looking past the last day

The last day of the year. The last day of the calender. Everything is moving on to the next click. The click of the pen to cross out the 31. The click once again and it's 2008. Just that fast and there is adjustment to a new year. New month, all the hours and seconds to. It's getting lighter everyday. Bring on the next click. Bring on all the wonderful days. All the change we have yet to know. Happy tomorrow and every tomorrow that comes.
I did the ride. The one of the last day. I rode my age, 57 miles. It was not a plan. I never looked at a map. There was never a thought to the idea of 57. It was just another day in the saddle. A long day. The working was from 11AM to 3:30PM. The light was good. The skies were clear and blue. Almost no wind. Temperature was 37 to 41 degrees. Not bad at all for the last day. The last cross on the calender of the this year. The last hills of the year. So many hills on this Island home. No more rides for 2007. The miles have been great. More than I can count. 10,000 miles, maybe more I'm sure. Just an idea. There is no ledger that is kept. These miles, each and everyone. Miles that are ridden on the roads I travel. I have called them prayers. Prayers to life. Prayers to live. Prayers to the circuit of the long rider. Mostly ridden alone. Only one partner always close. A shadow and the breath. Never seen. Just felt like the hairs on the back of your neck. A partner for all the year. For the second year going. A chill. Though there are all the little wild friends. Just so many little wild friends. Company when needed.
There was Noah, Craig and a friend in Little Rock. Noah now a family friend, Connie, Leslie, Hannah, and Kate. All the connections and loves from Little Rock. I miss time we might have had. Look forward to time we will have. Doe's will see us all again. Fun and food.
On this Island, where we now call home. Mary Anne and I are finding new ways over the last day. Ferry's cost and add to ever trip. Less trips! Saving the trip with a bigger list for Safeway, Costco, and Trader Joe's. Fill the Van and pack the pantry. Less trips and cost across the water on the Ferry. Island life. Cost of the fuel! The computer and ordering on line. It works for a lot of stuff. Going to the store and doing the shopping, is a lot of fun for Mary Anne. So compromises need to be made. Shopping is an event that has it's rewards. All for the next day. Not the last day. The last cross on the calendar. Moving on to an all new calendar. All new printing. New colors. New lay out. New size even. The last day before the next last day. Everyday is the last day in some way. The only day there is. The only show that's on. The last day is the best day. The day that can be a dream. A dream! Dream in the last day. Everyday is the only day. No more than the time you can see with your eyes, if you have them. Hear with your ears, if you have them to. All the bits and part we have to work with. The way we go through the last day. The only day. Dream well in this day. Enjoy the day to. It's the last cross on the page and the only cross to. 57 miles and never a plan. What a great gift on the last day. Thank you.

New post new times

It's been a short bit since my last posting. 2 rides ago. Today is Christmas. I want to go out on a ride real bad. The news is, about 4 or 5 days ago I had a very bad attack of Trigeminal neuralgia. It's bad if you have never heard of it. The face nerve goes on an electric holiday. Just sending electricity all over the nerve and the result is unimaginable pain in the face. Yikes!!!! So I am a bit behind. The good news is I readjusted the meds and the pain has subsided to a tolerable level. The Dr. will be a bit un-pleased though. He retired this week anyway. A new Dr. is on the books soon down in Vancouver. Same office. I hope the transition is easy. Without the meds I'm in BIG TROUBLE. So today is a short note.
It's a "Merry Christmas" note. Hope your having the best time. That there is food involved. That you have food. That you have friends. That there is love in your heart and in your house. That the presents are the connections in your life more than the wrappings on the floor. That your health is good. That you are living your dreams as best as you are able. Tolerance is in your sight to all. Joyful hope is the horizon of your new day. That there will be electric cars and trucks in our lifes in less than 5 years. We all start riding bikes to do everything. That you share the road with bikes today. That there is wonder in your heart. I could go on and on. So I will just finish with Merry Christmas and hope in the new year. The best to everyone.

