All about bicycles

[dmatthews]

Still much colder than I'd like to get out in, but I started hitting the stationary bike again at the beginning of the month. Still very casual, but the good thing is I'm hitting it more days than not.

Awesome!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Too funny!
I guess if all I wanted was beer I could ride 8 blocks instead of 20k

One thing about beer runs…. Always take the scenic route!

 

[alantig]

One thing about beer runs…. Always take the scenic route!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Good to see some of us can ride outside now. We have a had some weird weather in the Denver area. Still a lot of snow and ice on the trail from the 13" of snow we got 3 on 12/28. Had about an inch a few days later. Normally we get snow and it gone in a coupe days and the trails are rideable a day or so later.

We have had highs in the 50s all week and 60 yesterday, and I still don't to get at in the nasty muddy slushy mess. Took this pic at one of the popular trial heads yesterday afternoon. Drove around the area and walked around some, still a ton of ice and mud when no ice. Been doing intervals on the trainer in the basement. Hoping to get outside to ride soon, but need y'all that can to keep posting pics so I can live vicariously through y'all. I saw a few cyclist out yesterday, mostly roadies and couple of really muddy gravel bikes.

Great pic. Love how the hills look blue (sorry Sergio).

 

[dmatthews]

The rain conveniently stopped again today, lucky me on a weekend.
A quick 23km blast down to the Mud Bay parking lot and back with a couple of detours.



Must have been the busiest I've seen the truck pullout/rest stop. Bumper to bumper...



The nemesis puddle is the longest and deepest I've seen as well...





Muckey Mouse on the way back...



Need better weather if I'm going to beat last year!

 

[garrett]

The nemesis puddle is the longest and deepest I've seen as well...

I'd ride the grass along the left.

 

[garrett]

Some pics from bikepacking in the Ocala National Forest this weekend. Ended up with 60 miles day one and 47 miles day two. It is hard going out there.

It was a tale of two different days, for sure. Day one there was hardly a cloud in the sky. I registered 82 degrees at one point. There is precious little cover out there, so you feel every degree.

A cold front came in Friday night, making Saturday cloudy and cool all day with rain coming in the afternoon. I only showed the temp getting to 61 max. We cut the planned mileage nearly in half to beat the rain and we're glad we did. Had just enough time to get back and enjoy a late lunch before the sky opened.

Seemingly endless dirt roads.

No real climbs, but a lot of undulating hills. Some of them got pretty punchy, hitting as much as 8% gradient a few times, which is steep by Florida standards. Often with varying levels of sand to contend with.

Only grabbed one pic of the bike. I thought it was cool to have two different rigs side by side.

 

[dmatthews]

I'd ride the grass along the left.

It's pretty sloppy over there. I stayed hard right, but I'll check the left next time.

 

[dmatthews]

Some pics from bikepacking in the Ocala National Forest this weekend. Ended up with 60 miles day one and 47 miles day two. It is hard going out there.

It was a tale of two different days, for sure. Day one there was hardly a cloud in the sky. I registered 82 degrees at one point. There is precious little cover out there, so you feel every degree.

A cold front came in Friday night, making Saturday cloudy and cool all day with rain coming in the afternoon. I only showed the temp getting to 61 max. We cut the planned mileage nearly in half to beat the rain and we're glad we did. Had just enough time to get back and enjoy a late lunch before the sky opened.

Seemingly endless dirt roads.

No real climbs, but a lot of undulating hills. Some of them got pretty punchy, hitting as much as 8% gradient a few times, which is steep by Florida standards. Often with varying levels of sand to contend with.

Only grabbed one pic of the bike. I thought it was cool to have two different rigs side by side.

What a cool trip! Where did you stay/camp?

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I'd ride the grass along the left.

Looks a tad damp.

Some pics from bikepacking in the Ocala National Forest this weekend. Ended up with 60 miles day one and 47 miles day two. It is hard going out there.

It was a tale of two different days, for sure. Day one there was hardly a cloud in the sky. I registered 82 degrees at one point. There is precious little cover out there, so you feel every degree.

A cold front came in Friday night, making Saturday cloudy and cool all day with rain coming in the afternoon. I only showed the temp getting to 61 max. We cut the planned mileage nearly in half to beat the rain and we're glad we did. Had just enough time to get back and enjoy a late lunch before the sky opened.

Seemingly endless dirt roads.

No real climbs, but a lot of undulating hills. Some of them got pretty punchy, hitting as much as 8% gradient a few times, which is steep by Florida standards. Often with varying levels of sand to contend with.

