2013 Winter Biking: What I Learned Today

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on January 6, 2013 at 7:42pm

I forget. Some kind of miracle fabric wicking away sweat. . . I'm very bad with brand names and such.

kiltedcelt said:

And what brand would that new undersock be?

Bill Savage said:

I recently added a new undersock recommended by the guys at Beverly Bike and Ski (under REI or Smartwool main socks) and my feet are now warm to the 9 mile point.

Anika said:

My feet are always cold - no matter the number of miles/minutes spent outside.

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Permalink Reply by Haddon on January 6, 2013 at 8:29pm

I learned that my legs get incredibly stiff, after I ride my legs get so tight I can almost not walk down stairs.

Also learned that the dead cat I saw a couple days ago still looks fresh.

h

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Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on January 7, 2013 at 11:54am

I'm keeping a roadkill journal this year.

Haddon said:

I learned that my legs get incredibly stiff, after I ride my legs get so tight I can almost not walk down stairs.

Also learned that the dead cat I saw a couple days ago still looks fresh.

h

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Permalink Reply by Kara B on January 7, 2013 at 12:05pm

I always wonder what happens to dead stuff in the road. Rats, especially, because that's what i see the most of, and because they don't typically get officially removed from the roadway: they start out super gross and bloody, then just get flatter and flatter until they - disappear.

where do they go? smushed into the concrete? dispersed over the city via the tiretreads of the drivers who ride over them? evaporated? all of the above?! 

reminds me of one of my favorite things about riding: you notice a lot more. (not to mention you kill fewer animals)

Bill Savage said:

I'm keeping a roadkill journal this year.

Haddon said:

I learned that my legs get incredibly stiff, after I ride my legs get so tight I can almost not walk down stairs.

Also learned that the dead cat I saw a couple days ago still looks fresh.

h

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 7, 2013 at 12:42pm

I vote eaten by homeless.

Kara B said:

I always wonder what happens to dead stuff in the road. Rats, especially, because that's what i see the most of, and because they don't typically get officially removed from the roadway: they start out super gross and bloody, then just get flatter and flatter until they - disappear.

where do they go? smushed into the concrete? dispersed over the city via the tiretreads of the drivers who ride over them? evaporated? all of the above?! 

reminds me of one of my favorite things about riding: you notice a lot more. (not to mention you kill fewer animals)

Bill Savage said:

I'm keeping a roadkill journal this year.

Haddon said:

I learned that my legs get incredibly stiff, after I ride my legs get so tight I can almost not walk down stairs.

Also learned that the dead cat I saw a couple days ago still looks fresh.

h

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Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on January 7, 2013 at 12:48pm

I slow down in general.  Average 12 mph in good weather, more like 9 in cold.  Ice is very bad for turns!

Serge Lubomudrov said:

Well, I've learned it last Saturday, actually: don't make sharp turns on wet pavement. (I was lucky and didn't fall.)

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Permalink Reply by Haddon on January 7, 2013 at 12:50pm

If the thought of it didn't make me sick we could start a roadkill thread.

H

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Permalink Reply by djm on January 7, 2013 at 12:53pm

Bacteria are our friends.

Kara B said:

I always wonder what happens to dead stuff in the road.

where do they go? smushed into the concrete? dispersed over the city via the tiretreads of the drivers who ride over them? evaporated? all of the above?!

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Permalink Reply by Haddon on January 7, 2013 at 5:17pm

I just want to acknowledge that Kara B's bit is witty and insightful.  I've been thinking about it all day. The city produces couple hundred pounds of road kill a week and, as a city, manages to dispose of it all.

My current theories are that A) the rats eat it and then the rats eat the rats that ate the rats and eventually mutants arise and this explains why they sometimes get frighteningly big B) the road kill gets washed out to sea and the same way there is a Great Pacific Garbage Patch there is a smaller patch just make up roadkill or C)the road kill does, in fact, become 2 dimensional and beyond our ability to perceive and comprehend.

H

Kara B said:

I always wonder what happens to dead stuff in the road. Rats, especially, because that's what i see the most of, and because they don't typically get officially removed from the roadway: they start out super gross and bloody, then just get flatter and flatter until they - disappear.

where do they go? smushed into the concrete? dispersed over the city via the tiretreads of the drivers who ride over them? evaporated? all of the above?! 

reminds me of one of my favorite things about riding: you notice a lot more. (not to mention you kill fewer animals)

Bill Savage said:

I'm keeping a roadkill journal this year.

Haddon said:

I learned that my legs get incredibly stiff, after I ride my legs get so tight I can almost not walk down stairs.

Also learned that the dead cat I saw a couple days ago still looks fresh.

h

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Permalink Reply by Haddon on January 7, 2013 at 10:50pm

Also, learned that if you donate blood and do 60 blocks you'll be just this side of dead.

H

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Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on January 8, 2013 at 5:22am

This winter, I have learned....

A- It is better to have and not need, than need and not have (I usually live by this).....

B-I notice the weather now more than when I was a kid going to school.....

C-The value of wool for keeping me warm, instead of relying on all the new & modern fabrics.......

D-that "Old Man Winter" has alzheimer's this year and doesn't know what it's supposed to do, snow, freeze, rain, warm up, etc.

E-That there is a small contingent of cycling individuals that "muscle" through the adverse weather (cold/rain/etc) conditions....and how many of them I see "eye-to-eye" with....

F-That, even though I may need 3 layers for my legs in the morning commute, I may need to strip down to shorts on the way home in the 40 degree evening.

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Permalink Reply by Kara B on January 8, 2013 at 9:14am

i think your rats eating rats theory is a very good/completely horrifying one.

and bacteria/other microscopic little eaters are not quite as romantic, but probably do more of the work.

eek. 

Haddon said:

I just want to acknowledge that Kara B's bit is witty and insightful.  I've been thinking about it all day. The city produces couple hundred pounds of road kill a week and, as a city, manages to dispose of it all.

My current theories are that A) the rats eat it and then the rats eat the rats that ate the rats and eventually mutants arise and this explains why they sometimes get frighteningly big B) the road kill gets washed out to sea and the same way there is a Great Pacific Garbage Patch there is a smaller patch just make up roadkill or C)the road kill does, in fact, become 2 dimensional and beyond our ability to perceive and comprehend.

H

Kara B said:

I always wonder what happens to dead stuff in the road. Rats, especially, because that's what i see the most of, and because they don't typically get officially removed from the roadway: they start out super gross and bloody, then just get flatter and flatter until they - disappear.

where do they go? smushed into the concrete? dispersed over the city via the tiretreads of the drivers who ride over them? evaporated? all of the above?! 

reminds me of one of my favorite things about riding: you notice a lot more. (not to mention you kill fewer animals)

Bill Savage said:

I'm keeping a roadkill journal this year.

Haddon said:

I learned that my legs get incredibly stiff, after I ride my legs get so tight I can almost not walk down stairs.

Also learned that the dead cat I saw a couple days ago still looks fresh.

h

• ▶ Reply

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