a quick 50

My last ride was fun and fast for this time of year. North and South, East and West. Moving at a good pace. Doing the 65% thing as much as I could. Staying out of the "red zone". Feeling rested in my gear choice. Well, till a steep hill showed up. Just work up those as best as I could. The bike was working perfect. The roads were kind of clean for this time of year. Pavement for this old man. No dirt please. I found almost every hill in this little corner of the Island. It feels good to be climbing all the time. Doing the roads that are hard. Taking the less traveled routes. The routes that have the hardest climbs. Well except for one climb out of Glendale. That hill will just have to wait for another day. I'll bring some rock climbing gear to get up that monster. This spring I will go to Glendale again. This last ride was Bayview, Andresen, Lone Lake, Goss Lake, East Harbor, Baby Island, Saratoga, Langley, Maxwelton, French, Bailey, Cultuss Bay, Jewett, Glendale, Holst, Deer Lake, Humphrey, Orr, Heggenes, and over a few twice, then home with a nice 50 on the odometer. A fine ride in 50 degrees for a while, then it dropped to 46. Not bad at all. I'm off the bike for my normal every other day ride today. The body is unhappy. Just could not warm up this AM. I was real tired to. Second day in a row on being so tired. Not good!

Wings on the weather

It was blowing over the Bay at about 25 MPH. Stiff, not enough to stop you from a walk. The walk would be hard. There were birds out doing their work. Even in much rougher conditions the birds are out. The Gulls are always out. I saw gulls flying in 50 MPH and higher. Just a bit closer to the bluffs. Maybe using what the cliff wall had to offer as cover. Out the gulls are. The gulls seem to be made for any condition. By bird standard as I know them, 25 MPH was just an inconvenience. Not enough to stop the days work. Just enough to make that work a little harder than it is everyday.
Today I was looking out over our Bay, just watching the white caps. Knowing I was glad it was my day off the bike. Knowing how much harder the ride would have been today. Looking at what this wind storm had to offer. Not so far out, there were 2 working birds. They were big enough to see by the naked eye. Dots staying in one area. Just going over and over this one piece of the Bay. I knew these working birds were on the big side. I got the 10X50 Bushnell's off the 5'X6' window sill. There are 3 of these windows. Taking up the entire wall of the family room we spend most of our time in. It faces out on the west looking out over the a grand view. The Bay, Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountain Range, Port Townsend, Port Hudson, Point No Point, Double Bluff State Park and more. It's really quite a view. Magnificent is an under statement. There these birds were. Working on the hard side. As if there was a cat and mouse game going on. Life and death is more like it. Life for the birds spent energy on the back of a fish. Survival of someone in this moment. The birds were spending a lot of their energy cash on the effort. Now looking through the Bushnell's I could see the drama clear. It was our neighbors. A beautiful mated pair of Bald Eagles. These huge fish eagles live just south of the house in the furs on the neighbors property. We see them everyday. They fly by eye high. Right near the deck. Every detail of their enormous self's in plain view. Looking over at us! It's just chilling to my soul to be a part of this. Everyday I am privileged to be in these great eagles world.
The hunt was going on and on. Circling the same area. Never the 2 far from each other. When one turned and was swept back to the un-seen start over area the other was soon to be there. Always in the sight of my binoculars. I could always see these 2 together in the sight of the Bushnell's. They were that close. Splash, a strike. In a moment the diver comes up empty. So much energy for nothing. Splash another strike. Out of the water and empty again. This process of circling and striking went on for a long time. I had lost my sense of time. Just the drama. Time and effort of the players. This was the time of the moment. Strike with a huge splash. The eagle was in the water, not getting out. I was hoping for a fish dinner in the talons. So much effort. The hunt seemed to be a bit desperate. The water here is cold. The wind was 40 degrees. This had to be taking it's toll on the eagles. Empty again. I saw this cycle several more times. The eagles never varied from the hunting area. It was the same piece of water time and time again. There are limits even to the energy of these monarchs of the bluffs. The circles seemed to be faster. Less organized and smooth. The effort was taking it's toll. That is how it looked to this human. Strike and in the the cold rough water again. This time for what seemed like a very long time. I thought that was it. The eagle was going down for good. The struggle was obvious even from the distance through my binoculars. This was a desperate life threatening moment. With fearful, by human standards, effort the striking eagle slowly rises up and out of the cold bay waters to just inches about the water. Talon's still in the water. It's mate circling right over it's head. Inches not feet. It was a fight for life. This was it. There was a fish down in the water fixed to striking eagle's hooks. It had to be big or the eagle was tired. Ready to hand off this hope for their survival. Finally the striking eagle comes fully out of the water. The fish was enormous. The catch was almost the same size as the eagle's body. Just huge! Now the obviously tired eagle with the catch of the day worked to make it's way to the shore line. A good mile away. It's mate so close they were almost bumping into each other. All the eagle with the fish could do was just stay above the water using the pressure of the air between the wings and the water. It's known as ground effect flight. Almost not flight. If not for the pressure of the water against the wing of this wondrous bird it would crash into the water and lose the one hope for food in this day. The one hope for fuel to replenish from the enormous effort. Just above the water. The catch was dragging in the water. It seemed impossible this catch would see shore. The effort was herculean. The struggle was obvious. It let go the fish to keep from crashing into the waves. The relief of it's toil done. It did not even try to re-catch the meal. The partner flung itself into the water where the fish was dropped. Wings extended head up, reaching as deep as it could to stay alive. That's how important the meal was on this day. Slowly the second eagle, now wet and cold, rose out of the water. The same fish attached to it's talon's. It's mate so spent it had flown to shore. No where to be seen. Alone the second eagle began to fly as the other. Just above the water using the extra power of ground effect to fly to the shore. Magnificent is all I can say. Just with every last bit of power. All that there was left in the energy tank. Running on empty the second eagle forced itself to the shore. Dragging the catch almost it's own size partly in the water. It was going to make shore. I am still over come by the strength it took for both these great Bald Eagles to do this. To write the hunt. My hands are shaking. Bless these fine neighbor. I am so lucky to have been a witness. I will always remember when I toil, the effort, the pure power of my magnificent neighbors.

