More than halfway

[Tania]

I’ve ridden over 600 miles so far this year. Last year at this time I didn’t have a garmin but I’d guess I had logged maybe — maybe — 75 miles.

Thanks BAFS!

[vvill]

I’m ahead of last year and the year before, which was part of my motivation for joining this year. (I did have more miles and climbing for the inaugural Freezing Saddles, at this time – but was never planning to match that.)

Thanks BAFS!

[jrenaut]

The best part of this BAFS is that my wife, in her first year in the competition, is starting to suggest on weekends that we should maybe go for a family ride somewhere. I’m really happy with my personal mileage too – My first BAFS I had 807 miles, and I just broke 600 today, so barring disaster I’ll easily beat my first year’s total.

I’m really looking forward to the Last Night Hains Point Party. I did 59 total miles that day last year, and this year I’d like to hit 100.

[QuikAF77]

This is my first BAFS, but loving it. Definitely has motivated me to ride when I don’t feel like and ride farther than just my commute on weekdays. Last year at this point I was at 430 miles, this year I’m at 887!

[JonRobot]

this is also my first BAFS, and my first winter commuting by bike. according to strava, in 2014 by this time i had 0 miles, this time in 2015 i had 7 miles, and today i’m at 250.

the motivation to help the team and bike at least a little every day is strong.

[Bruno Moore]

So, general observation: are Marylanders just a hardier bunch overall? I remember from last year that the Unexpected Inquisition jumped a few places during snow days, and, looking at this last cold snap, I notice Cow Team Six (mostly Marylanders) has jumped into third, just behind another Calvertland squad. Maybe it’s something about the fortitude we’ve developed dealing with our local drivers or something, but “fatti maschii” indeed.

[Mayhemnsuz]

This time last year I was nursing a sprained knee, only able to ride a little and not able to work. I wound up having to have a spinal fusion on March 19, 2015 after all the sitting around led to my back going haywire (again). This year is SO MUCH BETTER. First BAFS, and while I am not a high mileage contender this far, the 213 miles I’ve ridden this year are 1/3 the mileage of my entire 2015. I’ll take it. Thanks for this event. It’s fantastic.

[lordofthemark]

It really feels like the competition is stiffer this year. Last year I rode just over 100 miles in January (as I said at the time, more than in all previous 54 Januaries combined) This year I managed to again beat all previous Januaries combined, I think, riding 140 miles. An increase for me – yet I was still back in the pack on the individual leaderboards. Despite falling off a bit lately, I have ridden as many miles so far this February as I did all of last February. Still not catching up. Without going into the weather comparison, it seems to me like we not only have more riders this year, but many of the new riders are very strong riders, and some of last year’s riders are more into it.

[americancyclo]

@Brünø Moore 135024 wrote:

So, general observation: are Marylanders just a hardier bunch overall? I remember from last year that the Unexpected Inquisition jumped a few places during snow days, and, looking at this last cold snap, I notice Cow Team Six (mostly Marylanders) has jumped into third, just behind another Calvertland squad. Maybe it’s something about the fortitude we’ve developed dealing with our local drivers or something, but “fatti maschii” indeed.

I think Maryland gets less snowfall.:p

[KWL]

@americancyclo 135193 wrote:

I think Maryland gets less snowfall.:p

It’s because the NPS doesn’t manage any major cycling commuter routes in Maryland.

[bentbike33]

@lordofthemark 135174 wrote:

It really feels like the competition is stiffer this year. … Without going into the weather comparison, it seems to me like we not only have more riders this year, but many of the new riders are very strong riders, and some of last year’s riders are more into it.

Maybe Metro sucks more this year? That and the sheer awfulness of exercising indoors is the reason I’m in FS this year for the first time.

[dbb]

@bentbike33 135196 wrote:

Maybe Metro sucks more this year? That and the sheer awfulness of exercising indoors is the reason I’m in FS this year for the first time.

Or maybe you yielded to the “dark side”

[Steve O]

@dbb 135201 wrote:

Or maybe you yielded to the “dark side”

I am so relieved to see a post from dbb. Evidently the black helicopters did not get him.
Anything to report on the tunnel reconnaissance mission? (post to other thread if so)

[Bruno Moore]

@americancyclo 135193 wrote:

I think Maryland gets less snowfall.:p

The NWS (well, for Snowzilla, anyway) begs to differ. I will say that having the City of College Park plowing the Trolly Trail the day after two feet and change got dumped on it was nice…and having MN-CPPC do Jack Diddly on the commuter trails it controls (they’re part of the park and not considered roads or commuter facilities for “liability reasons,” I’ve been told) was decidedly Not.

[cvcalhoun]

@Brünø Moore 135218 wrote:

The NWS (well, for Snowzilla, anyway) begs to differ. I will say that having the City of College Park plowing the Trolly Trail the day after two feet and change got dumped on it was nice…and having MN-CPPC do Jack Diddly on the commuter trails it controls (they’re part of the park and not considered roads or commuter facilities for “liability reasons,” I’ve been told) was decidedly Not.

Or try the Georgetown Branch Trail. Not only is it unpaved and therefore not plowed, but maintenance on it is extremely spotty. Last night when I rode it (after dark, to add to the challenge), it was distinctly scary. There were large gullies (apparently from runoff) across it, so you had to slow down and aim across them at precisely the right angle. There were deeply embedded ruts from bicycle tire tracks, which would suddenly force you to the left or right if you ended up in one of them. There were patches of mud so bad that getting traction to go forward was nearly impossible, and in a couple of instances I actually ended up sliding sideways.

We are promised that all of this will be vastly improved when the Purple Line is built. But at the moment, it looks like they aren’t doing any maintenance at all. Long after ice and snow have melted off of other trails, the Georgetown Branch Trail continues to be hair-raising.

[Author]

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