It had to happen sometime...

...a rest day.

I have a supply of coffee and a stack of magazines for reading. And, of course, I'll be spending time out in the yard with the dogs who love snow. They never seem to tire of catching snowballs.

Here's Saffy, actually begging for the snowball Jeff's holding, while Silas plots how he's going to get it before she does.

Goddard Park RI CX Races

NBX G.P. of Cross / Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross 8...Lots of pics!

Jeff and I made it to the park in time to see the Cat 2/3 Men and the UCI Elite Women and Men.

Some Cat 2/3's make the change from fast pavement to grass. Note the tree in the right foreground. I tend to put a tree between me and the racers in places it looks like they may go wide!!

Cat 2/3's on a long grass section.

Elite women at the barriers.

Women leaders coming out of the sand into a run up.

I thought this was a pretty good picture from my little point and shoot. It's Rebecca Wellons chasing, eventually placing 4th, though she was leading the series overall.

Wellons again, on a run up.

Amy Wallace on the run up.

Elite men through the barriers.

Elite men tackling a run up.

Just after the mount after the above run up.

Elite men on a surface I thought looked like fun!

Elite men.

And, this is what happens when I am a bit too zoomed in as they go past, but I kind of like how these pics came out! This is the winner, James Driscoll, with his Cannondale bike.

I'm not sure who this is, but I like the look/color of the bike!

It wouldn't be a cross race without the Devil and the Ape Man!

You can click on any of the pics to see them full sized. Hope you don't mind the picture heavy post! I have so much fun at these things and end up taking a bunch of pics.

I noticed Until the Snow Ends riding with his bike cam, so I assume he'll have race video posted in a few days.

Edited to add: link to bike cam footage.

Stats for Week

Jeff and I went for a ride this morning, so I'm up to 62 days in a row now, but the streak will be ending soon, maybe tomorrow. Seven days of riding and 231.73 miles for the week.

In awhile, I'm off to watch some elite men and women race 'cross! More Cowbell!

60 Consecutive Days Riding

At the risk of appearing somewhat like the cat in the picture, I'm going to post my stats for the past 60 days!

I know you kind blog readers have seen some of these numbers twice already, but I've got the whole set now. Sixty days and 1,964.20 miles. (I'm not too bothered about not hitting 2,000.)


My friend Lynn snapped a pic as I rode out to meet her today. It was so windy here and I'd just felt like I was going to be knocked over. I know I need a new jacket every time I see a pic of me in that big, old one of Jeff's! It is not flattering, especially when the wind is puffing it out!

I liked facing the challenge of riding everyday and trying rides in some weather I'd ordinarily avoid (like sleet!). I didn't get too fatigued or burnout and I've gotten a nice base that I hope to maintain through the cold weather and build on in the spring. I don't think I would have done nearly so many miles without the challenge and all the encouraging blog comments. Thank you very much for them! Getting to know some blogging bikers better has been one of the best parts!

The weather is actually looking good for tomorrow, so I will probably be out riding again. It's hard to stop daily riding once you get started! I may get a rest day on Saturday though as I will be going to watch other people pedal at the NBX G.P. of Cross / Verge New England Championship, but it will depend on if Jeff wants to fit in a ride and wants company.

December 3

Tomorrow is the big day: #60!

I am starting to believe that I really am going to hit 60 consecutive days of riding. I still don't know how I'm going to celebrate. Jeff and I usually celebrate everything with a bike ride, but that may not work this time?! We do have plans to go out to dinner tomorrow night. Jeff is getting off very cheaply treating me since there is a work dinner event at a nice local restaurant for a mere $10 each! That's ok with me, it will make it easier to get more biking accessories.

Today was beautiful, warm and not quite so windy. I did a 40.53 mile solo ride, not going that hard, but making sure I kept my cadence up. I have a tendency to mash when I don't pay attention.

December 2

I had a good ride today. It was still very windy, but I didn't have to dodge any blowing debris! It occurred to me that yesterday was a trash pickup day in a lot of the areas I rode through, so that explains all the odds bits of plastic and things flying at me in the wind. At least I didn't have to share the road with a goat like BettyBetty mentioned in my comments yesterday! I do ride by a big white billy goat with a beard and he seems to like to watch me climb the hill past him, but luckily he's always in his little pen or on a leash. I rode with Lynn today and her company always makes the miles fly by, even when we are going straight into the headwind out at Brenton Point! I did 41.04 miles.

2 more days!

December 1

I was excited to ride today with temps in the mid 50's and the sun shining brightly after the rain moved out in the morning. I guess the wind and gusts up to 27 mph had moved the rain out. I ride in wind a lot since I'm on the coast, but today seemed more difficult than other days. There was so much debris on the roads and blowing around. Within a mile from home, a 10 inch plastic plant pot blew right into my front wheel and crunched under my pedal and between my wheels. I had to be extra vigilant about watching for stuff coming at me like sheets of blowing newspaper as well as staying upright in the gusts. My upper body was getting a real workout from balancing me and keeping the front wheel straight.

As I rode out from home, I kept telling myself it would be OK to do a shorter ride and turn for home at the next good road, but when I reached the road, I would decide to keep going!

I am used to a big hill with an almost invisible, very deep pothole in it. I always manage to miss the pothole just fine. Today, the pothole had been filled with loose black gravel tar stuff that was not just in the former pothole, but spread all across the road. I made it across the pointy, loose gravel OK, started to sigh in relief, but then noticed wood and who knows what scattered all across the road in front of me. I had to hold my line and ended up hitting a fist sized piece straight on which popped my bike up a bit and then it jarred me as it hit the pavement again. I heard an awful noise which I was worried was spokes breaking or something. I was amazed to still be upright and continued to the bottom of the hill to where I could stop and check over my bike. Remarkably, everything seemed OK! I think the noise was from the stuff in the road breaking and popping out from under me. But after that excitement, I'd had enough and headed toward home and ended up with 33.90 miles for today.

Just 3 more consecutive days for 60/60!