"Starts: 9:30AM from 23rd Street & First Avenue
Ends: 4:00PM in lower Manhattan or subway stop in the north Bronx with a number of chances to bail sooner
Another in a series through the Bronx and Westchester via roads less traveled by. The ride's ""structured improv"" format dictates we maintain a cohesive group at a steady pace. Expect some hills.
Bring lunch/bail money and a Metro North bike pass.
RSVP: Neile Weissman, soupstone-at-mindspring-dot-com
Serious precipitation, or the failure of at least three people to RSVP by Saturday night, cancels. Check message board Sunday morning for ride status.
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Notes:
NWS forecast: Mostly sunny in the morning ... Then becoming partly cloudy. Blustery with highs in the lower 30s. Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
If I plan this right, we should have hills and headwinds heading out, but flat with a tailwind coming back.
This should be my last ""B"" ride for the season. I signed up for the A Classic SIG. (""We who are about to die, salute you."")"
Sunday, Feb 26 - B17/65+ "Plains of White XIII"
"Neile wrote:
This should be my last ""B"" ride for the season. I signed up for the A Classic SIG. (""We who are about to die, salute you."")
Don't worry about dying, Neile. Cycling heaven is a good place to be.
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/toc_prologue/03_the_specialized_angel_bcstockwell
http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/show.php?clip=442&filter=9185
http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/show.php?clip=703&filter=9185
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/feb06/california06/?id=california060/_MG_6376-01
"
"... but I don't think I'm heading in that direction.
""The hum of the wheels, the click and whir of gears, the passage, the concentration, the fear of death, mutilation: attunement of senses -- they grow strong. Roll under arm of man hailing cab; hop the high curb; smack deep in a pothole, crackle through pebbled concrete; swerve, jump, lean, swing, run, race, bang bones, flap wings; sing at top of lungs ""Look out, dummy!"" to blithe pedestrian who thinks she's walking naked in her bedroom. Maybe fall once every few months, lose some skin on your arm, bleed in the rain or the snow (in piles of dirt ice that resemble the leavings of prehistoric beasts). You get to a speed where the cold wind catches one tiny drop off your arm, spreading your spoor. That sight, the wind sweeping up your blood, is delightful, it's grandiose, and from these high places, the rest of humanity -- imprisoned in their giant crawling bugs, huddling at bus stops in the rain -- seems almost a separate species, cursed somewhere along the helix, unable to evolve to meet the city head-on.""
Cycling in hell and loving it - Salon, Christopher Ketcham
http://www.salon.com/people/feature/2002/01/25/cyclingnyc/index.html"
At 7am in Stamford, CT it is 15 degrees F, 3 degrees F with wind chill.
Or about ten degrees warmer than the start last week.
http://tinyurl.com/khkng
Balmy.
"Real Temps were better than last week, just ask my toesies.
As usual Neile kicked our Butts, but Hey we asked for it.
Great way to end your tour Neile, XIII was a charm.
Good luck in the Classic ""A"".
Remember Classic ""A"" riders to never judge a book by it's cover, cause
""Mr. Fantastic"" is on the way.
Rob Marcus"
"...for leading us through the last of the lung scorching ""Suburban Adventure Rides"". As usual it was a good group of fun people.
Good luck with you A series and hopefully I can muster up enough enthusiasm to join up as well.
Cheers
SB
"
At first no riders so I had my doubts, but then Shari Alexander showed, so it was a go. Rob Marcus and Steve Baccarini did likewise at the Yonkers rendevouz. [I think we were all amazed to see the others.] There, I gave the group three options:
#1 - Head into Hartsdale the hard way -- head winds AND hills.
#2 - A flat route to Hartsdale, since the headwinds would be hard enough.
#3 - Turn east and south for a Bronx tour, finishing with pizza on Belmont Avenue.
The group chose #1 -- so off we went. Covering the disparity, we elected to maintain a moderate pace on the flats, but a free-for-all on the hills.
Once again, late night squiggles of unfamiliar back roads worked out well (50 yards of muddy offroad notwithstanding).
---------------------
Lunch conversation comprised what constitutes good technical clothing; the relative merits of MTB vs. road clipless; and the riding characteristics of Steve's Zipp 303s in 30+ mph winds.
---------------------
The ride back was simple, flat and wind friendly. Steve broke off towards City Island and Rob towards Riverdale. Shari and I continued through the Bronx but then bailed at 135th & Lenox rather than face rapidly dropping temps and midtown traffic.
---------------------
Following last week's naming convention, this weeks group earned the sobriquet of Fantastic Four. Better, we got down to specifics:
As Steve showed up with every warming device known to man -- electronic AND chemical foot warmers PLUS insulated boots; gloves; and a puffy outerlay -- only to overheat immediately -- he was the obvious choice for Human Torch.
[Side note: For those who vote on such things, Steve has to be considered an early contender for the 2006 Most Unabashed Gearhead award. On top of everything else, the man owns TWO Powertaps ... ]
Rob, of burly stature, became The Thing. He then confessed he actually had that nickname in high school ...
Shari, in stealth black attire, was the Invisible Girl.
I, as leader, defaulted to Mr. Fantastic. [A stretch, admittedly.]
---------------------
Personal notes:
Weather about the same as last week, but this time my gear selection worked. Simple zipper adjustment covered the range.
Next week starts my attempt to fit in and conform with the rest of society. I will at least attempt to dress the part.
I know I will miss the view from the front -- as opposed to SOPBAD (Staring-at-Other-Peoples-Butts-All-Day).
Finally, a special thanks and appreciation to all those who showed up Sundays these past few months and helped make the winter a good time to ride.
