Bicycle riding

[revenge_of_shocka_khan]

I sure George would have done the same for "gunfire".

Thanks, I needed a good laugh today.

[JVShocker]

47 miles this week on the boring, flat Houston city streets. I'd like to hit 90 this week in honor of JV Shock setting his goal (from 90 to several hundred). We shall see.

Sometimes life (and work) get in the way and even I have to miss Wednesday and Thursday because of work. No problems today, though. Another 17 miles (just walked in door). Actually discovered a detour to continue the Wichita bike path south of the Harry construction, so went up to Broadway today. Fun windy day heading back. Nothing like coasting downhill with the wind at your back and no pedaling at 28 mph. No, heading south INTO the wind was work, but it comes full circle on the return back to work. Got back in an hour and 10 minutes. 66 miles for the week with two days left. Back to the mtn bike this weekend. Hope everyone's weather is as nice as it is here.

[JVShocker]

Getting ready for a bike ride today. Enjoyed Saturday's ride. I felt like Admiral Janeway traveling into the past to drag her former self (Captain Janeway) back to the Alpha Quadrant because the trip from the Delta Quadrant was experiencing so much wind. 18.3 miles in an hour and 35 minutes. The wife don't like bicycling into the headwind, I guess. But it was sunny, and warm (almost 75 degrees) so enjoyable. 84 miles for the week with today remaining, so I shoud break for the week.


UPDATE: Actually had to go into work for a stretch today, so we didn't get the length of ride we wanted. Only 12.3 miles, so I ended up just shy of 100 miles with 96 for the week. Still, I already topped last Novembers total, so a good day. Weather was exceptiionally windy today, more so than Saturday. But it was sunny and pleasant, and very much unlike any November bike ride I can recall in many years. Leaves were disappearing quickly off trees today. It will be interesting to compare some of these photos with those from the summer (come winter). Hope everyone is well.

[revenge_of_shocka_khan]

Sometimes life (and work) get in the way and even I have to miss Wednesday and Thursday because of work. No problems today, though. Another 17 miles (just walked in door). Actually discovered a detour to continue the Wichita bike path south of the Harry construction, so went up to Broadway today. Fun windy day heading back. Nothing like coasting downhill with the wind at your back and no pedaling at 28 mph. No, heading south INTO the wind was work, but it comes full circle on the return back to work. Got back in an hour and 10 minutes. 66 miles for the week with two days left. Back to the mtn bike this weekend. Hope everyone's weather is as nice as it is here.

I did 28.5 yesterday, got 76.something for the week.

Hope I can get another 75 this week.

Went to the Chantal sale yesterday. Bought a really nice enamled 5 quart dutch oven. Sale is going on for the next couple of weeks, so I may go back and get the smaller size.

[JVShocker]

Weather is iffy locally, but I still got in 14.5 miles this afternoon. Felt bits of sprinkles every 15-20 minutes but they always went away. Skies just kept looking darker and darker so I decided to cut the ride a bit short and avoid it altogether. Completely overcast and doesn't feel anything of the 68 degrees they say it is with that strong south wind.

[JVShocker]

Tuesday: 14 miles after getting late start at 4pm. Got back to work just after 5. 46 chilly degrees with a north wind, but probably 2x the number of people out and about walking/jogging than yesterday (when it was mid-upper 60s). At least today was sunny. 28.5 for the week so far and 124.5 for the month. Hope everyone is keeping well.

[revenge_of_shocka_khan]

NIght riding on the flat streets in Houston tonight. Need to get 18-19 miles in today. It's supposed to stay in the low 80's here until Sunday, and then cool into the low to mid 70's (which means low 60's by the time I'm done), which also means I will need a little in the way of warm clothes.

[JVShocker]

NIght riding on the flat streets in Houston tonight. Need to get 18-19 miles in today. It's supposed to stay in the low 80's here until Sunday, and then cool into the low to mid 70's (which means low 60's by the time I'm done), which also means I will need a little in the way of warm clothes.

With low 60s I can get by with just shorts and underarmour or a thermal/waffle layer under the jersey.

Where did you end up riding in Houston? Any neighborhoods to bike through that are decent? Or are there any trails to ride? On a quick search it says something like "Houston's streets are not exactly bicycle friendly" or something to that effect.

