Well...that was fun...

The NYD 98km went off w/o a hitch...
It was 30 degrees and foggy. Sounds like good WX for a bike ride, eh?
We started with a solid group of 11, and lost 2 in Gaston. My Rosewood peeps turned to get home early. Pregnant wives sometimes take precedent. Glad they came out for the first part of the ride though!
Well, there was ONE minor hitch. A right turn we were supposed to take led us onto a dirt road. And while this didn't bother a few of us, I didn't think it was right to drag the group down an unknown, yet very inviting, dirt road in LexCo, on a loop I mapped out.
No worries. We ostensibly went around the block, and got back to exactly where the dirt road came out.
(I'm riding it next time we're out there...FYI...)

A couple more roads we'd never been on, and we were to Swansea Hwy. We'd cut across a couple of the roads on myriad occasions, but never turned down them. All were really good roads. Low traffic, a bit of elevation change, and some reasonably attractive countryside. I'm guessing on the last part, as that part of LexCo is non-descript, and quite gray in the dead of Winter.
I'll get back to you when things green up in Spring...

Over to Swansea, across the ridgeline, and back home. The ride was EXACTLY 98km for those who parked at Colonial. I ended with 106.99km. I know...I should have ridden up the street a little bit...

And that 30 degree, foggy start? Yeah, it turned into a Chamber of Commerce day by 11am. It was well worth the chilly start. If you made excuses, and missed the ride, that's on you.
The rest of us had a damn good time!

After a quick turnaround, I loaded up #1 and #2, and we went and rode again.

Another 15km with the boys, which brought me to 122km for the day. That was plenty...
And I came to the conclusion that I need another bike to ride with them. The CX bike ain't built for that business.
And I saw a lot of folks out riding, which is great, but put on a helmet folks! And NONE of the children we saw were wearing a hard hat. Just irresponsible...

And speaking of CX bikes...
Stevens has a slew of riders on their new bikes for 2015...
van der Poel's is easily the favorite...

Walsleben's is a close second...

...though the white would absolutely destroy my OCD.
I'm sort of down with the Shimano hydros too. Small, and unobtrusive.

Yesterday's lovely day has given way to Portlandia out there today. Rain is expected until Monday...of course.
No matter. I'm going out Saturday and Sunday...

I hope everyone got outside, ate their fill of pork, kraut, collards, and black-eyed peas, then watched two pretty good football games.

I need to make my first Target trip of 2015...oh joy...
When does school start back?