# A cold rainy ride...



## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I wanted to check out a new trail in Dallas so I headed downtown and rode the new Sante Fe trail.....The trail was a disappointment( it went through a very bad neighborhood) but I managed to have a good time despite the 40 degree temp and cold rain.

I was dress appropriately so only the outer layers got wet..inside was quite comfortable.

I only saw a couple of other cyclists who were brave(stupid?) enough to ride...

Any day on a bike is good time in my book......:thumbsup:


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Love the Look by the Lake.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

rcnute said:


> Love the Look by the Lake.



The bike was perfect for today....32c tires are very comfy


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2009)

I've said it before but I do like that Look.

Who is that masked man anyway?


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## hepcatbent (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm jealous. I'd be _happy_ with 40*, rain, and a path like that to ride! Great shots!

My folks live way down south in Edinburg, and they tell me that it's supposed to snow across a large are of Texas for the next couple of days? At least you don't have to live with it until April...


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

hepcatbent said:


> I'm jealous. I'd be _happy_ with 40*, rain, and a path like that to ride! Great shots!
> 
> My folks live way down south in Edinburg, and they tell me that it's supposed to snow across a large are of Texas for the next couple of days? At least you don't have to live with it until April...


I don't know about snow but it's going to remain cold all week...it's supposed to be back up to 60 on Saturday...


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## hepcatbent (Aug 19, 2009)

Dave Hickey said:


> I don't know about snow but it's going to remain cold all week...it's supposed to be back up to 60 on Saturday...


I just looked at the NOAA forecast for DFW... more rain, but temps from the 40s to the 60s all week... no snow at all... and there's certainly some riding weather there! :thumbsup: That's certainly better than ours!


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

No riding for me, except a quick dart to the grocery store. I'll trade your 40 and raining for our 12 and dry. Ugh.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Did they shoot at you as your rode through? Love the face mask shot. They probably thought you were returning from a bank robbery so they didn't bother you.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Ridgetop said:


> Did they shoot at you as your rode through? Love the face mask shot. They probably thought you were returning from a bank robbery so they didn't bother you.



I only saw about 5 people on the trail and none of them were exercising.,.I ride through some bad areas but this one made me very uncomfortable...Thankfully it was only about 4 miles worth...the rest of the areas were fine


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2009)

Dave Hickey said:


> I only saw about 5 people on the trail and none of them were exercising.,.I ride through some bad areas but this one made me very unfortable...Thankfully it was only about 4 miles worth...the rest of the areas were fine



Reminds me of a summer I spent working at a college in a very urban area. I was out for a run, guy goes tearing by me in the standard white wife beater, look over my shoulder and the sidewalk is packed with cops trying to run him down.


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## PomPilot (May 17, 2006)

kytyree said:


> Who is that masked man anyway?


I don't know. But he left a silver bullet. :wink:


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Amazing that you can fit 32 mm tires on that frame. I squeezed some 28 mm Paselas on my De Bernardi and had about 3 mm of clearance between the back tire and the seat tube.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

tarwheel2 said:


> Amazing that you can fit 32 mm tires on that frame. I squeezed some 28 mm Paselas on my De Bernardi and had about 3 mm of clearance between the back tire and the seat tube.



I was surprised too...when I built the bike, I was planning on 25 or 28 tires... I had a set of 32's laying around do I tried them....There is about 3mm-5mm of clearance


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

I like the lake pic, too- hate bing out in yucky drizzly weather, but I sure like the pics! I`m confused about the balaclava though. Since it looks to be soaking wet, doesn`t it make your face cold on an otherwise fairly warm day? Did you really ride like that, or just pull it over your mouth for the picture?


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

rodar y rodar said:


> I like the lake pic, too- hate bing out in yucky drizzly weather, but I sure like the pics! I`m confused about the balaclava though. Since it looks to be soaking wet, doesn`t it make your face cold on an otherwise fairly warm day? Did you really ride like that, or just pull it over your mouth for the picture?



I alternated...when riding with a tailwind, it had it like the picture...with a headwind, I had it pulled up so just the eyes showed


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

But everything looks so wet! Does the mask stay drier than it looks, or being wet just doesn`t make your face feel colder? Or maybe I`m just so used to avoiding "wet" like the plague that I`ve gotten to be a panzy about wearing wet stuff


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

*tougher than I*

nice. What part of town?

40's and wet is what got me in my car today  

Soft.


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## johnlh (Sep 12, 2008)

I wish I had 40 degree temps. Everyday for the last two weeks has been single digits or below zero. My only riding has been the short loop to work on my studded-tire mtb. Lately, I have been more of a runner than a cyclist.


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## bane (Aug 30, 2006)

Is that one of the VO saddles or a brooks?


