'Tis the Season

There are only 17 days to Christmas and the joy and/or anxiety that it brings. The days are getting shorter and colder so it is becoming harder to get out and ride. Two weeks ago I did an off the books ride with the usual crowd. We did a my winter Englishtown loop. It was your barely 40 degree cloudy day. I had a 50 mile loop planned but at the rest stop we took the shorter way home and ended up with 44.

Last week I didn't feel like crossing over Rt 1 to go to Laura's ride so I decided to try the Cranbury C+ with Steve. Instead of doing a normal Cranbury route Steve decided to go across Rt 1 to Montgomery. We ended up stopping at the Bagel Barn on 206 so it felt a little like a Jim ride. The way back was on some busy roads that I would normally avoid but I did end up on two new roads I haven't been on before and might use one of them on a future ride.

This week it was too cold to get out on the road as the temperature barely went above freezing. I decide to post a ride on the Lawrence Hopewell Trail so I could get some riding in. I got a decent turn out for a cold day. Chris, Ricky, Pete, Andrew and Tim showed up. Jim and Laura were absent because they had other commitments.

It was just over 30 degrees when we started the ride but it was sunny so once we got riding it I didn't feel cold. We had to wait for Chris a few time because his fender was hitting his wheel. Eventually I told him to just take the fender off and stick it in his backpack.

We made our way through Lawrence and then eventually to the Mercer Meadows. There were a couple of puddles of ice here and there but the trail was actually in good shape and it didn't feel as soft going up the hill in Mercer Meadows as it usually does.

When we got to Rosedale Lake Pete had a brake problem and headed for home. At the top of Wargo Tim had some knee issues so slowed up a little. We made the usual stop on the bridge on Province Line for a couple of pictures.

It was then up the hill and into ETS. Andrew left us for home before we turn into ETS. The path into ETS was overgrown and a bit wet in places. There were even a couple of small logs across the path. I didn't have a problem getting over them but Ricky tried and failed to bunny hop over it. No damage done. I managed not to get lost in ETS this time and so we were back on the trail without me pulling out the map. We lost sight of Tim so I went back for him and found him fixing a flat. We were only a few miles from the end so once the tire was fixed we were quickly back at the start.

I will be away next weekend but we have officially entered the winter riding season so will get out for short rides on the road or trail, when I can, until warmer weather gets here.