Back from Oregon

As a drive, where we live, to Salem Oregon, it's a strait fast 5 1/2 hours. Doing it twice in 24 hours is hard. I was a bit groggy after the effort. Christmas with my Mom went fast. She was a bit sad to see Mary Anne and I go. I was happy to get back on I-5.
Before all this I did get a second ride in. Second of 2 in a row. Not the normal way of every other day. 35 mile of cool weather riding. Hum, all hills as is the norm. A few flat spots to break it all up. I was happy to get the ride in before the trip to Salem. The new jersey and coat are just the best. I'm also using arm warmer. That works so well. Good ride!
Today was the get back at it ride. 3 plus hours of easy going. Turned out to be the fastest 45 mile ride I have done on this hilly Island. I'm always amazed at the way speed can happen when I'm not trying to go fast. Using a little bit bigger gear and going at a slower RPM. It feels like resting. Then all of a sudden I'm climbing in 3 gears bigger. Just at a slower RPM. Maybe the triathletes got it right. Use the big gears and go fast at a slower RPM. So it was a fast ride and not even trying. I did get a flat on Heggens hill. If I am going to get a flat this was a great spot. A nice fence to hang the bike on and drop out the rear wheel. Glass, right at the tube stem. Fast change out with the spare tubes. Another Co2 cartridge gone. It was a fun stop. Back on the road in 8 mins. Mashing the gears back to Langley. Taking the long way back to Bayview up Lone Lake Road. As I was making the last few miles I looked at the mileage on the computer. 45 mile as I said. I just thought the computer was wrong. About 10 more miles than I thought. I went over the course and realized the computer was spot on. Speed is fun when it comes easy. The miles are paying off. The every other day riding is working for this old body. Got to strip the bike before the next ride. It's just so dirty. No more, clean the chain and go. It's everything off and cleaned. Soak the chain. Put it back together and get it dirty all over again. Winter messes. There is so much sand on the roads. The Island is all sand. It's everywhere. My chain will be 1 inch longer when I change it out for a new one. Kind of wish it would snow again.

