Ice

Chips Lovell

It's pretty icy out there this morning folks. I've just turned back after a few km of my club spin because it was beginning to look a bit treacherous. The rest of the lunatics carried on.

Ryaner

Where did you see the ice? What was the wind like?

Chips Lovell

We met in the Phoenix Park. The western end of the park started to get a bit icy and then it just got very bad as we started to head out towards Lucan.

Had to break out the rollers for the first time this year.

Ryaner

Thanks for the heads up. Just been told in snowed in Finglas last night. Here is for hoping that the sun melts it all before I get out.

Chips Lovell

Ryaner wrote: »

Here is for hoping that the sun melts it all before I get out.

Yes, there were cars going around with snow on them all over town, so it must have snowed in a good few places.

Was quite sunny this morning, but bitterly cold.

Lumen

There was a river of ice outside my house, so decided today was the day to pop my fixie cherry with "project ice fixie".

Tricross + fixed cog + metal studded tyres = much fun, if rather sedate progress.

Unfortunately by the time I'd faffed everything together, it was 10:00 and most of the ice was breaking up, so just messed around offroad in Phoenix Park for an hour or so. Need some proper weather now

interested

el tonto wrote: »

It's pretty icy out there this morning folks. I've just turned back after a few km of my club spin because it was beginning to look a bit treacherous. The rest of the lunatics carried on.

Was in another group that left the park this morning - heading for Naul - stayed on N3 til past Dunboyne and then bad conditions got even worse. Funniest site of the morning was on the way back .. in the sunshine ... blorg on other side of road heading north, no helmet, and a rather confused look on his face when I shouted the conditions were gonna get worse for him.

Hope he and all made it back in one piece this morning

Chips Lovell

interested wrote: »

Was in another group that left the park this morning ...

Were you in that tri group left from the Pope's Cross?

zzzzzzzz

Was gonna head out with orwell from the park but woke up late. Ended up heading down the n11 instead - thought it might be a bit icy in the hills...

Chips Lovell

I could see snow on the mountains this morning.

blorg

It was quite eh wintery in Meath this morning all right folks. Thanks for the shout interested, I reckoned it might have been something like that when I turned off onto the Trim road and saw what it was like. To be honest though the smaller roads actually turned out better as the hard shoulder on the N3 was unusable and it's a busy dual carriageway to be cycling in the middle of the road. Seemed to be more snow than ice as such. I honestly would have worn a helmet if I had any idea what the roads were going to be like but there was honestly no sign of anything when I left my house, the difference in the conditions between Dublin and outside it was really amazing.

Chips Lovell

Looking at those pictures I'm glad I turned back. That's the direction we were headed.

bcmf

Was out working/driving till late last nite.In North County it snowed quite heavily.Then it suddenly stopped.....clouds dissappeared temp dropped and everything froze including the slush on the roads and the puddles became treachourous then the wind picked back up again all in the space of 90mins.
i dont think we have seen the last of it.If you are crazy enough to head out be very careful.

Ghost Rider

Some nice wintry pics there, Blorg - particularly the one of the stone with "Baile an Bhóthair" engraved on it.

(Is there really a place in Ireland called Roadstown? Reminds me of the equally-unimaginatively-named Avenue Road in Dublin 6...)

blorg wrote: »

It was quite eh wintery in Meath this morning all right folks. Thanks for the shout interested, I reckoned it might have been something like that when I turned off onto the Trim road and saw what it was like. To be honest though the smaller roads actually turned out better as the hard shoulder on the N3 was unusable and it's a busy dual carriageway to be cycling in the middle of the road. Seemed to be more snow than ice as such. I honestly would have worn a helmet if I had any idea what the roads were going to be like but there was honestly no sign of anything when I left my house, the difference in the conditions between Dublin and outside it was really amazing.

blorg

It's Batterstown in English. I was headed out for a spin to launch a new book of cycling routes around the place, but not surprisingly the spin was cancelled My spin was reasonably pleasant until agressive sleet started in Dunboyne and I got soaked. 65km all told, out the N3 and then Trim road to Batterstown and then from there back on small roads by Dunboyne, Leixlip direction into the back of the Park. I think the sleet helped the melting process although the contrast of weather conditions experienced in such a relatively short distance was really something. There seemed to be 2 or 3 groups heading back to Dublin on the N3, one of which was Orwell people.

To be honest the N3 was the worst, the hard shoulder was completely frozen, and when I stopped on it I noticed I couldn't actually get started again, the tyre just spun when I tried to get going. Had to cycle on the inside lane which is not great on that road. The smaller roads were actually OK, it was melted in the car tyre tracks and the snow was loose rather than hard packed ice. Took it relatively easy and all car drivers passing today were careful and courteous.

CianRyan

I was about to head up the mountains for some downhill today.
Guess it would have been fun but ehh...

Deadly dangerous one might say?:pac:
Decided to stay in bed for a few hours instead.

interested

el tonto wrote: »

Were you in that tri group left from the Pope's Cross?

yep. That car park sees alot of action early at the weekend - reckon in total there were 5 different groups there this morning between 9.30 and 10.00

interested

blorg wrote: »

It was quite eh wintery in Meath this morning all right folks. Thanks for the shout interested, I reckoned it might have been something like that when I turned off onto the Trim road and saw what it was like.

No worries. I turned to see if you were considering turning around. Think I spotted you slowing down and then onwards (from the pics obviously). Regarding the N3 - totally agree - hard shoulders were ice/slush rinks - we'd normally use alternative routes but sides roads were entirely unusable this morning.

Nice snaps btw - nice to have some photographic evidence of the morning. However you didnt quite capture the return trip on the N3 - blinding sunshine, reflection off the wet road and the spray/snow from a passing bus in the face.

blorg

Yes, I did brake a bit and was considering doing a U-turn and following you, I was sort of thinking at that stage WTF have I got myself into here and how am I going to get back- at least in a group there would be someone to call the ambulance

Glad I went on in the event though, the smaller roads I took back looked worse than they really were, it was OK cycling in the car tyre tracks. Better than my experience on the N3 I reckon where traffic was moving much faster and I was getting the heebie jeebies about slipping under it (although traffic heading out towards Meath this morning was unusually light.)

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

Better than my experience on the N3 I reckon where traffic was moving much faster and I was getting the heebie jeebies about slipping under it

Cycling in the tyre tracks is a good idea, but the blinding reflections mean that cars behind can't see you properly.

I honestly don't know how you managed to cycle in the conditions you photographed. Does your Litespeed come with antigrav?

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

Cycling in the tyre tracks is a good idea, but the blinding reflections mean that cars behind can't see you properly.

I honestly don't know how you managed to cycle in the conditions you photographed. Does your Litespeed come with antigrav?

I was on my fixie which helps as you can feel the traction in your back wheel better, also has slightly wider tyres (700x26c.) The only really slippy bits were on the cycle lane coming up to Blanchardstown and the hard shoulder on the N3 further on. Despite the way they look in the photos the back roads weren't actually that slippy, it was loose snow and the bit of the road under the tyre tracks were wet rather than icy.

rflynnr

blorg wrote: »

It's Batterstown in English. I was headed out for a spin to launch a new book of cycling routes around the place,

What's the full title of the book (and is it any good?)

blorg

rflynnr wrote: »

What's the full title of the book (and is it any good?)

This was the thread about it.

Cycling and Walking from Batterstown: Great Routes Exploring South Meath By Hugh Halpin

Some more info here from someone at the launch.

mmclo

Surprised I could keep up with the pros...plenty of photos too but simialr to whats up