Only grabbed one pic of the bike. I thought it was cool to have two different rigs side by side.

Garrett that looks awesome!

It's pretty sloppy over there. I stayed hard right, but I'll check the left next time.

I’d be tempted to take the bank, but it’s probably steeper than it looks.

 

[garrett]

It's pretty sloppy over there. I stayed hard right, but I'll check the left next time.

Looks a tad damp.



Garrett that looks awesome!



I’d be tempted to take the bank, but it’s probably steeper than it looks.

I was concerned about pedal strike on the right, or going up the bank and slipping down into the puddle anyway. Just a little fun musing over the decisions we have to make on the path less travelled.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Yep it’s easy to make comments from a photo.

Different matter when the incline is in front of you.

Also I believe none of us have the folly of youth.

 

[garrett]

Yep it’s easy to make comments from a photo.

Different matter when the incline is in front of you.

Also I believe none of us have the folly of youth.

I'm hanging on to folly, but my youth is running out!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I'm hanging on to folly, but my youth is running out!

Mines long gone, I have to convince myself why I should do things.

 

[garrett]

What a cool trip! Where did you stay/camp?

Thanks Dave.

We stayed at a place called Clearwater Lake Thursday. It's a beautiful and serene lake with camp sites along one side. You can put your kayak in directly from some of them. It is also the birthplace of the Florida Trail, which now runs most of the length of the state. Anyway, our cars, big tents, etc. stayed there.

On Friday we rolled out and our route took us north to Salt Springs, which has a great spring fed by the Floridan Aquifer and a big campground with river access.

Saturday, we rode back to start with the intent of staying one more night at Clearwater Lake, but the weather cramped those plans so everyone just headed home.

We were very lucky to have a friend who wasn't riding bring us lunch and dinner on Friday.


There are a lot of good campgrounds in the forest. It's a wonderful destination for nature lovers. The grounds are all consistent with hot showers that have strong water pressure. A real luxury out there!

 

[dmatthews]

Thanks Dave.

We stayed at a place called Clearwater Lake Thursday. It's a beautiful and serene lake with camp sites along one side. You can put your kayak in directly from some of them. It is also the birthplace of the Florida Trail, which now runs most of the length of the state. Anyway, our cars, big tents, etc. stayed there.

On Friday we rolled out and our route took us north to Salt Springs, which has a great spring fed by the Floridan Aquifer and a big campground with river access.

Saturday, we rode back to start with the intent of staying one more night at Clearwater Lake, but the weather cramped those plans so everyone just headed home.

We were very lucky to have a friend who wasn't riding bring us lunch and dinner on Friday.


There are a lot of good campgrounds in the forest. It's a wonderful destination for nature lovers. The grounds are all consistent with hot showers that have strong water pressure. A real luxury out there!

I just looked up Clearwater Lake, man that is gorgeous!

 

[veinbuster]

It was -24 out this morning, so I did a trainer ride to finish the Tour de Zwift. You can go pretty quick in a group of 2500. I also played Pebble Beach on a golf simulator. I think my life has become virtual...so I booked a beach house for next month - I hope it’s real.

But, when my ride uploaded, it declared my fitness age was 37. I can live with that.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

It was -24 out this morning, so I did a trainer ride to finish the Tour de Zwift. You can go pretty quick in a group of 2500. I also played Pebble Beach on a golf simulator. I think my life has become virtual...so I booked a beach house for next month - I hope it’s real.

But, when my ride uploaded, it declared my fitness age was 37. I can live with that.

Nice Peter.

 

[garrett]

It was -24 out this morning, so I did a trainer ride to finish the Tour de Zwift. You can go pretty quick in a group of 2500. I also played Pebble Beach on a golf simulator. I think my life has become virtual...so I booked a beach house for next month - I hope it’s real.

But, when my ride uploaded, it declared my fitness age was 37. I can live with that.

Holy smokes! And here I was just deciding what to wear for my "chilly" ride start temp of 50F/10C tomorrow morning.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

It was -24 out this morning, so I did a trainer ride to finish the Tour de Zwift. You can go pretty quick in a group of 2500. I also played Pebble Beach on a golf simulator. I think my life has become virtual...so I booked a beach house for next month - I hope it’s real.

But, when my ride uploaded, it declared my fitness age was 37. I can live with that.

Boy do you have me beat! When I finished my workout on the elliptical last night, my fitness age was "barely alive."