Fri
30
Jan '09
I am still planning out my race calendar. I would like to get into some more races with the idea of upgrading to Cat 4 for next year.
N1EY
Fri
23
Jan '09
The Big train show is almost here. KB1PBT, WA1NYC, and I shall be there. Call on 146.565 or 147.57.
On a side note, I am almost at 50% of the countries confirmed for DXCC from my current QTH. Lots of them are coming via Logbook of the World.
I was talking to AL7GD the other day. I heard the news that KB1ODU is going to have surgery. Please say some prayers for ODU; he is going to have a kidney removal. They are worried about potential surgical complications at the moment.
Terrence and I went up to Waldon Pond to get some XC skiing during the last weekend. We were using the Waltham repeater. We caught up to WB1FJH over there. He introduced himself to us. What a nice guy! One day, Eliot, is going to remember my name. I have to ask him which XC skis that he uses.
NG1Z has a new video up on youtube. You can see all the snow out here. I can not find my radials for the vertical. They are under a deep cover of snow. It has really started to crimp the bicycling season.
N1EY
Sun
11
Jan '09
I have received a new packet of QSL cards from the bureau. I am sometimes quite amazed at the cards which come in the mail. Perhaps I had forgotten about the contact, but I might be instanteouly reminded of the prior contact after seeing the card. Fond memories come back. I still require a lot more cards to obtain DXCC from the Abington QTH. I only have 50% of my countries confirmed at this stage. I am a user of LoTW just in case you were debating to upload your logs.
N1EY
Sun
4
Jan '09
One of my co-workers told me about how they could not wait to retire to Florida. They need the warm weather. I was less than inspired by the idea. My co-worker tried to explain to me that I could bicycle every day throughout the winter. Well, I usually bicycle a little bit during the winter ALREADY. The only problem is that light fades very quickly in the afternoon.
A couple of the usual suspects went riding south of Boston, today. I took a picture of all us in our cold weather gear. It usually is not too bad.
I would suggest several recommendations for a successful adventure on the road during the winter. One should not ride when it ice has accumulated on the road with a normal road bike. I would recommend studded tired on a cross bike at such a juncture. Proper attire also contributes immensely to enjoyment of the sport. You must have a proper base layer. You should obtain polartec tights such as the ones crafted by Blue Lizard. Head coverings such as a bacaclava are essential just as much as a proper wind shell. I would also recommend proper footwear. Summer shoes are just for the summer. Placing a thin layer over those shoes shall not improve thermal retention. Purchase northwave or lake winter boots. One should consider if items such as Goretex are really necessary. An environment which is cold and wet would be more suitable for Goretex; goretex does not last through many seasons.
One of the essential things is to avoid an aggressive pace. You should be careful to avoid overheating. Another tip I would recommend is not to engage in any unnecessary stops. You want to maintain a constant working temperature. There are excellent resources for bicycling on the web. Many do not discuss winter biking as lots of people have always thought of it as reckless due to the cold. These same people might consider skiing. Yet, they ski with the proper equipment and never consider biking with the proper equipment.
N1EY
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