early morning rides

[racefans]

Does anybody do early morning rides, around 0630-0700. I used to ride tons but have not ridden in few years. Starting back up and just want some fun and new places to ride.

[jjrsds]

I might be up for a few early morning rides this summer. I usually get up by 5 am or so. Mostly during the week would be best for me. I live south of Hastings, but Lebanon, Riverbottoms, or Memorial in Red Wing are all close enough. Let me know. I'm kinda stuck not ridding on trails until I get a new helmet. I tested mine out for quality control yesterday!:( Lucky for me it passed with flying colors but cracked it just the same.

[funky-funky-chicken]

I have been getting to Lebanon Hills around 5:30 on Saturdays and riding for about 4 or 5 hours. It is nice to get a pretty good ride in and still be home to play with the kids by lunch time.

I will likely be there on Friday morning and it would be nice to meet some other people from here on the forum.

Lebanon works well as a loop so that I can drop back to the parking lot to pick up another bottle when I need. See some of you there I assume?

[gopherhockey]

4-5 hours at Lebanon? Thats a pretty good ride to be sure. Thats like 10 laps!

The gate is always up until about 8am over at Leb, so I don't usually go until then. I still haven't figured out a decent alternative parking spot yet.

I'm not too much of an early morning person, although I do like how much cooler it is.

Once darkness starts creeping in around 8pm again I'll probably turn to night riding instead.

[funky-funky-chicken]

I have been trying to get used to riding my mountain bike for hours in preparation for the 24 hours of afton. I have a hard time keeping track of the number of laps probably because I am having so much fun! I like how when you finish the advanced expert trail you get the treat of the advanced trail again... Whooopiee...

I have been parking over in the other parking lot and riding across the field. I carry my little Rubermaid tote full of goodies over to the start of the trail.

I was wondering about night riding there... Do you think anybody have a problem if I rode all night? Would they even know?

[racefans]

I work until in 6am Mon-Fri, so anyday during the week would work. By the way, I am a little out of shape.

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by funky-funky-chicken

I was wondering about night riding there... Do you think anybody have a problem if I rode all night? Would they even know?

The park closes at 10pm - and I do know they bust people for night riding past that time.

Too bad though, I'd certainly like to bike whenever I wanted and would probably do more night riding in the summer if they didn't have that rule.

Rules are rules though - all it takes is one biker getting hurt back in there after hours and we'd all probably suffer. Dakota has been really good to us, so I'm happy to follow their rules even if it isn't as convenient as I would like.

[funky-funky-chicken]

Rules are rules though - all it takes is one biker getting hurt back in there after hours and we'd all probably suffer.

Thank you for the information... I will suspend my plans for night riding. The last thing that I would want to do is spoil it for others. I can operate pretty well without sleep (thank God for Coffee and Diet Coke) and find that riding at night certainly opens up other oportunities to get in some miles (especially with work/wife/life/kids.) I will keep my night riding to the roads and stick with my early morning rides at Lebanon since the opening hours are posted as 5am I think.

[socrates]

Originally posted by gopherhockey
The gate is always up until about 8am over at Leb, so I don't usually go until then. I still haven't figured out a decent alternative parking spot yet.


Umm...what's wrong with your driveway???

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by socrates
Umm...what's wrong with your driveway???

Nothing, if I wanted to waste my tires and time riding on pavement. (wasted effort IMHO)

[socrates]

Originally posted by gopherhockey
Nothing, if I wanted to waste my tires and time riding on pavement. (wasted effort IMHO)

I thought you lived really close???

[debermart]

I often ride with a few people from work at 6:30 in the morning, either at Lebanon, or at other trails (it varies). We usually get out 2 to 3 times a week. We have been parking in a small lot just north of lebanon hills, (on the west side of the road, across from the townhomes) and haven't had any trouble.

Cheers

Steve Martin

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by socrates
I thought you lived really close???

Shhhh.. we don't want people thinking I'm lazy or something ;)

Yea, I'm about a half mile to a mile north. I used to ride it more, but with all the construction along the way and everything I started to get used to just driving.

I guess condiering we're talking early a.m. rides I could just as well stay parked at home. Or at that north parking lot everyone talks about.

Good point.

