A Sunday ride.

Advantages of having a son who snow boards. He gave me one of his pair of Googles to use. They worked excellent, helped keep me warm. It was around zero F when I started, I rode 32 miles on snowmobile/bike trails. I put two of those chemical warmers in my back bike pack and put 48 ounces of fluids in there. That worked quite well, fluids never froze.

You can hardly see them but there are orange warning markers along the trail edges. I suspect the work of Triple D for the race this Saturday. I am entered. I have no plans of racing anybody. At 56 years of age, I just enjoy the ride and attempt to finish. I have added to my bike accessories a good lighting system. I will need it if I am to finish Triple D. Snow riding is from my estimation 3 to 4 times harder then regular riding.

A long shadow trying to get home, beat the darkness. Well back to work tomorrow. Gotta pay the bills yanno.

Thanks for stopping in. Peace and happy rides.

Dave

Cup O Dirt, cold days and who's dat on my bike.

Here is the one and only limited edition "Cup-O-Dirt" a coffee cup by day, and by night, a Tom & Jerry cup, which is Hot water, a couple scoops of Tom and Jerry batter, a shot of rum, a shot of brandy and a dash of nutmeg. Mmmm, Mmmm, good.

Now LQQK at this, who's dat trying to ride my bike?

Putting a few details together on the bicycle for tomorrow's riding at a forecast of -13 F. I am going to try to keep my water bottles from freezing by packing them in a insulated back rack with a couple of chemical hand warmers. Will see if that will keep the freeze from shutting down the drinking. I was reading Tom's blog and he said this talking about riding in -25 F wind chill temperature. "We kept it around town not wanting to be far from help, if there was a breakdown or other problem. These were dangerous conditions."

I usually wander my way out of town through some back woods, never see a soul there, it is a tricky ride. Was thinking if I wipe out and go down, a person would freeze to death in not to long of a time frame. So I'll pack the bike in my car, ride Heritage trail, where an occasional snow mobile will pass me, a few skiers, and there is few other bikers planning on riding out there to check out the Triple D race next Saturday.

Ok that's all I know.

Peace.

Dave

Chilly Willy and frozen eyesickles

Was peaceful out in the countryside today. I put insulated snuggies on my two large water bottles. I noticed they started slushing on me early anyways. It was 4 degrees F out. I drank what I could the rest was slush. So 20 miles and 3 hours later, I could feel a dehydration bonk coming at me. Turned around and rode home, thirsty and dry. Currently re hydrating with barley hop juices. :-) I might try to put water bottles in my back rack with a chemical warmer the next time I ride and it is this cold. Winter riding takes precise planning and packing. Not like summer riding where you can hop on a bike with your bike clothes and water bottles. I learn something every ride.

Headed down Heritage Trail, snow was packed and rode well.

A old country church. If this building could talk, I bet there would be lots of stories to be told.

This poor fellow loss his body. As I rode away a large chocolate lab ran up, grabbed the deer's head and trotted away with it. Seemed kinda surreal. There are a lot of coyotes out this way, they might decide differently who gets the deer head. Lab will be no match for those brute beast.

Hey, well thanks for stopping, be good to those in your lives, and ride a bike, it will help your spirit, soul, and body.

Peace and over and out.

Dave

Penquins are whispering in my ears.

This can only mean one thing, I must be crazy. Headed out at zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Thank'n the family for a wonderful year.

The whole fam damily here, Mark, Albert, Me, Amy, dad, mom, and Dawn. Me and my honey she puts up with my compulsive eccentric continuous bike riding.

Daughter Melissa, and the little potato bug, my grandson Cole

My son Joshua David

Here's Caleb, my youngest.

Brook, a great son in law, and yes that is the little potato bug Cole again. He gets double exposure due to his super duper qualities. :-)

Super Dog, Pitty, wearing her bling, and going out on the town look.

Geeesh what is she doing in here, that's Rascal, my doggie gone to doggie heaven. R.I.P.

To everyone, have a good year, the choices we make, have a big effect on the place we find ourself. Be close to those that you share your life with. Oh and get out and ride your bikes. :-)

Dave

Have bike, will travel

Leaving home this morning, windy and snowing and drifting. Headed towards the in city bike paved trail which takes me to the outside of town. Decided to ride on the sidewalks here, cars and me getting to close for comfort with slippery streets.

