Snow, Ice Pellets, Sun....Repeat

Snow, ice pellets, sun....repeat. That was about it for today's riding. I totally love riding on days like this. The initial plan was to attempt a ride to Anatone on the pave then circle back on the dirt roads on my cyclocross bike.


However about half way to Anatone the snow was coming down so heavy that I could hardly see the road. Hmmmm...So I stopped, laughed a little, waited (and waited and waited), watched a few cars crawl by (I'm sure they thought I was insane - that is if they even saw me standing there), then after a bit I decided that maybe this was the big one. Since the cyclocross bike I chose to ride today had rather worn tires (more like no tread) I thought it could be a good idea to start back. I got only about 3/4-mile when BAM, Sunshine!!!


Whoohoo!!! On the way back I ran into a few skin stinging ice pellet squalls and more snow and sun before landing safely at home where I sat outside gathering some solar-flare goodness for a good 30-minutes before the next snow squall landed.

The Resistance

Single-Speed + Uphill + sustained 21-mph headwind = Resistance Training (squared) + a large dose of mental toughness training.

07 Feb 12:56 pm W 17G26
07 Feb 11:56 am W 21G31
07 Feb 10:56 am W 21G26

That's what I was doing yesterday for some unknown, insane reason. I love rides like that. Who needs weight training in gym or an indoor trainer when you can workout in the winds? In my past I would typically avoid riding on windy days or try as much as possible to use the wind to make myself a "superhero" on the bike (with a tailwind you can really do some great cheating time trials). I love the wind now though and I openly embrace riding uphill and directly into it with a smile on. Yes, I am unusual, but wind training is the greatest training both physically and mentally. I nearly turned it around a few times yesterday due to the burn and very difficult forward progress, but I stayed the course and finished my interval session. The price is high since today my legs are a tad sore, but the payback is great in both mental satisfaction and physical improvement. I can't wait to ride again today to spin off the leg soreness.

I've also been busy goofing around as much as possible, which means I've been doing plenty of riding on my days off. Riding everywhere, in all conditions, and smiling a lot whether I'm soaking wet and cold in the pouring rain, muddy head-to-toe, or getting an early tan. I'm not in the physical shape that I have been in the past at this time of year, but I feel good and love life which is all I need.

On the bike front, I'm currently "testing" a new Niner carbon, rigid fork on my SuperFly SS...this bike now truly feels lighter than air (it's stupidly light).



Hmmm.....I love rigid for the majority of my riding, but I love a suspension fork on rough courses and some of the endurance events I do. So I am just testing the fork at this time. It may stay permanently or it my get traded out for suspension for those special events.