[MadDog]

I’ve just been spinning in class lately. For some reason I can’t get excited about riding in continuous 20-30 mph straight winds even with temps in the 60’s. Looks promising for tomorrow though with 50’s and light winds. Maybe spin in the morning and ride in the afternoon. We’ll see.

[revenge_of_shocka_khan]

With low 60s I can get by with just shorts and underarmour or a thermal/waffle layer under the jersey.

Where did you end up riding in Houston? Any neighborhoods to bike through that are decent? Or are there any trails to ride? On a quick search it says something like "Houston's streets are not exactly bicycle friendly" or something to that effect.

I am remodeling my kitchen at my house in South Texas and since I can WFH, I came over to Houston to stay at my g/f's. There are trails, I usually avoid them (I've been told they are pretty congested with walkers these days). The Terry Hershey trail is very close I rode it from end-to-end earlier this year. It's 42 miles long end-to-end. It follows Memorial Bayou, there's also one on the White Oak Bayou that takes you downtown. You get up on the North end of that trail, you'd better be packing. There have been armed robberies up there using 4-wheelers.

And Houston's streets are not bike friendly, I can attest. I got run over years ago, the driver ran a yield sign and hit me on my MTB (I was going about 28 at the time), I tore cartiledge in all my ribs. Driver of the car (Mustang GT convertible) was an exotic dancer with a low-cut blouse and liked to show her tata's. Officer didn't want to hear anything that I said. I filed a complaint with Internal Affairs and got his boss really mad at me (he gave me a ticket for failure to yield right-of-way even though I was on the street). HPD ended up dropping it. I was resting on my helmet in distress and pain, having problems breathing and he must have been in the bushes getting a blow job from her. I laugh thinking back on it now, but it definitely wasn't funny when it happened.

I ride a loop in a quiet neighborhood here. It's about a 3 mile loop and in a very nice (Memorial) neighborhood. It was very peaceful riding last night - no cars on the street after about 8.

I'm getting a little up in years (65) and don't do cold as well as I used to.

It was 87 here yesterday.....and humid. Rode 21.5 miles.

[MadDog]

Shaka, your story made me laugh. Doesn’t seem like there’s much to laugh about anymore. Thanks

[MadDog]

Shaka, BTW, to get to your 21 miles yesterday, did you ride that same 3 mile loop 7 times?

[JVShocker]

15.5 miles today a pretty relaxed pace. An hour and 6 minutes. Maddog you got to find a way to enjoy these days OUTDOORS, not sitting on a spin bike. Just not the same, and how much longer will they keep those classes open anyway.

44 for the week so far and 140 for the month.

[MadDog]

JV, I actually executed a doubleheader today... spin class in the morning (12 miles), and a 22 mile gravel ride after lunch. It was 50 degrees, sunny, and practically no wind.... perfect riding conditions! I’m really getting into the gravel road riding. Did you get out and try it last weekend?

The Y seems pretty committed to keeping the spinning classes running. They’ve had trouble fielding instructors the last couple of weeks due to COVID, but so far haven’t had to cancel any. Weather looking pretty good next week for at least a couple of outdoor rides. I’ll always choose the outdoor ride weather permitting, but I think you and I have different ideas of suitable outdoor riding weather

[JVShocker]

JV, I actually executed a doubleheader today... spin class in the morning (12 miles), and a 22 mile gravel ride after lunch. It was 50 degrees, sunny, and practically no wind.... perfect riding conditions! I’m really getting into the gravel road riding. Did you get out and try it last weekend?

The Y seems pretty committed to keeping the spinning classes running. They’ve had trouble fielding instructors the last couple of weeks due to COVID, but so far haven’t had to cancel any. Weather looking pretty good next week for at least a couple of outdoor rides. I’ll always choose the outdoor ride weather permitting, but I think you and I have different ideas of suitable outdoor riding weather

We did a little bit of gravel riding on the redbud trail (what's left of the gravel). Clearly there's a lot more west of Wichita and east of Andover, we were just a bit short on time for extended rides. I rode the mtn/gravel bike exclusively for a month and thought I had converted, and since I've been hitting the road bike daily from work, I've gone back over to the dark side.





Weekends are now set in stone (so to speak) to be gravel/trail rides, while week days are exclusively road bicycling.

PS....I don't consider cold and windy to be suitable weather, its just a way of getting outdoors and (hopefully) into the sunshine every day.