Cold With A Chance Of Bike Ride

Well, the sun finally poked through today (while I was home even)and the thermometer inched up to around the mid 30's. Hmmm...let me think. The road is almost dry, the temperature is a little above polar, the big light in the sky is visible...almost sounds like a ride to me. I knew I'd hate myself if I didn't venture out for at least a short hop. Besides, even younger son wanted to drag out the ancient Raleigh we keep around hoping it'll someday morph into a new Gary Fisher. So after stalling for a while waiting for the mercury to jump up a few more degrees, I scrounged my spandex out of the laundry room and pumped up the tires on the Trek. A couple of layers later, we went out the driveway into a stiff breeze and around our usual loop to warm up. By the time we got back to the homestead, I realized that warm was going to be a little more difficult than I planned. The Raleigh came back indoors with it's young rider and I picked up another sweatshirt and another layer of gloves. I was determined to put on a few miles more since I'd gone to the effort of putting on all these clothes.

Deep down, I know there's a ton of salt on the road and salt is the enemy of cables and aluminum frames but it's been a long winter and the chance to get out is just too good to pass up. With two pairs of gloves, three sweatshirts, cold weather pants and fat socks, it was off again and head west just to see how far I could go.
25.65 miles later, it was worth it. As usual for me, I went up into the hills right off the bat. I got in a couple of pretty good climbs (for me anyway) and just kept on going until the cold finally started to get to me and the knowledge that I'll have to go to work in the wee hours of the morning turned the pedals for home. It really wasn't much of a mileage venture but the climbs felt good and even the leg-burn didn't come on 'till the very end so I guess the trainer miles and all the treadmill work at the hotel has accomplished something. On top of that, I figured out how to embed a map of my escapade in the Wayward Home so that was another plus. I'll probably do more of those as the summer progresses. Are you with me Doc? Our first century is going to be this season.

Yep...it's still cold out and now I've got some work to do to get the salt off before everything corrodes but I remember why I do this...when you make the last pitch to the top of the hill and know you could do it again...it still feels like victory.