34 Degrees

It might be a good thing. Might be more information than needed. A new bike computer. Just a small wireless one that fits on the stem. Cool spot as it stays out of the way. It was cheap to! Had "Trek" the bike makers label all over it. Made in China, like most things. All the basic I'm used to. Plus it has a temperature display. Never had that before. It is turning out to be very useful. The ride yesterday was 34 degrees with ice in lots of areas. Just not the road. Stopped by "1/2 Link" to get a new rear tire. David the owner, asked if I wanted that studded. I passed as he told me of all the car/road difficulties of the mid AM. There had been some drivers go out of control and they got hurt. David of "1/2 Link" did not ride his bike to work. That's rare! I stayed longer talking and having a good time than I thought I would. Fun times.
It was noon and the roads looked OK to me. It was 34 degrees. I was ready to go out and get the hours on. Even get the little bits of elevation near by. Having the knowledge of the temperature is really useful in looking forward on the road. Knowing that ice was melting not forming. The day was wet with overcast. Not like my last long ride. Clear, dry and cold. Today was cold and moist. It felt much colder than it was. Even with my new winter weather riding gear. Still, the new gear was worlds better than what I was used to. My plan was to have a shortish ride as I am doing another ride tomorrow. 2 in a row is off my plan for the winter. Mary Anne and I are going to Oregon for Christmas stuff over the next 2 days. Might not get a ride in then. So I'm getting one ahead. The ride yesterday turned out to be 32 miles. As with most rides on this little Island, all hills. Up one side to get warm, down the other side to freeze and recover. I did this for 2 1/2 hours. The ride felt great for this time of year. There were 5 other true believers (hard core riders) out to. Way more than I thought. This Island has a lot of these hard core riders on it. Makes for a feeling connectedness. Everyone knows everyone here. Kind of fun. I have not had that kind of feeling for a lot of years. So the ride went very well. The pace was better than I had hoped. The freezer was cold, but liveable. The hands stayed warm, the feet toasty, the legs just fine and the body good enough. Winter riding is in full swing and winter is not even here yet. Out today in a few hours.

