Winter riding

[peterslovo]

Winter in Maine....sucks. It is so unpredictable. I wish we had western valley conditions - clear valleys for road/mtb riding and snow covered mountains for skiing and boarding. Instead, we have nada and nada. Oh, the ice coast...

As expected, road riding recently has been nonexistent (aside from the few very adventurous souls who venture out onto the black ice-covered roads), and some of the deeper snows that we did have made MTB riding very tedious and unfullfilling.

Skiing in Maine pretty much has sucked so far as well. The few days of decent conditions we have had became simply terrible this past weekend. Any snow we had was decimated by several days of heavy rains and moderate temperatures, followed by freezing precipitation, ultra-cold temperatures, and 50 mph NW winds that blew anything that accumulated right off the slopes into the trees (where there is no base). Typical January in Maine.

However, just as I was starting to become more depressed about our winter situation, I realized: that recent 1 inch of frozen precipation we got over the weekend would make for perrrrrfect winter riding on some of the local trails. I was more than happy to slap on studded tires, and head out for my first ride of 2006 yesterday (I have not been on a bike more than one time since I was hit by a car in October).

Oh it felt so good to be out! Frozen snot on the nose, no feeling in my cheeks (either upper or lower), and a frozen foot (from breaking through some ice and dabbing my left foot in a stream - COLD - neoprene booties are next on my purchase list!), and that wonderful burn of riding in my legs.

It felt great being out in the cold, riding a mountain bike down the street on the way to the trails, and have people driving by just staring at me like I'm nuts!

Don't really know where I'm going with this, but winter riding rules!
I am happy once again!

---Rant over- thank you for listening----

[crashnburn'd]

Don't really know where I'm going with this, but winter riding rules!
I am happy once again!

I've decided that it would be best for my happiness if I didn't even attempt to ski for a while. The tail end of this week and hopefully this weekend look good for riding, at least here in NY.

edit - shit... Now I've probably managed to jinx myself regardless of what I do...

[fondigley]

Good job, way to make people stare. If only they would understand the feeling, then they would know of our addictions. I used to get that in West Virginia year round, but now that I am out west, you get the jealous stares. I have been out a couple times myself and it was excellent as well. Only complaint is the frozen feet and hands at the end, other than that, some great rides.

Need more gear as always, but winter riding does rule.

[Shredhead]

Booties might help, but if it's really cold,<0F, I just swap out pedals and ride with my Sorels. Have you tried riding the snowmoble trails? After they get packed out I have no problem on my MTB.

[Camel Toad]

frozen toes = Lake shoes (if narrow feet) or similar, really cold = overboots. also if you put the toe warmer packets in at the start of long rides it helps a lot. think circulation not so much insulation.

for really cold weather do what mushers do, use boiled wool booties with neos overboots. throw on a pair of platforms and have at it.

pogies can keep you hands real warm. but i find that mountaineering mittens work just as well.

if you don't have all the gear but still want to ride in the cold. get all suited up. bike over to your local shop and hang out for about 15-20 minutes, with all of your gear on. this will get you really warm and able to withstand about 45-60 minutes of -20F weather.

plastic bags make great windstops for your mesh top shoes etc.

fat tires rule

[peterslovo]

Screw this work shit!

I'm going for a ride - it's 35 and sunny!

[mtnbikerskierchick]

Suggestion: Move to Colorado where it snows in the mountains all day and stays 50-60 in Denver most of the time I often ski and ride in the same day and have wonderful weather for both! Only downfall is the damn Chinook winds. It can blow you over on your bike from time to time. But it's better than freezing your ass off in ME! I don't know how you do it!