After 10 days-A Day Actually OFF

Today it snowed....A Lot...In fact at 5PM its still snowing and looks as though it will be most of the evening.  Maybe even some ice on top of it tomorrow.  Thats what I hate about our weather here.  The ICE seems to really kill things here.  Snow is easy to get around in, ICE is impossible.  So today I decided to take a whole day off.  No running, no cycling. no hikes.  I may do some lifting tonight while I watch the national championship game.  But other wise, I have been just lazy today.  I wont be able to take many more days of sitting so probably be out doing something tomorrow.  Here is a pic of what it looks like today.

Storm coming so I ride yet another day...

So today, I had planned to take a day off from riding and relax.  My intentions were to go to church, eat breakfast with my parents and family, take the kids to Testify, then come back and watch the Eagles/Packer game in my sweatpants.  It didn't work out that way.  I went to church by myself at 10, met the family for lunch and took the kids.  But apparently there is a really huge/horrible/terrible/no good/very bad storm on the way with feet of snow and bone chilling temps.  I never believe anything the weather guessers say but just in case, I decided to get a ride in.  Maybe the roads will be impassable the next 5 or 6 days (or maybe not).  If they are, I wont be riding.  Although if yesterday told me anything, it was that road bikes actually DO go in the snow.  Maybe not well but they go. So I bundled up since the high was 36, got out old trusty and spun around 23 miles.  It felt pretty good.  Not too cold and the wind was light.  Maybe I wont be posting about riding much over the next few days......or maybe I will.

Todays mileage- 23 miles
Total road miles 2011- 215 miles

January 8-POLAR BEAR RIDE

Start Finish Line-Drafters on the front

OK, this was an amazing day.  First, yesterday evening we had rain that could or maybe should have been snow.  It was supposed to be around 20 degrees this morning going to around 45 by afternoon.  Boy was that wrong!  When I got up at 6:30 AM it was 32 degrees and the sun was starting to peek out.  I ate breakfast and left the house with both bikes in the Element around 7:15.  I couldn't decide if I wanted to ride the new bike or the old one.  By 9:45, it was actually in the high 30's, sunny and warming.  A little wind from the west but nothing I couldn't handle.  Mike and I were about 15 minutes leaving after the rush.  We caught up with a guy on a mountain bike about 1/2 mile after leaving the start.  I have no idea what he was up to but it wasn't riding fast. We told him we would wait on him at the first rest stop (well Mike did, I had to go the 62 mile SAG.  Mike was only on the 30 miler).  So we get to the first rest stop.  Earl calls someone in Mooresville and they tell him its snowing in Mooresville.  We all laughed and said "no way, the suns out".  About 2 miles up the road, the clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped and the wind picked up to 30+ MPH.  It was snowing so hard I could not see 30 feet up the road.  It actually started sticking on the road.  I helped 2 folks find the shortcut to Corriher Grange.  Since that got me off track, I decided to ride backwards until I caught the last group and the last SAG.  I rode into the wind up hills and into the cold.  I guess I must have missed the last 3 folks because I kept going.  Suddenly I felt like it had been 5 miles since I saw anyone.  So I turned around and hauled butt to the end group.  Earl and Mike caught me about 2 miles from the center and I jumped in the truck.  WE sagged up to the last group and I rode them in.  I tried to pull the last 2 guys in but they would not stay on my wheel.  It was a long last 12 miles.  But we finally got in.  Just in time too as the temp really started to plummet.  Its already fallen to 28 degrees. They are calling for snow Monday and Tuesday.  So today might be the last ride for a while.  Its time to crash now....G'nite

Todays Mileage- 55 miles
Yearly Road Bike Mileage- 192 miles  

I rode even though I should not have-Dummy Alert

I was going to take the day off but I didn't.  I have to ride 62+ miles tomorrow in the cold and wind but I wanted to get in a ride because it was pretty warm for January. So I went out for 20 miles.  Nothing fast or hard, just a slow cruise around the hood.  Its late and I need to get to bed.  So tomorrow I will write about the Polar Bear.


Total Miles today- 20 miles
Total Road Miles for Year- 139 miles.  NOT A BAD WEEK!

January 6th-On the Road Again

Today was back to the road again.  It actually turned out to be a rather nice day even though it wasn't anything close to warm.  I think it hit maybe 45 here but the sun was out bright so it seemed warmer.  I was hard at work calling reps and customers and let the time slip up.  I really wanted to get out and back before 2:30.  But I didn't leave the house until 1ish.  I rode 28 miles which felt really good.  I could have gone a lot further with a little bit of effort.  But work is still needing to be done.  I probably wont ride again until Saturday at the Polar Bear. This should be a great ride this year.  The weather forecast is for a cold morning warming up to around 45 by afternoon.  Thats what a Polar Bear ride is supposed to be.

Total Mileage today-28 miles
Total Cycling Road miles 2011- 117 miles

First Day of 2011 with no cycling :(

Well, today was a cloudy/cold day which in itself would not have kept me off the bike.  But around noon when I would have left the house, the rain was beginning to just start to sprinkle.  So, I regrouped and went out for the first run in 2011.  I really dont look forward to running as much as I once did.  I cant seem to get into it like I did when I had better/younger knees.  But, I soldiered through for about 40+ minutes with a 5 mile run.  It only sprinkled about 5 minutes which didn't even wet the ground.  I guess I could have ridden the bike after all. Maybe tomorrow....

Total Road Cycle Miles 2011-89 miles
Total running miles 2011- 5 miles

Nicest Day since Early December-Jan 4, 2011

Today was the warmest sunny day we have had since probably around Dec. 12.  Not that it was really warm (I think it hit 52).  But it felt pretty good since the sun was bright and shining.  I had to work with Tom to get my boat off his trailer so he can take his boat out.  But it was still time for me to get in 23 easy miles.  I am still on a winter program of short rides or long rides but low effort.  If its this warm tomorrow, I might have to get out for 35-40.  I have so much work to do but its too much fun riding the bike.....

Todays Total- 23 Miles
Yearly road total- 89 miles