Winter returned today after giving us a brief respite last week. We had two sunny days in a row during the week, then three sunny weekend days. It was almost too much to handle.
I actually got Yellow Bike out for a second ride in February. Imagine that. Sunday was the kind of sunny day we get only a couple of times a year. We just have too much humidity and water lying about. But Sunday, the skies were absolutely clear and deep, deep blue.
Kids sledding behind Cobblestone House.
It wasn’t especially warm, barely 35°F, but the sun made all the difference. My legs encased in black tights, black neoprene shoecovers on my feet, and a black long-sleeved t-shirt on top gave me quite a bit of solar gain. I didn’t go with the full ninja look—also on top was the jersey of the day, my BikeJournal jersey.
Winds from the southwest and an L-shaped out-and-back route to Mendon Ponds Park meant that in each direction I got a bit of quartering tailwind and quartering headwind. It was fine, and better than the full-on headwinds I usually get.
Ice fishermen on the ice and and geese in the open water of 100-Acre Pond.
My average speed was still above 20
MPH through the flats in the city and out Clover Street to where the climbing begins. Even after some granny-ring, single-digit speed sections, at the park my average had dropped only to 16.7
MPH for the 12½ mile total outbound trip. That’s right up there with my best times last year, so I was pleased with that.
I just sort of like this farmhouse and barn. Note the excess road salt left on the shoulder, and the lighter sky out over the lake from the higher humidity there.
I’ve lost a bit in endurance through the winter, and given how short most of my basic transport rides are, that’s to be expected. I took it easy on the return and despite a top speed of 32
MPH coasting on one descent, my total, round-trip average was 16.2
MPH on 25½ miles. Even that’s quite respectable for me.
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February 27th, 2008 at 11:03 pm EST
[...] Two February Sunday rides in a row (Bruce W) [...]
February 27th, 2008 at 11:05 pm EST
[...] Two February Sunday rides in a row (Bruce W) [...]
February 28th, 2008 at 12:24 am EST
Sunday was the perfect day for bike riding.