I realize it is the middle of the winter, but I think the New England forum is the least active of the RBR regional forums.

Would any of the Boston area RBR'ers be interested in a low-key group ride in the spring or summer? Maybe one of the CRW rides (42 mi.?) out Cutler Park? Just a thought.

Andrew

there is so little activity that whenever I want to post something "regional" I typically will post on the General Forum just to make sure that it gets seen.

BT

I'm a total newbie on the road biking scene, so I've been keeping pretty quiet. I'd definately be up for a ride in the Spring/Summer.

I have a feeling there will be more activity then too - just because more people will be riding...

Okay. Here's a ride report.

Any time on a bike in January in New England -- outdoors -- is either a blessing, a curse, or a sure sign of mental instability. Although it was in the 60s here on Cape Cod on Thursday, it was simply too wet and way to windy to hit the streets and Friday turned into another washout as the cold front swept in from the west.

So this morning, Saturday, dawned bright and sunny with dry streets but temps just above freezing. I wasn't going to wait any longer. Another minute on the rowing erg, or pretending to be spinning on the gym's stationary bike and I was going to scream.

So I layer up -- long sleeve microfiber undershirt, windblocker vest, long-sleeve fleece Pearl Izumi riding shirt, nylon shell, wool hat, bike shorts with tights over them, thick wool socks, toe-covers over the shoes, full fingered gloves, shades, helmet, fill the water bottle, load the pockets with co2, wrenches, cell phone and license, pump up the touring tires to 100 psi -- and jump on the fixed-gear for a spin.

There is nothing as invigorating as pedaling at 20 mph into the teeth of 15 mph headwind in 34 degree temperatures. Nose starts flowing. Hawking spit every half mile and spinning a nice steady 110-120 rpm.

I can't describe the holier-than-thou feelings that I got this morning stomping up the hills and spinning like a squirrel down the other side, the only guy on a bike on Cape Cod for all I knew, putting in the hard miles under sunny skies, dodging the oncoming joggers and taking up as much shoulder as I felt like, the streets being covered with winter road sand.

Does anything compare to the silence of a fixie on a winter day? The lack of any gears or noises to distract one from the simple task of getting there and back? No cyclocomputer. No average speed indicator to make me feel bad about dogging it. Just me, the bike, and the road.

I rode out from Cotuit to Sandwich along route 130, tortured myself up the hills of Quaker Meetinghouse Road to the Route 6 service road, took a drink, then spun down at 150 rpm into the hills and vales. I was fried by the half-way point in the ride -- 12 miles out -- but the sun felt good and the sweat was flowing somewhere under the four layers.

Track standing at the intersections then focusing on the spinning and dreaming of summer shirt-sleeves, of long hauls at six in the morning to Provincetown and back on the shift-bike. Any time on the bike this time of the year is good time -- cold be damned -- and while I may not be racking up 500 miles a month, these feel like more valuable miles than any I get in under bluebird skies in June. Pain builds character.

After coming back a week ago from a ride completely covered in salt and sand, I decided to buy some Race Blade fenders and took a spin this weekend. Granted the cold is never fun, but with fenders it's at least not as wet and mucky. This week looks like it will be brutally cold and kinda snowy, so for safety's sake I'll stay indoors.

Do any of you ride outside with studded tires? I'm thinking of a cross bike just for that purpose.

I'm over here in Newport where it's really windy and cold right now. I recently got myself an indoor trainer which I have set up in the apartment and find that it's not very satisfying to ride but at least I'm hanging on to some of the fitness that I built last year. I'm starting to plan for what I will do when the weather starts to turn around. My question is this: What is the a ride closest to me where there are real hills to climb? I'd like to find something that it takes at least 15 minutes to ride up.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.