Gonna be at pp grand army entrance at 12 for 2 hrs of tempo.

Gonna be in my kitchen for two hours of rollers

what?
Myles riding a bike?

Myles said:

Gonna be in my kitchen for two hours of rollers

Yeah... too cold for me. Rollers + Netflix. 

JP, Alyoshas and myself went west into Jersey for a 4-hour ride at conversational pace (for them). I was huffing and puffing a bit, but those guys waited for me PRN ("as needed" -- that's a little inside joke for you EMTs, RNs and Docs out there) it was a good time. Roads were dry and clear.

P.S. So not "too" cold. A day like Saturday is tough, because the relative humidity is so high, the roads and sloppy and wet. Once you get wet, it's game over. But on dry cold days, there are relatively affordable ways to dress to stay warm.

I feel like a lot has been written all over this forum about how to dress for the cold. A lot of it is individual, but there are some wardrobe basics that took me way too long to buy/figure out that have changed, entirely the way I think about when to ride, and when to hide. I'd be happy to share what I've learned with anyone who is still struggling to figure it out. Just private message me. Again, so much has been written about it already, I don't want to clutter the forum.

Alyoshas did point out that I do have an extra "base layer" of fat keeping me toasty these days, but even when I was slimmer, I could get out and ride comfortably around the 20 degree mark. One day a few years back, JP and I went when it was 15 degrees and that was borderline stooopid, but anything above that, given sunny, dry conditions, you should not pass up the opportunity for some fresh air.

Seriously, today was a really nice day to ride. Really nice. Totally comfortable (and I'm a person whose toes have terrible circulation and get cold way too fast). JP was all like, "I think Marc overdressed, given how far he has his thermal jacket open." Actually, that's part of my technique. I had my thermal jacket, and exactly one long-sleeve baselayer on. And I zipped up and down depending on whether we were climbing, descending, cruising on the flats.

I wish I could have come however simple colds in my case can lead to bronchitis in a snap if I'm not careful.

Heading out for an hour of tempo in PP at around 3:30.

Had work this AM, but I'm going to be in PP from 2:30pm until sundown, or until too cold or bored. @dstreans, will hopefully run into you.

Sweet. Will keep an eye out - I may not be in Kissena gear.....black CAAD 9.

Marc Bertucco said:

Seriously, today was a really nice day to ride. Really nice. Totally comfortable (and I'm a person whose toes have terrible circulation and get cold way too fast). JP was all like, "I think Marc overdressed, given how far he has his thermal jacket open." Actually, that's part of my technique. I had my thermal jacket, and exactly one long-sleeve baselayer on. And I zipped up and down depending on whether we were climbing, descending, cruising on the flats.

did you use chemical warmers for your feet?  i went for a ride the other day when it was 22 and my feet went numb after about 25 mins in, even with my 3mm neoprene booties.  i'm thinking it would be fine if i had some chemical warmers?

so this is what I used and I felt good, got a little cold towards the end towards the end of the ride but nonetheless still comfortable. My feet were a lil sweaty when I removed all layers at the end of the ride actually which is what contributed to me feeling a lil cold during the ride
2 layers of wool socks. 1 thin and 1 thick on top (took insoles out btw)
1 chemical hand warmer on top of toes or slightly more proximal actually.
Sidi toe cover
Pearl Izumi neoprene bootie
Large gore tex bootie (nonpadded) over it all.

I am however not a reference, I tend to get cold more easily than many other people it seems.

A key to warm feet is to make sure your shoes are not overly tight and therefore cutting off circulation to your toes. Ideally, you have an old pair of shoes that are a bit too big for summer riding, but accommodate all the socks that Aly mentions. If your toes have any tendency to go numb in the warm weather, it means that your shoes are cutting off circulation (it is not uncommon as there is a big artery running along the bottom of your foot). In that case, you are doomed and need a new shoe.