cold start
The Blacksburg winter is here again. My desire to ride outdoors, apart from to&fro campus, has vanished. I tried to do a slow, peaceful, bike trail ride last night and returned 20 minutes later with numb fingers and a disheartened spirit. Winter - arctic, rather - cycling gear helps to a point but I have to acquiesce to nature’s ways since my body can withstand only so much frostbite. Trying to do road riding in this weather, and adding to the existing wind chill with that from the fast-moving bike, is a path to destruction.
I’m not yet sure how to handle this total change of weather - forecasts say this 20-30 ºF weather will last for far more than a week, with wind chills to encourage polar bears to seek shelter. To keep myself in shape, I will need to do a certain amount of heavy riding, but even doing rollers on the porch is painful. Plus, stupid New Year’s resolutions have filled the campus gyms to capacity. Oh, get real, people: that waist isn’t going anywhere soon.
Frankly, I’m more frustrated at myself for looking at so many warm weather cycling photos on flickr than I am at the weather or the packed gyms. Maybe I just need to occupy my time better. My current schedule allows for 3 hours of whining per day. I could take up watercolors or possibly pilates to fill that daily slot. Alas, Jack Frost.
January 16th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
“yankee bayonet” is my favourite song on the crane wife
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Move to Seattle! I love it here and the weather is never that cold (or that hot) and good coffee is everywhere! Bike trails are everywhere too.
P.S. Might need to get some The North Face gear at REI though for the rain.