The cold came back

It's here to stay for a bit. As I have written before. Not as cold as some, colder than others. 35 degrees at the start. Bright sun shine. Very little wind. Beautiful winter blue sky's. I'm ready for this chill. I found a new Nike jacket at Bikes Wholesale on the mainland. Wonderful fabric that breaths and is still water/wind proof. It was in my bag in no time. Fits like it was made for me. So my winter, cold weather gear is in hand. Bring it on. Do your worst. Well not to bad please.
The ride had an opportunity to be a long one. 4 plus hours of Island fun. All hills all the time. I was looking forward to the days events on the road. It was going to be a new course. Adding some roads I had not spent much time on. Lots more climbs. Now these are hills, steep hills in some areas. My steepomitor got a little stressed here and there. East Bay road, that turns into another road, have some nice walls. Real grunts to get up for this old guy. I could not wait to get to them. Beings that the ride was a 50+ mile day in the freezing weather in just 4 hours. My gear choice was modest. Small chainring all the way. Still some tall gears. So I was saving my over all energy to last the ride. Still feel that I had enough to walk at the end of the it.
I took the left hand turn out of our little housing area on to Bayview. One of the flatter areas to start on. Nice to warm up. About 2 mins out on the other side was a mob of 5 true believers. All lined up looking sharp and ready to take the day on as I was. It was a nice start to see this crew. I was going the other way and was sticking to my course. A quick wave and we were gone. Made me feel good that others were out to. This part of the Island has a hard core group of road riders. On down to HWY 525, left turn. This was a short run on a busy highway to get me to Freeland, a nice little commercial town right on a beautiful bay that has a great and hard road that leads out of town. East Bay Road runs along this bay for about 10 miles give or take and has several nice steep climbs. Hills, so there not so long. Long enough to take your wind and hurt your legs for a moment. So I was riding the relative flatter areas at a relaxed pace. Keeping some energy for the hard work coming. The hills of the day. The hills of East Bay Road start quickly. After about a mile and a half the first of what seems like 8 and half more miles of hills start. There all fairly hard then the really steep ones show up. Then the ones that you can't see show up and get really hard at the finishes. I was doing well with these. I was riding in a gear stiffer than normal for the climbs to add some needed strength. Great warmers going up. With my new winter gear the fast descents were not to cold. One of the descents has a wicked right hand turn. I took it at full speed. Never touched the breaks. The sign said "15 MPH". I hit that turn at 35. I could just see the turn ahead. I have been on this road in a car twice and on the bike once in a driving rain storm. So I was going through as fast as I could. I leaned the bike over on the dry pavement. I could feel the wheels give a bit. They were not so happy. I just kept my head and worked the line. My wheels had limits. I found there limits for sure. I got through the turn still upright. My heart was pounding like I just had finished a small climb. Man that was fun. I think I will go through these turns a little slower next time. Or loss 20 more pounds! So the zig was fast and the zag lead up another climb. The longest and hardest climb on this road. Steeper and steeper and then it keeps going for a bit. It was a fun climb. Then the long fast down hill that leads to more climbs. East Bay Road changes name around this area and I just do not remember the name. So East Bay leads into the town of Langley. More strong hills all the way. Till you get to the town sign. Then it's just a ride through a very small town. 2 main roads and a few side roads. It's on the small side. Maybe 1500 or less people. It also has the county Fair Grounds on the edge of town. Then your on the next road that keeps you on the course. It's Langley Road. I have ridden this road many times. So no surprises there. So I took a turn I normally don't. I turned on to Maxwellton Road that takes me up a shallow climb across HWY 525 still on Maxwellton. A nice newly paved super wide riding shoulder. Very nice. Maxwellton leads after a several miles to French road. A nice climb. About 1/3 of the way up this road come Bailey Road. Left turn to Bailey. This is a roller road. Kind of, more climb than roller the way I like to go. Then Bailey leads to Coultis Bay Road. Right turn, and on to the Chevron Station/store/beauty saloon/coffee shack/shade tree mechanic all in one small corner. It is a social center to, I think. There is a turn up hill off Coultis Bay Road on to ?? another road that goes up hill to a nasty road if one does not make the correct turn. Glendale Road leads to the funnel town of Glendale. Funnel, for it's all down hill to the town and then an up hill out of town that is just stupid steep. I'm just not sure how steep. I don't go there! After a nice hard climb the decent start to the town. Then there is a stop with a left or right. Right to Glendale. Left up hill to Deer Lake Road. Well it's all up hill for quite a bit. Then some rollers. Then a shortish down hill to Heggins Road. Right turn. Heggins is my favorite road. Just beautiful, quiet curving road going up hill. I often do this road twice it's such a nice climb and road. After This chunk of heaven your back on Deer Lake. Right turn. This leads to Deer Lake Road once again. Left turn off of Deer Lake Road, on to Deer Lake Road going a different direction. This leads up hill to Coultis Bay Road again. Left turn to go back to part of where I was, to go the other way on Bailey Road to find French Road and turn right to climb French road to the top. Left turn on to Coultis Bay Road again. By this time I'm looking at the clock. 2:15 and I need a full hour and 15 mins. Coultis Bay is a series of climbs a descents that lead back to Langley Road and Ken's Corner. Coultis Bay And Langley Road are the same road with changed names. Ken's Corner is a older mini mall with some other commercial stuff and a Whidbey Coffee drive through at the intersection of HWY 525. I ran out of water with Zipfizz in it 15 mins before I got to this point. Not so good. So I'm heading back to Langley. then heading back on East Bay Road. Then left turn up Lone Lake Road. A nice climb. Just steady all the way. With a nice decent to Andreson Road. Left turn. Andreson leads to Bayview that after a bit leads me home. I'm still warm. It's 37 degrees. I'm on the edge of a BONK. I have had no food or water for way to long. I'm running on fumes and not thinking so well. I have 5 miles to go. I'm more worried about the mileage and hours I have ridden than my current state of mind and body. Not very good thinking. That's the first sighs of a Bonk. Where the body just runs out of fuel, and water. I think I just made it home on memory. As I got home Mary Anne came out the door going to the market. Good timing. I had been out for 4 hours on the noise. 53 miles of hills. I was a little bonked, but home and not so cold. It was a great ride. I have some good winter gear. I'm ready for the snow. It's going to snow today.

