Monthly Archives: January 2018

Taking advantage of a break in the winter weather

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As I write this, it’s Sunday the 21st of January.  After some arctic cold that has made it hard to get outside this month, the weather finally changed. This week I could barely contain my excitement at having a weekend with riding conditions warm and dry enough to get outdoors.  I decided to ride in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve near Poolesville, MD.  Then I sent out an invitation to a big group of riders to join me. Now not everyone could make it – some were traveling, some had transportation issues, some were dealing with injuries, and some had other plans, but 6 of us rode together Saturday morning. The temperatures reached into the 50s by the end of the ride, and we took advantage of the break in the weather to take a conditioning ride. The plan was to stay together, pick a direction, and ride without a set plan or a cue sheet.  We call it “cueless and clueless”.  That means we make adjustments to the ride as we go. The goal was 30-40 miles of riding to stretch out our legs.

I’ve ridden in the Ag Reserve many times, but I’ve spent less time there in winter than any other season. The muted colors, and the lines of sight past bare trees and across fields usually obscured from view were a welcome experience. The sense of distance was welcome, and birds that winter in the area were active at the edges of the fields. We chose a direction and changed our minds when it suited us, and we enjoyed the day as we got our miles in.  In the end, it was only a little over 37 miles, and that isn’t much by the standard of later in the year, but for January, it’s a good distance. What was great was our comraderie as we rode.  Since I wanted this to be a “no drop” ride, we stayed together for the most part, and the social part of the ride was terrific. We spent some time afterward talking and celebrating a fun and successful ride.

Winter_Gear

Taking a break at the Dickerson Store.  

Today I rode from home. I didn’t go quite as far as I did on Saturday, but I managed to work my legs a little more, and I needed to get another ride in to work the legs more.  Riding alone isn’t quite as fun as riding with friends, but in the end its important to get out and get your legs used to the work.  The only drawback to winter rides is dealing with road salt.  I found quite a bit of it on the down tube of my bike, among other places.  You have to take the time to clean the bike carefully in the winter. In my estimation, the state of Maryland dumps enough salt on the roadways in the winter to thoroughly poison the Chesapeake Bay every year with the salty road runoff. Then they spend the other 9 months of the year trying to keep the Bay clean.  It makes no sense to me, but with any luck, the state will cut back on its road salting habit. In the meantime I hope the weather will continue to be moderate enough to allow me to ride outside.  I prefer riding outside to an indoor workout every time!

 

Cold and quiet time

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It’s a mid January Sunday, 2018.  A little after 10am. It’s 18 degrees outside my windows.  I’ve already finished my daily workout. Arsenal and Bournemouth are finishing a game in the background as I write this. (Bournemouth won 2-1. David has beaten Goliath today.) I’ve run out of household jobs to do. If this were a perfect day (That is to say warm enough to ride any respectable distance even when wearing all the heavy bike clothing I have available to me), I’d be miles away on my bicycle.

So writing is my refuge for the moment. I’ll go to the bookstore and find something new to read perhaps, or I’ll get out for a walk later, but what my heart would have me do is not the least bit comfortable in sub freezing temperatures. Being single, I don’t have anyone else to make claims on my time. I don’t see that as a disadvantage. I’m not necessarily quiet, but I have some fairly quiet habits. People all over on this cold day have the same problems that I do.  So I’m even done paying bills, and I’m thinking about what else to do, and I’m happy that I’m in a place in my life where my biggest worry is what to write today.

I’ve got a little bike maintenance I can do, but what I really need to do is take my bike to the shop and get a yearly service.  I’ll get the cables replaced, re-tape the bars, get the drivetrain adjusted, and probably replace the chain.  For now, here at home, the best I can do is keep the bike clean and the drivetrain in good condition. It’s days like this that make me think of things to do.  Chores get put off when the weather allows me to be more active. So this is the kind of cold, antiseptic day that makes chores interesting.

Resolutions

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Another year, another set of resolutions. It’s very cold outside on New Year’s Day, and despite this, I’ve already started thinking about resolutions. Yes, they involve cycling. That’s because it has a direct effect on my health. The older I get, the more I think that the time I spend on the road cycling with my friends is an investment in a long and healthy life.  As it is, I’m working out in the gym, but eventually the thaw will come, and I’ll be back on the roads, where I feel the most free.

Since life is a precious thing, I’m going to do what I can to improve the quality of my life. So my goal is to continue to ride and celebrate with my cycling friends.  I’d also like to ride at least half a dozen Century rides – and I’m already signed up for the first of them! I’m also going to see if I can find a ride that I haven’t done before to try out this year.

These are modest goals, but they’re achievable, and they’re things I believe in. They’re the kinds of resolutions that make sense to me, and they’re an integral part of the quality of life that I look for.  2018 will be another joyful year if I keep them.