Flat, Frozen, Frigid, Base
I could have blogged about how this short(ish) 35 mile ride, in 14 degree temps, made me want to stick my head in an oven, or how I seriously thought my toes may have got frost bite, despite wearing two pairs of wools socks and using winter riding shoes. I could, but I won't. I made a short lame-ish video instead.
Later.
posted by Jason @ 9:22 PM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I feel your pain, man. I'm going through the same thing myself. My time in the saddle is spent searching the dirt roads for that thin strip of traction peeking through the snow and ice.
Man, it was rough out there today. I have ridden in colder weather, but usually in the woods. Being out on open roads in 14 degree temps was new to me. ONE stretch of dirt (as seen in the video) is all I could find, and that was just few miles in. Many of the roads had some drifting, and the ruts were REAL hard to see. I was able to stay up, but at times it was hard, and slow. I guess when spring does come it will feel all the better. I hope.
I think you were on a trainer. that farm never got any closer. was that really the view out your living room window?
Ha! There is ALWAYS a farm on the horizon on these rides. In hindsight I would have been better off on the trainer. Hell of a lot warmer at least.
Nice video. I wish our snow would hang around longer. Seems like the snows gone before the milk & bread sell out. Oh well, I guess I will have to live vicariously through the chamois of another man.
Watch that brain freeze!
Peace,
Metro
Metro- Consider yourself lucky! I would trade chamois' with you any day! (eeeewwww).
And I felt like I was a "hard man of Flanders", being out in yesterday's 29 degree SW PA weather for 90 minutes. Cool vid. Great song.
Man, you gotta be hating life up there in MI...endless straight flat roads. A far cry from Auckerman, Camp Run, Longwood School, & Pritts Distillery roads.
@ Hoosier- Thanks! You earned your points too.
@ Don- sometimes it sucks, but there is a lot more than what I was able to show. And down south and up north it gets way more rolling. BUT you are damn right, they are FAR cries from my granny gear spinning almost at a stand still climbing on Longwood and those others. Enjoy them for me. Did I read that you and Montana were up the mountain today, and you are rumored to have ridden in just kneew warmers. If that statement is true- I hate you (more than usual).
Not to rub salt in the wounds of someone riding on cold, windy, flat roads, but where is Longwood School Rd? Another name? Always looking for some more pain options.
BTW, I spent 3 hours in nearly the same temps (less windchill of course) feeling all cozy and warm while shredding my favorite (*non*) mountain biking trails on cross country skis in the Roaring Run & Jones Mill Areas on the summit. You need to embrace the skis. Heart rate profile is nearly identical to mountain biking and the single track can be almost as fun, albeit a tad slower. However, you can easily spend 5+ hours w/o feeling cold at all even if it is really cold out because you actually use your toes and fingers.
Jason- Ride across Seven Springs via Neals Run Rd. (it's the gravel/rocky double track that he 24 course crosses twice), until you hit pavement on Indian Head Rd. Turn left on I.H.R, up hill until you hit Pritts Distillery Rd. on your Left. Follow that until you hit Longwood on your right. Longwood doesn't really show up on Mapmyride.com, but it's there and there is a road sign. And it's a BITCH. STEEP loose gravel. This will take you out to more forest roads. You can then loop it in with the 24 course. If you want, shoot an e mail (xxcmag (at) gmail.com) and I'll try to get you a mapmyride.com map of it. I think I have one somewhere of the ride.
ON skiing- I've got out once this year, and it was a hell of a workout. But I am so bad at it, it's just not that fun most of the time. I think I might dig snowshoeing more. That and I don't trust my car to get me to where the good snow is. But getting some snow tires on tomorrow, so that should help a bit.
Thanks and let me know if I can point you in the right directions on those roads.
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