Wind it was

Yesterday was the day I had to get out for a training ride. We were still in the grips of a massive storm that has just kicked butt on the Pacific NW. It was ride day and I was going out and that was that. 35 MPH steady winds out of the South, gust to I don't know how high. Good thing the roads were tree lined in most areas. The open areas were just mean. So the ride was a 2 1/2 hour fun fest. Hills were great. I was going slow anyway. Descents,,,, well that was another story. I mean my brakes got a good workout. The faster I went the crazier it got. Wind just having it's way with me. Fast was a bit on the worry side. Worry about that tree, ditch, cow, fence, I think you get it. Fast was on the edge of out of control. Not to brag, I am a great bike handler at most speed. I love to go fast on the descents. So this ride was an all new experience. So I just did the best I could given the weather. It was 55 degrees. My last ride was in SNOW! The temp is dropping fast once again and snow is on the horizon. The ride gave me a chance to see how our little part of the wonderful Island looked after this destructive storm. Things looked great. Only a few trees down that I could see from the roads. I'm sure I found the one that took our power out for a bit. Less stuff on the road than from our first big storm a few weeks back. I was the only rider out at that time that I could see. I had a blast. Also I was trying out a new winter jersey from Performance. Just an under shirt and this super warm jersey. I'm ready for the snow!! Also I was breaking in my new winter booties from Performance. Neoprene, I never get cold with these booties. Last pair did not wear out for 20 years. So the new stuff is good . The Island got through another of the millions of storms it has had to endure. We got through the storm better than a lot of poor souls. I feel lucky. I feel thankful. I feel ready for another adventure on the roads.

Darkness slid in the light

This morning, around 8AM. I was looking at a poor tug and 2 wood chip barges making there way to somewhere in Seattle to get another load. Head wind making the trip slow I'm sure. Just across the way. Port Townsend, the bay and all. Point No Point. Just past the barges. In the mist. As though to slink in, was an active Trident Submarine. Making it's way home. This was the real deal by my thinking. Coast Guard Cutter in front. Guns loaded I'm sure. Not sailing, it was something else. Coming home after 6 months out. 6 months underwater. Can you imagine? 6 months in the deep. Artificial everything. Coming home just in time for Christmas. The boat was barely above the water enough to see it in the mist of the morning. Slipping into Hood Canal. Gun boat just ahead. The Trident seemed to take up half the bay as it creeped into the Canal. This was no research boat! As though on a Holllywood set. Mist surrounded the mighty killer as it crossed to the entery of Hood Canal. The sight now burned into my memory. This was death served cold. A fearful sight. Bless the men for their duty and their coming home. The boat was pure evil. Surely designed into it's look. Black death, 10 miles from my windows. Merry Christmas to all the souls now near their time off duty. 30 days from now, Death will be coming out again. To do her duty for 6 more months. A fearful boat to look at. There was no joy in her.

