Single Gear Training

David at 1/2 LINK, (my local Bike shop) had my new part to install on the track bike, now converted to a winter single speed training bike. The first gear I tried was a bit to tough. Around 80" per revolution of the crank. Now with a new 20 tooth rear free hub I was looking at 64"+-. Sounded a lot better for the hills around here. A very easy spin on the flattish roads around this Island. There are no flat roads! So along with the gear, I had a blinky red light put on the gear bag on the rear of the saddle. It was a very dark day today at noon. So off I went to try out the new gear on a day that had 30 MPH Southerly winds and a chance of SNOW. Any way I looked at it, a tough day to get the hours in. First thing was to see if I could get up a nice hill called Lone Lake Road. Really an easy climb South to North. The gear and bike were just happy to be out together. The climb was effortless. Just pace up at a steady rate. I was very happy to see the top and at that moment remembered I had not packed the 15mm wrench for the wheel nuts. I still have the track nuts on the wheels and will keep them to. I need this wrench to get the wheels off to change a flat tire. So I turned around and started for home. Head wind all the way. Still a good spin, I was really getting to like the single speed. Got home, got the wrench and back on the bike. Back on the road in less than 3 mins. Heading South into the wind. Right turn Simms Road. Just a little climb, steady, then a fast decent to French Road that led to Bailey Road. Bailey Road was a long up hill section with one short nasty section. It was slow, but, I was rested and ready for the effort. This "rested then ready" seems to be how the single speed does it's job. Then Bailey comes to an end at Coultis Bay Road. Left turn up hill. Hard up hill, really steep. I had forgotten just how steep this section of the road is. I just did a rested climb. Trying to stay out of the red zone. Trying, but not always getting it right. It was a very had climb. Got it done. 2 more moderate climbs to go. These take me to Deer Lake road, right turn. Deer Lake is a netural kind of road. Not to hard, rollers. Then this come to a T, left turn and it's still Deer Lake Road. Then roller to a small decent to Heggens Road, right turn. Heggens Road is a bit of roller that leads to a nice Climb. An any gear you want kind of climb. Well that's what I think. The climb is just right for this single speed bike. It was a great climb. Then back to Deer Lake Road that goes back to Coultis Bay Road, right turn to Langley Road. This is an easy roller ride to the town of Langley. It was a fun run into town. From Langley I hook up with Bayview Road that takes me home. Home after a moderate climb out of Langley. Nice grade, but a bit of a grind. Then a flyer down hill and through a 4 corner commercial zone. From there it's home in the now 35 to 45 MPH head wind. I was getting cold. The rain had started with a little snow mixed in. Not much snow. It was cold. To the bone cold. Then after one last short climb my turn home came. Home at last. I had completed my first full 3 1/2 hour training ride on a single speed bike. EVER! It was both easy and unbelievably hard. I look forward to my next time out on the single speed bike.