Week 3

Date
January 16th, 2012

Distance
100 miles

Time
5:56:06

Route Map/Profile

A simple out-and-back from Dayton to Fallon, mostly via US 50.

Weather

The nice weather finally came to an end. It didn't get above freezing all day. The good news is that the sun was out and there wasn't much wind, so it didn't feel that bad out there.

Picture

From US 50 near Dayton

Ride Report
I woke up and there was snow on the ground in Reno. There wasn't much snow, but it was enough to make the roads icy and I didn't have time to wait for the sun to come out and melt the ice. I didn't have another free day later in the week, either, so I drove to Dayton to get away from the snow. Luckily, US 50 was clear in Dayton and I was able to ride without any problems.

Week 2

Date
January 9th, 2012

Distance
101 miles

Time
5:54:57

Route Map/Profile

This is almost the same Pyramid Lake route as the one used in Week 0.5.

Weather

The good weather continues. There was a high of 50 and almost no wind at all.

Picture

Pyramid Lake

Ride Report
I didn't have much time to kill today, so I stuck with the Pyramid Lake route. The weather continues to be the big story. The temperatures are one thing, but I'm completely baffled by the lack of wind out there. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Here's a PSA for all the riders out there: Be sure to give your bike a good inspection every now and then. I was doing that and I noticed that (1) my stem had a very bad crack and (2) my fork may have a small crack. I just replaced my stem and handlebars (the new bars are taking some getting used to) and a new fork is on the way. I gave my frame an extra close inspection, and as much as I would like an excuse to buy a new frame, it is 100% crack free.

Cracked Stem. This is a little embarrassing because I should have noticed it sooner.

The underneath side of the stem with another crack.

Cracked Fork. What worries me is that the crack is starting to make its way to the outside of the fork.

Cracked Fork

Week 1

Date
January 4th, 2012

Distance
100 miles

Time
6:04:19

Route Map/Profile

This is another one of my go-to winter routes that avoids any big climbs. The basic idea is to head north out of Reno via Old 395 to Red Rock Road, a nice quiet area where the Reno Air Races are held during the summer. Red Rock Road and 395 meet up just past the California border, and from this point there are a few different options. Today I headed south towards SR 70 and followed it west to Frenchman Lake Road, which visits the Plumas National Forest and offers nice views of Little Last Chance Canyon.

Weather

The weather continues to be fantastic for January. The temperature made it up to 60 degrees and there was hardly any wind.

Picture

Little Last Chance Canyon

Ride Report
Here it is- the first full week of January. The weather may be Spring-like, but my legs are not. I wasn't able to break the 6-hour mark despite the favorable conditions out there. Nevertheless, it was a great day to be outside and I would have killed for such a nice day in January last year.

I suffered my first puncture of 2012 today, which was a rare front puncture on a downhill. Those are always scary, but I was able to slowly come to a stop without any problems. If you're like I used to be and you hate your frame pump, I highly recommend the Lezyne Road Drive. Its flexible hose means that (a) you aren't going to bend your valve stem and (b) you have more leverage and can comfortably pump up to a high PSI.

How long will the good weather last? When it ends, will it do so in dramatic fashion with a big snow storm?

Week 0.5

Date
January 1st, 2012

Distance
100 miles

Time
5:59:47

Route Map/Profile

This route is a simple out-and-back to Pyramid Lake. It's one of my two go-to winter routes that avoids any major climbs and more importantly their cold descents.

Weather

The ride started off at 23 degrees and ended at about 45 degrees. Winds were very calm.

Picture

Sunrise

Ride Report
I defined a week as a period of 7 successive days beginning on Monday and ending on Sunday (see the calendar here). It just so happens that 2012 starts on a Sunday, so it stands alone on the calendar. Technically it isn't a week since it isn't a 7-day period, but I just had to get in a ride on the 1st so I wouldn't be accused of cheating.

I started the ride at 6:15 AM and got a nice view of the sunrise along the way. I just barely beat the 6-hour mark, which is something I would easily do during the summer but is actually a good result for me during the winter. Most of all I was happy to start the year off on the right foot with no snow, plenty of sunshine, relatively warm temperatures, and light winds. I couldn't ask for much more in January.