CYCLINGFORUM.COM - Where Cyclists Talk Tech --- Return To Home

 

    Register FAQ'sSearchProfileLog In / Log Out

 

****

cyclingforum.com ****

HOMECLUBS | SPONSORS | FEATURESPHOTO GALLERYTTF DONORS | SHOP FOR GEAR

Return to CyclingForum Home Page CYCLING TECH TALK FORUM
          View posts since last visit

"Winter" riding smorgasbord
 

Author Thread Post new topic Reply to topic
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

2/27/17 5:58 AM

"Winter" riding smorgasbord

I rode an MTB in mud and slush in the woods with temps in the 50s on Friday, a road bike on nearly dry roads wearing short sleeves on Saturday (70 degrees) and a fat bike on dry trails yesterday (40's and windy). Ya gotta' love "winter" in New England!

 Reply to topic    

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

2/27/17 8:08 AM

It is here too. I recall before moving to Nashville from NJ we had already been saying "If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes" as well.

My last few rides include sunny 50^ with cold swings of 15^ ans waiting out some small sleet and soft hail. The wet ride I did not expect to finish up.
No rain coat or fenders being I got cocky about how nice it was at the start. And took my most summer bike too! ;)

I can't wait for 70^ pops!

Then there was our walk in the Neighborhood yesterday, now that Elaine can actually go on walks now without all that pain. Top of the Sub-div, dead end streets etc. Lady backing hurriedly out of her driveway backed up to like 1-2 feet from me as we got past her driveway. It seemed very 'I'll show them for being in my way" intentional.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

JohnC
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 1939
Location: Glastonbury, Ct

2/28/17 10:07 AM

Flood adventure.

I haven't been doing much riding other than commuting for a while, but it was very nice to have those days hitting close to 70 last week. I rode home in shorts Friday, unprecedented for February.

Yesterday, however, I experienced another effect of the sudden warmup. My commute is mostly on roads, but includes a couple of miles of MUT through a park near the Connecticut River, including a section of path that was only opened last summer (and therefore has not been through a flood season).

I knew the river had been rising for a few days from snow melting upstream, but I didn't even think about whether any part of the new path might be flooding yet (I know how high the water has to get to impact other sections). When I came to a section with water on it, I rode on, thinking it might be only a few inches deep (which is no problem on the foul-weather fixie with cross tires that I ride for the winter commute). Wrong. By the time I realized my mistake, the water was up to the hubs, and when I stopped I was standing in ice water almost up to my knees (there was actually ice on the surface).

I waded back out and rode the long away around, thankfully only about 3 miles to work, or it might have been a problem having soaked shoes and socks with the temp around freezing. Managed to dry things out sufficiently for the ride home (temperature had risen to about 50).

I checked the USGS site with real-time stream height data from the automated gauge here in Hartford, and it turns out that from Friday midnight to the crest early this morning, the river rose almost 12 feet. Pretty impressive. It's going down slowly now, but it will need to drop about 4 feet before that (muddy) path will be rideable again.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

2/28/17 5:06 PM

You'll ride there again

When the Good Lord's willing, and the creek don't rise.

I've had some adventures riding in flooded areas myself, including once when I went off the side of the road into a ditch and was fully submerged (with my feet clipped into the pedals), doing kind of a breaststroke. But I wasn't on my way to work...

 Reply to topic    

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

2/28/17 5:28 PM

The 900 acre Nature Park one mile from the house in TN [about only thing I miss] had two brook crossings. The rock under the few inches of ice cold water was algae covered. You learn fast to keep your CG perfectly atop after the wheels slide out the first time. ;) Riding home after the ice cold bath wet in 35-40^ weather is not soon forgotten. Again, aren't we happy to be out either way? ;)

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

JohnC
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 1939
Location: Glastonbury, Ct

3/1/17 7:15 AM

I just checked the data

The river has dropped 3 1/2 feet in the last 30 hours. The path should be more or less rideable tomorrow, depending on how much mud has been deposited.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail


Return to CyclingForum Home Page CYCLING TECH TALK FORUM
           View New Threads Since My Last Visit VIEW THREADS SINCE MY LAST VISIT
           Start a New Thread

 Display posts from previous:   


  
Last Thread | Next Thread  >  

  
  

 


If you enjoy this site, please consider pledging your support

cyclingforum.com - where cyclists talk tech
Cycling TTF Rides Throughout The World

Cyclingforum is powered by SYNCRONICITY.NET in Denver, Colorado -

Powered by phpBB: Copyright 2006 phpBB Group | Custom phpCF Template by Syncronicity