New Year's Day Ride 2011

Three bikes in Cheesman Park...

Well, only one other person went on the ride with Kyle and me, today.  Scott and Brad showed up for coffee, but only Tom (who also went, last year) actually came for the ride.  That's his Bridgestone MB-3 in the picture.

The temperatures have been cold enough, since it snowed, that the road surfaces are not real icy or slushy.  Traction is actually pretty good and, while I was riding on my studded tires, they were not a necessity, at all.  Kyle and Tom did just fine on normal mtb tires.

Kyle rode my titanium bike, and I rode the fixed-gear snow commuter.  I would have ridden the XO-2 (or let Kyle ride it, since he rode it all week), but I was concerned about the rim brakes freezing up and making stopping as bit iffy.  As it turned out, I don't think that would have been a problem.  Still, better safe than sorry.

We started off at Kaladi Brothers Coffee, as planned, and ended up riding through Washington Park to Cheesman Park, around through City Park and, after Tom peeled off to his house as we rode by, Kyle and I returned through Wash Park to Kaladi Bros for more coffee.  Then, since Illegal Pete's was closed, we went to Spanky's for food.

By the time we got back to the house, Kyle and I had put in about 19 miles at an average speed of 8.7 mph.  No world record, but not too shabby in the snow.

I have to say that, as usual, I was a bit disappointed in the turnout, though.  Every year, I wonder why nobody goes on these rides.  Yeah, it's generally cold and sometimes snowy, but we always have a blast.  Every year I hope that, next year, people will remember me saying how much fun it was and decide to go.

Maybe next year...

PS: This one's for Meligrosa!

Happy New year, everybody!

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