Warm Cold Windy Wednesday

Today's Tracking via Ham Radio and APRS

Another beautiful day for riding -- In the Middle of January.  Actually, more toward the END of January, but this is the ice and snow and frigid cold times. What a wonderful winter weather.  Good old New Mexico-

I initially wanted to do a 20-miler today but decided to  just take another route, with hopes of making 15 miles or so.  It turned out to be only a half mile longer than yesterday's ride, but it certainly was more exercise, with steeper hills to climb.  But it was through Gutierrez Canyon, which is a very picturesque area, with no shoulders or bike lane but very sparse traffic except for the commute times of 7 to 8 AM and 4 to 5 or 6 PM.  And since lots of  cyclists use this road regularly, the gas-burning traffic seems pretty much used to and accepting of it.

I guess the propane delivery trucks are running most days now since I normally see one or more every time I ride.  This one in the video gave me a wide clearance, which is greatly appreciated.  The type of passing vehicle does not seem to be related to its behavior towards cyclists.  Some school bus drivers are very courteous and give a wide berth or slow down and wait before passing, others practically knock you off the road.  Albuquerque city buses used to be - in general - road hogs and very aggressive towards cyclists.
Volkswagen Bug drivers may pass with lots of room or nearly clip you.  You cannot trust any of them; it's a conspiracy :O)
Actually, it's been months since anyone got much closer than 3 feet from me, so I should shut up and not gripe.
Especially with days like this, with lots of sunshine.  I started out with the windbreaker outer layer since I was first going downhill for a mile or so and then took it off when I started getting overheated climbing mild hills.
I was shocked when I entered Old Route 66 and rode parallel to I-40 for a few miles.  The Tijeras canyon winds were strong and COLD.  Every time I topped another hill I put the windbreaker back on for the cold slipstream on the downhill side.  Then when I turned off the frontage road on to Gutierrez Canyon, within a couple hundred feet the wind almost totally stopped and it's always amazing how the horrific road noise of I-40 disappears quickly into silence as I pass through the trees northward.
Our local weather-guessers are still predicting rain and/or snow starting Friday.  I have a funeral to attend tomorrow, not sure I'll be able to squeeze in a bike ride.  Sure glad to enjoy most of these few sunny days.

Ride Started: 12:05 PM    Ride Ended:  3:09 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  14.1   Ending Voltage: 13.1  Lowest: 12.8
Lowest Temp  53 F      Highest Temp:  67 F 
Stats from the GPS:    Total Miles:  14:88
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
  6.4 MPH                              8.9 MPH                    31.9 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
2 hours 20 mins                     1 hour 40 mins            39  minutes