[martini]

:banana: :banana:

teehee, thanks for the ammo there john! You live a mile form there, yet you drive? You'll wear down tires? Thats all the more reason to buy MORE tires! A mile.....:eyeroll:

[racefans]

Steve,
That is exactly what I am looking for. Could you let me know when and where you guys will be next? Thanks Brad

[socrates]

Originally posted by martini
:banana: :banana:

teehee, thanks for the ammo there john! You live a mile form there, yet you drive? You'll wear down tires? Thats all the more reason to buy MORE tires! A mile.....:eyeroll:

So John...what kinda Tires you using anyways? I wanna make sure I don't buy them too...

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by socrates
So John...what kinda Tires you using anyways? I wanna make sure I don't buy them too...

Actually I did always see more tire wear when I used to ride on the road... but most of it was back when I lived downtown St. Paul and biked to Battle Creek. A few miles of paved trails either way seemed to really chew up the tires.

The other thing I hate is on a hot day when you are out in the open on the pavement 90 degrees can feel like 120... I don't know how you roadies do it. Give me cool tree cover (even with the bugs) anyday.

:crazy:

[legoshoe]

I do sometimes force myself up at 6-ish to ride the local state park down here. But otherwise I usually ride in the evenings this year because they has been a lack of bugs around here which is a sweet deal!:banana:

I usually ride the roads to the park which is about 6 miles from my place and I don't see it chewing up tires any faster, but that's just me. Tires are tires, they don't last and you can get new ones without paying an arm and a leg

(you need to keep your limbs for riding, duh!):crazy:

[jjrsds]

John, if you live a mile north of Lebanon you don't even hardly have to pedal to get to lebanon. The parkway has grass on it ride on that.:D

[socrates]

Originally posted by jjrsds
John, if you live a mile north of Lebanon you don't even hardly have to pedal to get to lebanon. The parkway has grass on it ride on that.:D Plus it's downhill from the direction John lives

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by socrates
Plus it's downhill from the direction John lives

Which means I'd have to pedal all the way up hill to get back home after a hard days ride... uggg.. you guys are crazy! That sounds like work....

er... yea. ok.

Maybe to solve this once and for all I could get Tim and/or Dale to cut a nice singletrack from my house through all that grass to Lebanon.... yea, thats it!

[Lil' Punk]

john you think its difficult from where you live?? i live 7 miles both ways. . .think about it. . if i can do it, u can do it. . .besides it not all that bad 8 in the morning. . :D hehehe. . .Peace Out! :banana:

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by Lil' Punk
john you think its difficult from where you live?? i live 7 miles both ways. . .think about it. . if i can do it, u can do it. . .besides it not all that bad 8 in the morning. . :D hehehe. . .Peace Out! :banana:

Ahhh... to be young and full of energy again. 7 miles there, 7 miles back... plus probably 5-6 laps. You guys better beware of this one when she starts getting serious about racing.

4 bananas for our very own Torey...

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

[socrates]

Originally posted by Lil' Punk
john you think its difficult from where you live?? i live 7 miles both ways. . .think about it. . if i can do it, u can do it. . .besides it not all that bad 8 in the morning. . :D hehehe. . .Peace Out! :banana:

You know I've been thinking of taking River Bottoms (which is about 5 miles on my bike from my house) over to Leb....figure it shouldn't be more than 20 miles each way.

[socrates]

Originally posted by gopherhockey
Ahhh... to be young and full of energy again. 7 miles there, 7 miles back... plus probably 5-6 laps. You guys better beware of this one when she starts getting serious about racing.

4 bananas for our very own Torey...

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

We don't need to beware of her....those much young than us do....dunno what I'd do if my wife could ride better than me

[Lil' Punk]

You know I've been thinking of taking River Bottoms (which is about 5 miles on my bike from my house) over to Leb....figure it shouldn't be more than 20 miles each way.

go for it it shouldn't be that hard. . .:banana:

[socrates]

Originally posted by Lil' Punk
go for it it shouldn't be that hard. . .:banana:

No..not that hard....but once you get alittle older you'll find Time becomes and issue

[Lil' Punk]

i totally understand. . Peace :banana:

[Sully]

Morning rides rock I think. When you have 3 kiddies and a wife that don't ride. On a nice weekend morning, I'll be up and on a trail by 5:30 or 6:00. Out at leb. on Fri. the fourth about 6:00 am or so. :cool:

[TML]

Another cheer for early morning rides! They really are a great way to squeeze a ride in, when you have other responsibilities in the day. I like the early morning lighting, kinda like that time before sunset when things have a nice orange glow. If you're lucky it's usually nice and cool, -relatively speaking.