2 days later

Now it's 54 degrees and pouring rain, side ways. Talk about a change from my last ride! The rain, that is come at you, not down on you is because of the 35 MPH wind with gust up to 45+. Wind is the worst. Snow, not so bad. Rain, not so bad. Cold is doable. It's the wind that beats me down. Weather warnings posted for our area. 6 inches of rain in some areas may bring land slides. 6 inches of rain in the last 24 hours! Great we live in a house on a cliff looking over Useless Bay! Are they, talking about us? Good to know there is a superior drainage system on this property. Very high tec and all. Just updated this fall. I got my fingers crossed. Still it makes me take notice. It's blowing so hard out. I think I would be in the ditch in no time at all. Well maybe not. So I'm going to pass on a ride today. The new elliptical will do the job.
There are some travel plans coming up, tomorrow. I just finished doing a clean up job on the winter bike. Not the good clean up. Just the easy job. Chain and all the dirt I was willing to muck off without stripping the bike down to a frame. The strip job is next. With fenders the bike stays a lot cleaner. Also I have a good bit of water proof grease on the parts that are going to go without a lot of attention. The New Campy cranks and bearing system are so easy to clean. That's where most of the "Phil Wood" grease went. I have used "Phil Wood" water proof grease for ever. I'm not stopping now! In the winter its a must for my bikes. So the "Winter Bike" is ready to travel down to Salem. Mary Anne has business and friends to visit. Me to with out the business. Oh, my MOM needs some time. She gets lonely. If she was not such a crank maybe folks would visit. Oh well. So the bike is my sanity for the trip. I'm riding. Well, unless the wind never goes away. I'm betting I will get some hours in down on the old roads in the Salem area.

Cold Days

It's 32 degrees at 9AM. For this area it's cold. It's a ride day. I'm wondering what to do. I ordered a warm jersey from Performance. It will be here in a few days. I just can't seem to find a nice winter riding jacket. I do have 2 rain jackets. One just a light jacket the other a heavy duty rain jacket with all kinds of vents and stuff. Still, a rain jacket makes me sweat. In the cold staying dry is the most important thing. Being wet from the inside and cold, is just as bad as being wet from the outside and being cold. I want to stay as dry as I can on these cold days. It's going to take ice to stop me from my rides. Heavy snow will stop me to. My tires will have no grip at all. So what to do? I guess it's just going to turn out to be a tough day anyway I look at it. I sure don't want to miss a road day. Short hours is better than no hours. Also Mary Anne and I have an elliptical trainer that just got here the day before. Good timing. The indoor trainer may save the day.
The photo I attached is not so good. Though it show that the outdoor weather looks kind of bad. For here! I know there are places that have much worse weather. Just wanted to put something on the log today. Something about the training to look back at later.
Several hours later. I got the ride in. 11:40AM to 2PM. Not a long ride, but it was epic, fun, just a lot of hard work. First off, it was dam cold. The weather report said it felt like 22 degrees. I had 2 pair of gloves on, 3 jerseys on, a poly propylene long sleeve under shirt, plus arm warmers. Just about everything on top. Then my heavy rain jacket over it all. Bottom, I had the new wonderful super warm tights. My feet had 2 woolly pairs of socks. The shoes had very warm toe covers and full winter covers over the toe warmers and shoes. There was very little left in the riding locker once I was ready to go. The plan was to ride easy and try not to sweat to much. Stay warm! I went on my normal hilly course minus a few hills to make it in under 3+ hours. Half way through the light cold mist started to make it's way to the ground. It was snow. I was on the last real climb of the route, Lone Lake Road, and the snow started in earnest. My clear riding glasses would fill with snow. I had to wipe them while riding with my thick gloved fingers. I also had my blinky red light on. On my road kit, on the rear of the saddle. It was a good thing to! I could see about 30 yards in front of me. The cars, well you get the idea. I had nice big bike lanes all the way home from when the snow got to going hard. It was 32 degrees and now the snow was starting to stick a bit on the bike lanes. I had about 5 miles to go. The riding outfit was full of snow, shoes, gloves, helmet, riding glasses, arms and front of rain jacket. Everywhere had the wet sticky snow. I was riding a bit on the slow and extra careful side the last 2 miles home. I was very glad I went on the ride. My smile was ear to ear. It was just one of those mini epic rides. Not one other rider out that I saw. I think if any, they went in the morning well before the snow started. Smart of them. Though I have a great memory. First snow ride on the Island. I bet there will be a few more this winter season.