Early January Weather - different opportunities

The mild fall weather continues into the New Year. Started 2007 on New Years Day doin notin! But got going on the 2nd day with a good solo ride around the Hudson River and Saratoga National Historical Park. Winter gear that Donna bought for me was teseted well and proved to be worthy today as temperatures were in the high 30's, but there was a strong wind, which was - it seems - always pushing me along. IS this a omen for a good ridn year?

Mild, but rainy weather halted the progress of the early New Year, but Donna and I went out together on Saturday after the rain stopped. It was a high of 67 degrees (a record), and high 50's when we went in the afternoon. I wore shorts -- any time you can do a ride in January in your shorts it is a rare event. We climbed Herrington Hill Road - a steep, 2-mile climb that had added aerobic benefit from softening up during the rain - no frost in the ground. The added resistance made the climb even harder than usual. We passed Willard Ski Area and marveled at the lack of snow, even the man-made kind. Glad we did not purchase a season ticket there this year. Donna stayed back in Greenwich on the return trip and I did an additional loop north of town. A front slammed into me on the Bald Mountain flats and I was nearly blown off the bike!

Sunday and Donna was taking Alix to a hockey game in Newburg. The weather was colder, but sunny. I decided to get the other kind of ridn in - the more normal kind for January. Off to Killington I went at around 11 am. The parking lot gave me the answer I was wondering about all the way up - it was devoid of cars! The man made only snow covered area of the trails that were opened had shrivelled since my last trip in the middle of December. After warming up on Snowdon I took a ride up to the top of K-1 and what a view! Picked my way through snow making guns and got over to Ramshead and did Header for the next 2 hours solid. It was hard-packed frozen granular, with icy spots. Started pistoning my legs to pump into the turns and dig the edges in. High speed turns on hard packed snow = FUN!

Working at home on Monday - the weather turned really nasty. It POURED all day. Flood warnings, etc. However, at around 3 pm I noticed sun pouring into my office south window. What is this?? An opportunity, that's what it is. So, I put on the gear and took off on a routine 27 mile out and back route. On the way back, in the same place I got hit by the front the other day, I was hit again. This time hail!! My legs were weary from snowboarding and riding the days before, but welcomed the chance to ride in January.

Tonight I am in Plattsburg after spending the day on farms in Malone area. The windchill is below zero. It is almost 9 pm and I am just now getting warmed up after showering and eating. What ridn opportunities will the rest of January's weather bring?