Ahhhhgg!!! Had about 5 miles in, ready to get on Heritage Trail and noticed I lost my toe cover I made from a old pair of winter shoe covers. I thought about not turning around, toes with the missing toe cover were getting colder then the other foot, so back track I did, and here it lies.

Rode this back trail to Sageville Iowa.

Now out in the country. Snow well packed. 2.3 Studded Nokian Freddies, worked flawlessly. I timed how long I rode to determine what point to turn around to get home before sunset. 6 hours of riding, would have liked to ride longer. Back tracking and then back again added a extra 10 miles. I did not make it to my destination I had planned but I realize it's much more about the journey, then the destination. Kept a eye open for snow mobilers, so I could move over so we could pass each other without a CraSh!!

Thanks for visiting, ride a bike when you can,

Dave

On the road again.

Plans are to get started early tomorrow morning and follow the purple line. This route follows an old rail to trail bike trail spring summer and fall, and mostly ski and snow mobile in the winter. I found a old bike light I mounted on my handle bars to help light the way if needed. With cloud cover, and slow going I don't know if I will get back before "lights out" It will be 23 F with light snow showers at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, certainly easily tolerable. I am pack'n a few snacks and 80 ounces of fluids. There are towns near the trail if I need to replenish. My IPOD is loaded for mind entertainment. This is the route for the Triple D bike/run/ski race Jan 9th. I sent my registration in today. So thanks for visiting, safe travels.
Dave

Lights and other stuff.

Lights.

I ordered a medium level lighting system for my bicycle. Because the shorter days was starting to collide with my want to ride. So if I get stuck out on the trail, with the sun going down, I can see myself home with bike lighting. Keeping warm has always been a challenge with winter riding, feet and hands being the biggest problem. With SIDI winter biking boots, a chemical warmer between two pair of socks, inserts, and a boot liner solved the frozen foot problem. Bar Mitts with a chemical warmer totally covers the hand issue.
So ride I must. I have Wednesday of this week, plans are to see the countryside on a bike.

TODAY'S AGENDA

Today's agenda will include eating and ................................................. and more eating....................................................

Oh look here comes the chief maid, the dishwasher, cook, floor sleeper and my honey :-) She's multitasking cleaning the floor and talking on the phone all at the same time. Seems I'm starving today, often happens riding that long in the cold weather yesterday. After eating, and eating some more I worked on bikes some, thinking I should go lift weights a bit and give the legs a break. I miss the longer daylight hours. It's nice when you can come home from work and have enough daylight to ride 50 miles. Now I need to burn a vacation day to ride. I have one more day off I need to take off for the year, I'm hoping Wednesday, and get out and bicycle in the country.

Peace

Dave

Rode myself out of daylight

Wowser, wasn't planning on doing a metric. (62 miles) but I did. Snow was good for riding, yesterday's slush froze hard, I could ride on top for the most part. I had 20 miles in, and drank everything I brought with me. I didn't want to turn back and ride another 20, with out something to drink, I was all ready thirsty. Poor planning. The town of Dyersville was 10 miles away. I was traveling anywhere from 6 to 10 mph depending on the snow conditions. So I decided to head to Dyersville and buy some things to drink at the gas station. I picked up some water, a 32 oz Mountain Dew, and a 16 oz Amp. Just a little caffeine to help with the return trip. :-) What I didn't realize I did not have enough daylight to get home, and wasn't packing any lights. Duh!! Good thing it was a clear sky and about 1/2 a moon out. I could almost see where I was going. Lots of snow ruts, but some how managed not to go on my arse. Was, half froze, by the time I made it home. . Did not see many people, a few walkers, a few snow mobiles and not one other bicyclist. I approached a couple that had a Collie with them, running around, they made no attempt to restrain their dog as I rode by. Trail rules are that dogs must be on a leash. As I rode by the dog leaped out and bit me. Fortunately the dog locked onto my riding shoe, which is a heavy SIDI Diablo GTX winter cycling boot, and didn't rip out a chunk of me. Ticks me off, people and not controlling their dogs on the trail. Happens too often.

I have to thaw out now, was around 19 degrees F when I started. I put one of those chemical warmers on top of each sock, they work well. There is a race on this trail Jan 9th, the Triple D, I am planning on entering. Will need a bike lighting system if trail conditions are bad, which more often then not, they are.

Well thanks for stopping

Happy rides.

Dave