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## Thommy (Sep 23, 2003)

Love that bike Dave! Those tires make it look bad-ass kinda four wheel drive-ish. The last time I went out in 40 degree weather with a similar mask the good ole' San Diego Police followed me until I politely pulled over and waved for them to pull over. They asked if I was alright, I asked if they were alright. They scowled at me (for having to lower their windows) then drove off. Not even an offer of a coffee or donuts from them, sheeesh. Any day out on your bike that you can return safely is a good day. Did you remember to take your rubbers with you?


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## 180 (Jan 10, 2009)

Hey Dave what kind of balaclava you be sporten there? Looks warm and breathey...


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

180 said:


> Hey Dave what kind of balaclava you be sporten there? Looks warm and breathey...


it's a Nike...I have no idea what model..I've had it for a few years


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> I wanted to check out a new trail in Dallas so I headed downtown and rode the new Sante Fe trail.....The trail was a disappointment( it went through a very bad neighborhood) but I managed to have a good time despite the 40 degree temp and cold rain.
> 
> I was dress appropriately so only the outer layers got wet..inside was quite comfortable.
> 
> ...



I commute that trail now every day to and from work. I live up near the Lake and work downtown. It is a different commute from my commutes in London. The trail is dull but functional - it is not a destination trail like the lake. 

The neighborhood is fine really - it's poor and working class Hispanic but in ~6 months I've never had any problems 2x per day. I have had problems with dogs - guard dogs acually - at a few specific places and some glass on the trail. 

The Santa Fe Trail is great for families late afternoon and early evening - lots of people, all ages - lots of kids - out promenading, walking, jogging, cycling, dog walking, enjoying being outdoors. I am often greeted in Spanish by trail regulars and am looking for a Mexican National Cycling Jersey. My handlebar bell is well received. The trail is a ghost town, like the rest of Dallas save for White Rock Lake, as far as "serious" cyclists are concerned. I do sometimes see Mexican laborers on bikes but rarely see anyone commuting on a bike anywhere here in Dallas. That too is a big change from London! My co-workers think I am odd.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I must have hit it on a bad day...As I said, I ride through plenty of so-so neighborhoods but I left very unforfortable on this day


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> I must have hit it on a bad day...As I said, I ride through plenty of so-so neighborhoods but I left very unforfortable on this day


For sure I was uneasy when I started using the trail but experience has taught me better - or am naive, have been lucky and am a statistic waiting to happen! Even now riding it both ways in the dark has been zero problems.

I find that I often receive excessive courtesy from some cars / trucks in the neighborhood - I think it's because they know people who actually use their bikes to get around, do so themselves on occasion (like France) and respect it a bit more than soccer moms and rich folks out in the burbs. During the summer there is a permanent hispanic-only pick up basketball game down at the park across from Woodrow Wilson HS - that made me super nervous - but I was just part of the landscape: I think it was all about me and my perceptions / prejudices not about any actual risks.

The dogs, however, have led me to buy pepper spray and consider riding with a hand gun.

It's funny - when I leave the house in Lakewood in the morning I see 5-20 serious recreational cyclists in full team kit doing the three sisters and lapping the lake. As soon as I cross Gaston, cyclists no longer exist.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

M.J. said:


> For sure I was uneasy when I started using the trail but experience has taught me better - or am naive, have been lucky and am a statistic waiting to happen! Even now riding it both ways in the dark has been zero problems.
> 
> I find that I often receive excessive courtesy from some cars / trucks in the neighborhood - I think it's because they know people who actually use their bikes to get around, do so themselves on occasion (like France) and respect it a bit more than soccer moms and rich folks out in the burbs. During the summer there is a permanent hispanic-only pick up basketball game down at the park across from Woodrow Wilson HS - that made me super nervous - but I was just part of the landscape: I think it was all about me and my perceptions / prejudices not about any actual risks.
> 
> ...


I hear you about the dogs.....Urban riding has become my favorite types of ride.....the downside of urban riding is mean dogs.... I've been chased by pitbulls and dobermans a couple of times in the last month....

You have a point about being uneasy because I've never ridden there before...I ride in areas of Fort Worth that are very similar yet they never bother me...

As for the courtesy of the drivers, I've experience the exact same thing...In neighborhoods where bicycles are a means of transpotation, the drivers are much nicer..


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## dfltroll (Nov 27, 2006)

Hey Dave, how do you like those tires? I know some folks have complained about them feeling dead and clunky yet very durable. Would you recommend them? Also, I think they do run smaller than their stated size.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

dfltroll said:


> Hey Dave, how do you like those tires? I know some folks have complained about them feeling dead and clunky yet very durable. Would you recommend them? Also, I think they do run smaller than their stated size.


I love them....pumped up to close to max pressure(100psi?. I'll check tonight) they roll great and are very durable..... I'd say they run slightly smaller than size....


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

bane said:


> Is that one of the VO saddles or a brooks?



I missed this post..sorry...The saddle is a VO


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*wow*

They take railings pretty seriously around there, don't they? ;-) Around here, there could be a 2,000' cliff with not so much as a stripe at the edge of the road.

I do think we tend to remember rides in adverse conditions much longer than the nice days.


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