Street Bagging

Good idea, Brian. My season is pretty well “in the bag”., but I keep a bike handy just in case the weather cooperates. Likely it will be one that fits my heavy duty wheels with Tannus airless tires., either the steel-framed Nashbar tourer or the Cannondale. Have to put some mudguards on though for the trail.
Best,
John “wheelson”

Street bagging is turning out to be more amusing than I imagined and also more challenging. It turns out there are over 270 streets, roads, lanes, circles, avenues, etc. in Holliston, Mass. They probably run about 100 miles in total. I live in the north corner of town so some areas are 7 or 8 miles away. A major challenge is figuring out routes that efficiently travel as many roads in as few miles as possible. It inevitably requires a lot of backtracking and duplicating paths. There is also the problem of coming up with a scheme to cover a set of streets and having the scheme fit in my head. The GPS is useless because of the backtracking and recrossing of streets. It gets totally confused. The final problem right now is weather. Today I bagged 44 streets in a 25 mile course that took almost two hours. The temperature was about 22F/-5C but fortunately not much wind. Road salt is doing a number on my Sebring. It is fascinating to watch it decay day by day.

We are in for a nor'easter tonight, bringing 16 inches of snow, so street bagging will be on hold for a day or two. Maybe time for some maintenance.

Brian

Volcanic cinder would be easier on metal but wouldn't melt ice. Here they use various products on the roads depending on expected weather and actual weather. For example, if they predict a light and/or wet snow that might freeze later, they put on a pre-treatment that keeps everything melted down to about 0F. It also prevents "black ice" and ice from sticking to the road (which makes it impossible to plow off.) After a snow and plowing, streets are generally treated with sand and rock salt as needed for traction and melting, respectively. In the spring they come around and sweep up all the sand and reuse it. The salt goes into the storm drains.

The proper attire for winter cycling is pretty much the same as for cross country skiiing, except for the boots. You could probably put bike cleats on a CC ski boot but I don't use clipless pedals, especially not when there might be icy patches.

Brian

This one's for John Wheelson:

Nice short video of the GAP trail. My first virtual ride on the trail. Very nice on a wintery cold, snow covered night.

Michael, thanks for that video. It’s very well done and gives a really good taste of the GAP. I’ve only ridden it complete (with the C&O) once, but parts of both many, many times. As a side note, yes the trains DO pass through Rockwood, about every hour ALL night. If you stay at the Trailhouse B&B as we did, crank up the window AC unit or take earplugs! Excellent place to stay, though.
I’m looking forward to another “epic” trip next year. This video certainly whetted my appetite!
Best,
John “wheelson”

This year I have made an important discovery - in order to ride 7000 miles and maintain 15 pounds overweight, you have to eat like an absolute horse.

Brian

I recognize every inch of the Tehachapi ride. Watching this guy ride it is no wonder that some folks hate cyclists.

The first 12 minutes is a descent from Tehachapi Mountain Park to the Tehachapi Valley. A 1600+ foot descent over about 5 miles (notice he did not pedal). Going the other way is a serious climb.
18:55 Then onto a nice part of our bike path system.
21:35 Crossing Cherry Lane. Up to this point he has had a downhill ride (descending about 2000 feet) and is entering a flat part of the valley floor.
22:37 Passes the Valley Boulevard underpass and the sees that the path ahead is closed for paving. He then turns to the east on Valley Boulevard. More dirt and against traffic. Ironically, what appears to be a sidewalk on the right is a two-way bike path. This guy rides like a kid.
24:19 He finds the bike path. This path is not as nice to ride on as one would think.
27:59 Entering a part of the bike path I really dislike. Cars pull onto the bike path from hidden driveways.
28:53 A car nearly got me at this spot.
29:02 Notice the stupid sign in the bike path.
29:40 Turned north on Curry St. He is now riding on the sidewalk. The bike lane along here is a shared lane on the street.
32:37 After missing the elderly lady he finds the bike lane.
32:55 Turns to the east on F Street (good choice to avoid traffic, at least what we call traffic).
34:23 Turns north on Robinson Street.
35:14 He turns east on Tehachapi Boulevard. Against traffic again!!
36:33 Red House BBQ on right, excellent!
37:07 West on Hayes Street then west on H Street.
37:43 Turns north on Mojave Street and back on the sidewalk.
38:35 Turns West on J Street. I like how he looks right and turns left.
40:02 Turns north on Green Street and finds a bike lane.
40:45 He finds the airport and takes to the dirt and eventually joins Industrial Parkway.
42:52 He found one of my favorite places, the Tractor Supply Store. Could this guy be lost?
43:30 Turns south on Mill Street. The mountain in the background is where he started.
44:59 Turns east on H Street.
46:32 Darlene’s Swell Toys on left. A wonderful old time toy store. Turns south on Green Street.
46:50 Train station on right (trains no longer stop there).
48:07 Yes, he was there earlier.
49:00 Turns west on E Street and back against traffic.
49:45 Turns south on Curry Street and goes back up the sidewalk he earlier came down. Road to right has a bike lane on each side.
50:44 Near the police station. Perhaps he should turn himself in for traffic violations.
52:45 Back to the corner of Curry street and Valley Boulevard.

Michael, thank your for the detailed information. I think I can put something together. I used to have an ancient wind trainer but I must have ditched it decades ago. I liked the idea of fluid units for low noise and progressive resistance, but I'll have to read up on the problem you mentioned.

Yes, I did bang out those last 14 miles yesterday for a total of 7001.7. That may well be it for the year. My "winter bike" is now completely shot and on the stand, disassembled for an overhaul. Even the wheels are apart and new spokes ordered to replace the hopelessly rusted old ones.

Thanks again,
Brian

I’ve started to join in on this, more through a knee problem than a mileage target.
Even getting out around the quieter streets of town is better than no riding at all and still close to home if I strain the aggravated knee.

Interesting you say that, I’ve lived here nearly 50 years and every urban ride jogs my memory of a long gone factory, coal mine, pub, shop and I also worked in a fair few houses in the area over the years. It’s a bit of a Memory Lane ride sometimes.
There is one street that always smells like someone has a chip pan on and every time I wonder to myself do people still cook chips that way? 
Likewise, because it’s a built up area the cold isn’t as harsh as when I go out into countryside with exposed roads next to fields and farmland.

Definitely a useful option during the winter months and I’ve started including more streets and roads after reading this thread. 

Edit: This is what I would usually do for a local 10 mile ride, plenty of streets and roads to infill! 

I see what you mean about it being slow Brian, with the dead ends, restricted pathways and the rest of it. I did a few estates today, only 8 miles but it took 40 minutes. Enjoyed it though, a cold dry day, just great to breath some fresh air in and be out riding.

Did you use the Raleigh again Brian?

Wondering how it handled on that trail as it looks like it’s got something like 700 x 28c tyres on it?