When I crashed on the 29th of October I had no idea
I was only two kilometers shy of matching my total annual kilometerage for
2012. BTW, anyone who can contribute to quality of my metric lexicon and usage
thereof, please feel free to do so.
Following the crash I was pretty much off the bike for two
weeks and then just a couple “test” rides in the weeks after that. I’ve been gradually increasing my riding from
there and while I am not yet logging any serious K’s, I did pass a milestone
today.
I have ridden over 9,000 kilometers for 2103. Can I hit 10,000 for 2013? Probably not, but you never know. If my knee makes a peep, I will back
off. No number is worth any damage. But if a number is worth squeezing in a
couple extra long rides, it would be a number with five digits.
If I was playing word association games and someone said, “Mid-twenties,”
most of the year my reply would be the age of one my children but today my
answer would be the overnight low temperatures.
Today was my first post-crash bike commute. It was so much
fun. The sky was clear and the roads
were dry. The stars twinkled and some “Chismas”
lights were on here and there. Our neighbor has dutifully erected his
traditional Chismas Pig which proudly illuminates our corner of the
neighborhood. It was almost silent as I made my way north in the frosty
darkness. I dressed for a battle with the cold and aside from my toes getting
chilly the last few miles, I was very comfortable.
I was wondering what I would find in the seemingly perpetual construction
zone on 52nd Avenue since it had been six weeks since I had been
there. I was happy to find a wider, PAVED street that will no longer require a
detour either because of endless road construction or the lack of a shoulder
which preceded the construction. The
road still needs a final topping of asphalt but the “base” is down and it is
like glass compared to the gravel I rode on this past autumn.
The rest of the ride was uneventful. I did pass a fellow idiot bike commuter and
he had a lame tail light that seemed totally inadequate. He didn’t look like a DUI cyclist, and I
thought about saying something to him about his lack of offensive lumens, but
in the end I just said, “Good morning” as I passed him. I made it in and was showered and at my desk
by 7:40 which was exactly when sunrise was today. Man, these days are short!
I am flirting with the idea of riding the Winter Solstice 200K Brevet
which starts at 8:00 PM on Saturday the 21st and finishes whenever
you get done. I have eyed this fool’s
errand for a couple years now and it is more of a possibility this year. The
challenge is staying warm, dry and comfy for eight to ten hours as well as
illuminating the road and yourself for that long. Since I am all about problem solving, this
does present Evo with a unique opportunity.
In the less-than-likely event I do the Solstice ride I promised
myself I would not photograph my food and would strictly limit my wool usage. Between now and then I will try some
different clothing combinations to find what I think might work for such an
extended ride in cold conditions.
For
my future reference here is what I wore today and how it worked:
HEAD:
Wool Riv Beanie under helmet and thick neck warmer – Perfecto
TORSO:
LS base layer, LS jersey and Thermal team jacket – Just a little too warm and
team jacket didn’t breath as well as I would have liked. Will try Showers Pass rain jacket next time
and see how that does with same combo underneath. As an alternative I could try a SS base layer
with the previous combo.
LEGS:
Bibs and PI Thermal bottoms – Not bad, but small gap at ankles and the knee of
the tight didn’t cover my knee when I rode.
Will try my Hincapie tights next time.
HANDS:
Monster PI gloves (the link is to a newer version) and thicker wool liners – Pretty fine.
FEET:
Thick socks, MTB shoes and Neoprene overboots -
Not warm enough! I will add toe
covers and lil’ Hotties next time. Maybe
try thinner insoles so I can wear thicker socks?
HOTCOFFEE: What a nice thing to have along..
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