The Show N Go Rides will run throughout the winter so long as temperature and road conditions permit. Good days bring out a nice crowd while crappy days bring out the die hards. Always check the 3RVS Facebook page on Friday for any changes or to post any preferences you may have. So long as the temperature is above 28 degrees and the roads are not completely covered with snow and ice there should be a few riders who will Show N Go.  

Start Time

Start time will be at noon on Saturday and Sunday. These rides leave promptly at noon, don’t be late!

Please be on time, fully dressed and ready to ride at the designated start time. The noon start time allows enough time for morning auto traffic and the sun to melt any ice from the night before and gets us on our bikes during the warmest hours of the day. If the weather forecast dictates an incoming front or a particularly warm morning and crappy afternoon changes may be made and posted on the 3RVS Facebook page on Friday.

Location

Check the schedule posted on the 3RVS website and watch Faebook.  While you are checking Facebook be sure to post in you are riding and tag some friends and encourage them to attend.

Each weekend the schedule will alternate between two different starting locations. These locations are near the southwest as those locations always brings out a good crowd.

• Homestead High School meet in the usual southeast corner of the parking lot. (Construction Permitting)

• Flaugh Road location is designed to accommodate those in town, coming from the near northside and the Aboite area. The goal is to leave the Fort Financial Credit Union (near St. Francis) at 11:45 am head out Leesburg Road and cruise past Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran‎ Church (Flaugh Rd. & California Rd.) at noon and then head south on Flaugh Road, turning west on Arcola Road and past the Arcola Elementary School about 12:15 pm picking up folks that have ridden north from the Aboite area. Ride the route backwards to meet up with outbound riders.

Distance and Pace

This will vary depending on the weather and the pack who shows up to ride. Figure on a 2-3 hour ride going from 30-50 miles. Bring enough food and drink for the full time as mid ride stops are rare. Pack your food close to your body so Gu packs do not become popsicles and you don’t break your teeth on an energy bar.

As far as pace plan on a long steady distance (LSD) ride. Regular summer riders can plan on a pace that I would refer to as B+ with a few surges and regroupings, a good workout for me but not so fast as to drop me if I stay well sheltered in the pack. If you have been riding all summer and developed your pack skills you should be able to hide well from the wind and let the studs pull you along. The pace is ultimately determined by the riders each ride.

Often times we will select a route that has a long out and back section so if you are having problems hanging on and need to slow down and recover a bit you can sit up for a few miles as the speed demons head straight out for a few more miles, turn around and head back the same way, sweeping you up on the return and dragging you back home. Please communicate with the group if you are dropping off.

On particularly warm days the basement rats that have been Zwifting their nowhere bikes on the gerbil wheels will want to come out and show off their hard work. Those days the pace can pick up a bit more but the good part is there are more riders to hide behind. If you are not sure of the pace or find a warm day be sure to call some friends who ride your pace too and form a second group at a saner pace. 

Route

The route and destination will be determined by the group that shows up. 

Route choice will be influenced by the wind, weather and where we went the weekend before. We typically try to head out going into the wind to allow for an easier return trip with a tailwind. If you feel more comfortable with some sort of map, click on the link below for a full size map that is shown on the right. You will have a few hundred miles of roads to choose from. In reality you should not need to look at the map as the core group rides together and the old guys know the route of the day or will make it up as they ride along pretending they really knew where they were going the whole time. If you are having trouble maintaining the pace be sure you know your way home or ask for directions or help before you drop off the back.

Nor’easter riders will need to be familiar with the area and need to let the impromptu leader know if they are getting onto roads they are not familiar with if they are having trouble holding the pace.

Click on this link for a full sized 3RVS Winter Map

Clothing and Gear

The key to winter weather is to dress in layers and absolutely NO COTTON. The shops in town have plenty of cold weather gear and as it gets colder each weekend you can buy one more layer. Ask other riders about what works well and other hints on staying warm. We usually shed a layer at the half way point. It is also good to have a warm hat and extra layer tucked in a pocket in case someone has a flat. If you are cold the first five minutes you are probably dressed just right.

On the right is a suggested clothing chart you can use as a guide.

Click on ths link to see the image full sized.

For a ride in the mid to low thirties I would wear the following: ID, helmet, balaclava, wicking undershirt, long sleeve undershirt, winter jacket, winter gloves, knickers with tights over them, ski liner socks, wool socks, booties. You can remove the insoles from your shoes to allow a little extra room for a second layer of socks or a chemical heater pack. Hint, if you are using a chemical heater open it up as you start getting ready so it can activate before you put it inside your shoe that is oxygen deprived.

Speaking of flats be sure to have one or two good tubes in your bag as patches are hard to apply with cold fingers. Also have your bike in excellent mechanical condition as roadside stops are no fun in the snow. A blinky light on your bike can be nice too as shadows are longer and drivers are not expecting to see cyclist out in the winter. 

Looking forward to some brisk, winter rides this season so be sure to Show N Go!