Thursday, December 24, 2009

X-Mas Eve Road Conditions

Temps were conducive enough to riding today. Left home before 9:30, in the high 20s/low 30s. By the time I got back my thermometer read 41°.

Although the roads are mostly clear, there are still many patches along the LIE where some snow got pushed onto the driving lane, either by traffic merging from the right, or other less obvious reasons. Be very careful and always look ahead. Many times it's hard to tell what's up ahead. Sometimes it's snow or slush, but other times it's patches of salt on dry road.

I didn't want to run into this stuff on twisty single lane roads, so I just rode the LIE's service road until I hit 25 miles (by exit 53) and turned around. It wasn't scenic, or all that exciting, but it was relatively safe.

Strong breezes from the north/northeast made it tough going out but a little easier coming back (one more reason not to turn north from the LIE). In any case, due primarily to my rib issue, I couldn't really push myself all that much. My average at the end of 50 miles was a pathetic 15.4.

Only saw two other riders on the way out.

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