I wasn’t sure I would get a ride in today. We traveled to San Jose, CA where we are spending the night before meeting up with the group to start our next bike tour tomorrow.

Whenever and wherever we travel I like to check out local bike shops. One was within walking distance, Bicycle Express.

What a great shop! Small, but filled with bikes, many vintage, and bike gear.Also filled with neighborhood customers and a friendly and enthusiastic owner and crew. Bicycle Express is to bikes what television bar Cheers was to beer. Great place!

As some of you might know I’ve been considering getting (read: longing for) a mixtee. They had one, a Virtue which is made in San Diego. Having never ridden a mixtee I asked if I could take her for a spin. I only rode a few blocks but I did get a ride in – 20 for 20!

I liked the bike and when we come back to San Jose before heading home if they locate a small frame size I’m going to ride it and?

Check out Virtue bikes, many cool designs we don’t typically see in the US.

Today’s ride was after dark, just 5 miles in the neighborhood. I love riding in the dark, with lights of course.  A beautiful spring evening with no wind and almost no one out on the roads. Perfecto.

Today was COLD and WINDY! I hate to shout but it was brutal out there. Wind 30+mph and real temp in the low 40’s. It doesn’t look cold in the picture, but it was. Wind chill was 33 which means on the bike wind chill was COLD! Brrrrr! Worst weather for riding so far this month. Hope that holds.

This is what the wind was like, notice the scowl.

Today’s ride was only about 2 miles, pitiful but, well, it was very cold and windy ya know.

Still, technically speaking I am 18 for 18.

Anyone else doing 30daysofbiking?

P.S. I just looked at some #30daysofbiking photos on Twitter where people biked in snow and ice, so never mind about our weather here…

Rain was headed our way this evening, and if you live where I live you welcome it. Any day, any time.

So I will not complain about the rain.

The impending storms did cut my ride short though, and made another night ride impractical, so just a quick jaunt through the neighborhood (4 miles) then back home for grilled ahi tuna and a glass of malbec wine. Now I am listening to the rain and rolling thunder. Nice.

I am 17 for 17 on #30daysofbiking.

Today’s ride was a night ride, and if unlike me you ride quite a bit at night, than you also know all the fun I have been missing! Why didn’t you tell me!

I was able to ride tonight because I finally got a headlight for my bike (already have taillight which I use every ride). Normally before I buy bike stuff I research options and then in a week or so I make a decision and purchase. I wanted to get it fast so I bought a basic no frills, did I mention CHEAP – light. The Bell Dawn Patrol was (and still is) $8.44 from Amazon and is worth that and then some. At least to a night riding novice like me for neighborhood riding. If you are commuting or riding many miles or on busy roads you are probably going to want something brighter. For me, this light worked great.

I haven’t ridden at night since our Denver bike trip and I loved it. There is something even more fun about cycling when it is dark. Less traffic and in many ways there is greater visibility of you to motorists.

Mark joined me tonight and we had a blast on our quick ride of just over 5 miles. We stuck to quiet streets and a paved trail through the woods. So cool and fun, can’t wait for the next!