Author: lpaulriddle

  • Sun

    Today is our fifth nice day in a row, a truly rare occurrence this time of year.  Not to fear, though, as we’re expecting a return to our usual crappy weather later this week.  I took the road bike out, with the initial intention of doing 18 miles through Oella and Catonsville, but I was…

  • Century

    Assuming I ride home today, I’ll have my first hundred-mile week of 2010 this week.  As promised yesterday, I rode out to Ilchester Rd and into the park on the Grist Mill Trail.  The trail was very twiggy, but otherwise in good shape except for a single really small snow-covered patch.  I expect that’ll melt…

  • Meltdown

    A bit brisk out this morning, but we’re finally getting some dry weather and sun to help melt some more of the snow.  By next week, I may even be able to drag out the road bike. Took my first complete loop through the park today since (checks ride log) January 28, not counting a…

  • Never trust the weather forecast

    So..  yesterday’s morning forecast: mostly cloudy all day, then rain after 7pm.  I leave work at 5, so no need to pack rain gear for later, right?  Wrong.  It started raining at 3:30, and I got to ride home in a steady drizzle with no rain gear.  No, it wasn’t all that bad.  But, I…

  • That hit the spot

    I celebrated the end of February with my first long morning ride in forever (well, since February 4, which might as well be forever).  I took New Cut Rd into Ellicott City, then rode along River Rd to the park entrance on Ilchester.  The trail still looked too snow-covered for road tires, so I doubled…

  • Give and Take

    So, an after-work commitment kept me from biking yesterday, on what turned out to be a pretty nice day.  I made up for it by riding in today, on a day where I thought I wouldn’t be able to ride.  We’ve got yet another storm riding up the east coast, but this one is slamming…

  • Bike First, Ask Questions Later

    Rain in the forecast for later today, but it was nice this morning, so I packed the rain gear and rode in.  You gotta ride when you can in February.  Murphy’s Law says that if I don’t ride in, the rain will hold off until after I get home.  So if it’s not raining, I’d…

  • Perspective

    Took my first post-Snowmageddon ride in this morning, and it wasn’t too bad.  I wanted to do it yesterday (Thursday), but on Wednesday I decided to go jogging for the first time in, oh, around 6 months.  Then on Wednesday evening, I ground out another 10 miles on the trainer.  So yesterday, the executive decision…

  • Desperate times…

    Desperate times call for desperate measures.  The snow has kept me off the bike for 2 weeks, so last night I broke down and used the trainer.  I’ve never much cared for the trainer.  It’s exceptionally boring and unrelentingly grueling at the same time, which is a pretty unappealing combination.  I lasted 30 minutes and…

  • Snowpocalypse

    Unfortunately, Snowpocalypse 2010 has put the brakes on bike commuting for the time being this winter.  If I can’t do it safely, I don’t do it, and the roads are not in good shape for biking.  I’ll be back out as soon as some of it melts, and/or I can find a safe route to…