Caving & Cracking

I had not been on the bike since Saturday. Well, I was on the bike, but it was on a stationary trainer and that really doesn't count as being on the bike, it counts as being on the trainer. Sure, it's SOMETHING, but it ain't ridin' outside. I had been avoiding the outside because of this incessant lung butterish cough of mine, and cold weather, but today with the cough it's best in almost a week, I caved, and I HAD to get out.

Temps were crawling like a legless pig towards 40 degrees when I headed out, so that meant I was of course STILL wearing the base layers, jacket, hat, winter gloves and shoes. A quick calculation had me realizing that I have not ridden outside in just a jersey and shorts since I lived in PA over 6+ months ago. My skin looks like paste, my brain is like pudding, I am hopeful that by June a part of my skin other than my nose and cheeks will be exposed to the sun. Hopeful, but not counting on it!

I took the mountain bike since I wanted to hit some of the dirt roads and I knew that some of them would be snow covered, ice covered and probably a bit rutted up. I thought that since it hadn't snowed since last Thursday, and had been sunny and fairly warm (for Michigan) that they would be decent. They weren't. Blah!

When the roads were snow covered, they were great, when they were muddy they sucked (sucked hard), and when they were muddy AND slushy they sucked even harder. I blame myself of course, I should have stuck to the pavement, but my favorite routes are linked with dirt roads.

But NOOOOO, I HAD to try... LOL! I kept thinking that if I just pedal another mile, I can hit "x" road, and it should be better, or that "y" road will be a bit better. As it turns out the only real good riding I got in my short 30 mile square loop was the 15 or so that I was able to roll on pavement.

I truly cracked on one hill- as I plowed through freezing soupy mud at 6 mph, I found myself cursing out loud "F*ck this sh*t! I am SO done with winter, the f*cking snow, this cold ass mud! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!" The local cows thought I was nuts (they may be right). I rode the next 5 or so miles just pissed, plowing through mud, gritting my teeth and cursing the very existence of man. IT WAS GREAT!! I wish I could get fired up like that for races!!

Hope that BB is sealed up good. Then again, I hope I remembered to clean
up that pile watery gravel my bike shit out below it....

After a long stretch of slow moving dirt roads I finally made it to a 10+ mile stretch of paved roads that would take me home. I soon forgot all the muddy anger, road at a nice pace with the knobbies whirling and no doubt cursing me for riding them on pavement and depriving them of single track for going on 4 months.

It appears that I did NOT remember to clean that up... YIKES!

I still sort of found myself in bad frame of mind as I rolled up the driveway looking at the mounds of snow that have yet to melt. The weather has been beautiful and sunny here this week. Just damn cold (for late March IMO). A week like this in January would have had me giddy. A week like this now that it is nearly April has me one step away from the loony bin. At least that's what the cows along the back roads are thinking.

All of this gritty mud, and big ass winter bike shoe shit has slowly turned my
3 year old Shimano XTR crank into an "ANO R probably gonna just crack in half crank"

Weather should be OK for riding over the next few days, but I refuse to deal with the soupy roads!! (if I can help it). I will stick to the road, deal with the cars (there aren't that many here anyway), and keep trying to get my miles in. OR I will drive my ass somewhere were there MIGHT be clear single track or firmer roads.

Later.