No, we're not riding on the wrong side of the road. I used the front-facing camera on the iPhone, which apparently mirrors the image, reversing everything.
Bikes and brews!
In this photo, Jarred and I are swapping the knobby tires on Alicia's bike with some slick road tires we found on a bike someone was throwing out. I was hoping to replace Jarred's rear wheel, since it seemed to be locking up and wobbling, but the cassette was shot. So, because Alicia was having a hard time keeping up, I figured she'd be able to benefit from having road tires instead.
Using Vine on the iPhone to shoot a quick video of our ride.
All in all, we really couldn't ask for a better day. After days of cold temperatures and rain, it felt good to get on the road with a little warmth and sunshine.
This morning, in observation of Rule 5, I ventured out into a chilly 28 degrees and just kept on going. Hazleton to Beaver Meadows, Tresckow and back. I even went a little out of my way to pick up cat food. A 17 mile commute just to get to the corner grocery store. I'm sure my cat would do the same for me. (Probably not.)
Now, coldness is one thing, but what would a ride into glory be without a few snow flurries and freezing headwinds? As I rode into Tresckow, a bitterly cold gust blasted me in the face, holding me back as I struggled to keep my pace. This was one of those turning points where I thought, "Why the hell am I doing this? I'm supposed to be enjoying myself; this is like punishment!" And then a thought occurred to me. "Is this worse than the soul-sucking depression I feel when I can't go for a ride?"
I didn't even need a moment to consider the answer. I knew it was better to be on the bike than to be on the couch. "You can sit on the couch all afternoon, after you get home," I told myself. "But right now? It's 'GO' time. Time to shine, time to harden up, time to crank the pedals and conquer that next hill. Over that next hill, the clouds are gonna break, the sun is gonna come out and the heat on your back will make you forget all about the cold. Over that next hill, the ride will be good again." And it was. Somehow, miraculously, that's exactly what happened.
And then the cloud cover came back and I was freezing, once again. C'est la vie.
So, there was that. Even as the temperature climbed into the mid-30s, it was still really cold. Meh.
At least I didn't have it as bad as these dudes:
So, what have we learned?
First of all, 66 degrees isn't cold. Even if I have an extremely high tolerance for heat and an extremely low tolerance for the cold, 66 is MUCH more preferable to 28.
Second, I love my cat. All the other cats in the neighborhood should be super jelly. Like, totes, fer sure.
The road to Tresckow, leading out from Beaver Meadows.
Did you get out and ride, today? I know I sure did! It feels so good to be back on the road.
I really hope we're not jumping the gun, but it definitely feels like we've seen the worst of Winter, and Spring is on its way. Well, knock on wood... it's supposed to snow later this week.
I decided to take a somewhat familiar route, today, riding through Tresckow (via Beaver Meadows.) I had a filling breakfast, packed a few Clif Bars (Mmm... white chocolate macadamia nut!) and filled my bottle with Gatorade. I wanted to be sure I was ready for this ride.
I didn't go crazy with my route planning -- just a 15 mile out and back. I would have welcomed a longer trip, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was a little worried about cramping up, again. That experience is something I'm still very conscious of and extremely eager to avoid going through ever again. Did I simply overdo it, or was it a sign of a deeper problem I should be aware of? I just really hate the idea of being stranded in the middle of nowhere and in too much pain to ride home. The good news is, I didn't cramp up, at all, on this ride. My hamstrings were a bit tight much later on in the day, but nothing like the crazy pain I had the other day.
There isn't much to report about this trip, aside from some jackass blowing his horn at me while I was in the lane. I'd be more annoyed if it didn't help prove the point that I was riding to be seen, and he definitely saw me.
Next time, (and for anyone in the same situation as this driver) slow down. I will cut to the right and let you pass as soon as it's safe for me to do so. There's a lot of gravel on the shoulders, and the edges of the road are usually very jagged or full of potholes. Once it's safe to pass, you have the right to cross the double-yellow lines to get around me. No need to shout or blow your horn. Remember: cyclists are entitled to 4 feet of space when being passed. If you think there's enough room to sneak between me and an oncoming car, there isn't. Again, slow down. Let's act like civilized adults and share the road, ok? It's not going to ruin your whole day to have to wait to pass me; I'm only inconveniencing you for a few moments.
Ride safe! And by all means, enjoy this wonderful weather we're having. Who knows how long it'll last until Spring officially gets here?
