Superwet Friday

Temp: 8 degrees

Precip: constant rain

I just love how Vancouver weather tends to clear off about half an hour after I arrive at the office. It was warm though, so I persisted to do a full ride around the park. Of course that meant I had soaked feet and hands - I forgot how the colour in my gloves bleeds when they get wet - my hands were ink stained by the end of the ride.

With this much rain, I also noticed that it was very dark. There was one section on the back side of the park where I had to slow down because I knew where the road was supposed to go, but I couldn't quite see it clearly. I didn't like the idea of suddenly riding off a curb without knowing it. Luckily that didn't happen.

Got out before the snow arrives

Temp: -2 deg

Precip: none

Listening to: Kevin Pollak's Chat show

A brisk, cold ride this morning. Did a single lap around Stanley Park and found I had to pull my fingers out of my gloves and make fists to prevent frostbite. One thing that was nice was there was no wind. The water was like glass in the marina, reflecting back the city lights perfectly.

Again with the brakes, I really should not have put off adjusting them as long as I did. It feels like a brand new bike again. On today's ride I really needed them too, as the far side of Stanley Park was pretty icy. This is normal, given the amount of runoff that comes off the cliffs.

Oh yeah, on yesterday's ride I was interrupted briefly by a family of sea otters as they crossed the sea wall into their home under a tree. Pretty cool, and it happened too fast for me to get out my camera (it's usually in a pocket 2 or 3 layers deep).

Adjusted for more stopping power

Temp: -3 deg, no precipitation

It's still dark when I leave for my rides but is generally starting to brighten by the time the ride ends. Last night I adjusted the brakes on my bike and am happy with the result. Honestly, the thought of heading out into the cold this morning wasn't very appealing to me, but wanting to test out the new brake setup was a more powerful draw. Well that and the fact that my snoring kept Holly up most of last night, which indicates I need to bike MORE frequently, not LESS.

As I was riding I couldn't help but realize just how well my bike continues to work, day in and day out. It's about 15 years old now, well at least the frame. Much of it has been upgraded over the years but things like the headset and wheelset feel solid and true. Overall, not a bad ride today.

Saturday Sunshine

Temp: somewhere between 2 and 4 degrees
Precip: none (yay!)
I have a feeling I am going to recycle my blog titles soon. Today I decided to ride into greater Vancouver, making a point to cross over Burrard bridge. I used this bridge a lot when I was commuting and really like the view. I briefly stopped into the office because well, they have a good bicycle pump there and my tires needed a little air.

I was wearing quite a bit today because I knew it was not going to be as warm as yesterday, even without the rain. I had my coat over the rain shell and was wearing double gloves, as well as the rest of my gear. Oh, and I put a thicker pair of sweatpants under my cycling pants too - that really helped with staying warm. Even with all of this on, I never really got 'hot'. I was comfortable though, so I'm glad I went with the extra layers and didn't try to go with less.

Today was also the first day I rode with my ipod again, after breaking the glass on it. Thanks to my wife's support and suggestion, I am going to attempt to repair it, as it still has life in it. Expect a separate blog post to deal with that.

Soggy Ride today

It was about 8 degrees this morning, and raining heavily when I set out. My plan was to bike around the Stanley Park sea wall instead of biking to the top of the hill at Point Roberts. This was because I didn't really like the idea of riding down the hill and having my face pelted with rain at 40-60 kph.

I didn't like the idea of negotiating around a rockslide either, so when I saw the barricades up preventing me from taking the low road I prepared for a climb. As expected, the descent was very wet and the rain was pelting me in the face pretty hard, so I controlled my speed as best I could with wet brakes as I rode down the hill. Wow. This sounded so much better this morning as I was thinking of what I would say.

Anyway, by the time I made it into the office later that morning it had stopped raining and the sun came out. I knew I should have been out riding the night before, when it was dry.

Wimpy Ride report, and two cups of tea

I wimped out on today's ride. I slept a lot last night, but still I was unable (or unwilling) to push myself for very long. I will have to go longer tomorrow, this is plenty of rest, even if I am fighting off a cold (still).

The temperature was about 5º C and it was raining - not hard rain and my gear was up to the task, keeping me dry and not cold. Only one pair of gloves today, with the toque under the helmet, and I was back to the wet weather cycling shell instead of a heavier coat. It seemed to be okay with a sweatshirt underneath. My sweatpants were in the laundry hamper so I went with my rain pants and knee warmers which also served me well. I probably would have found another pair of sweats if it was colder.

Last night, while skyping with my parents, Holly brewed me up a cup of tea to help clear my throat a bit before I settled down. It was delicious, so once I arrived at work I figured a cup of tea would be just the thing - but this is horrible bitterness in comparison. I don't know how people drink this shit, honestly. (I'm going to finish the cup though because bitter or no, I bet it's good for me somehow.) I probably overbrewed it, or had too much of it or something. Either way, I think I prefer my wife's tastes in teas. This stuff is just nasty.

Ride Report: Jan 4

It's supposed to snow a lot today, at least in terms of Vancouver snow. When I got up this morning though, it had not yet started so I was able to head out ahead of the forecasted storm. Temperatures were around freezing, which is a little milder than the past few days. As such, I didn't need the second pair of gloves, or the extra coat. I was cold, but it was bearable.

Unlike yesterday, there was no fog bank to ride through but there was still quite a bit of frost on the streets. I noted that it was unpredictable as to where I would encounter it. Some streets would be bare and dry while others frosted over white. Then there were the inconsistent sections as well. So long as I wasn't standing on my pedals though, I was fine with my slick tires. At least so far.

Prepare for another inversion?

I had the luxury of not heading out on my bike ride until a few hours later today, which meant I could bike in the sun. While the sun was indeed out, as I got down by the water I was enveloped in a thick fog bank.

Normally I like fog. The thicker the better. Today's was a pretty cold one, as I was noticing frost forming on the outside of my jacket as I was riding. But, I had my two pair of gloves on, and multiple layers, so it wasn't until I was riding down the hill from Prospect Point in Stanley Park that I started to freeze out my feet.

Mental note: investigate my options for insulated shoe covers.

Today's ride was nice. I like how quiet it gets in a fog bank. It reminded me of when we had a weather inversion a couple years back, although this was nowhere near as extensive. I'm glad I set out when I did, as I am sure that by now the fog has burned off.