This December has been pretty sweet as far as weather. We here in Michigan aren’t exactly getting the warm sixty-ish degree temperatures that some of the east coast states are getting, but for these parts in December, forty degrees and no snow is just as good, and in many ways my rides have felt more like those done in late fall and early spring rather than winter. Having said that, I feel the need to add: THE SUN COULD SHINE ANY F*CKING DAY NOW!!!
After Friday’s sweet ride in the woods on the Procaliber, I took Saturday off the bike to go take some pics at a local cross race here in town [you can see the gallery at junkmilesmedia.com]. Unfortunately it pissed down a hard rain all day Sunday, so a ride was out. Then on Monday the piss down continued, but this time it was accompanied by gusting, wrath of God, Old Testament style gusting winds. With that, I needed to be content with lifting heavy things for no reason and running going nowhere in the Stankment™ until today. Huzzah!
Soiled Chamois file photo.
Thursday was a day of nothing but house duties and workish stuff. I could have squeezed a ride in, but that wouldn’t be proper for someone like myself who seemingly strives to be as crap as possible. What I WAS able to do though was catch up with a few friends last night and plan a Friday ride at MMCC with my friend Ryan. I’m sure glad he had the day off and wanted to ride, because on this gray, windy Friday all I wanted to do was climb under the covers with my favorite bulldog and take a day long sad nap.
Part I, The Broccoli
Wednesday was a planned day off the bike to get some things done during the day (the least of which included washing two months worth of mud off the Boone) before heading into the Stankment™ to do some treadmill sprint intervals and strength training in the evening.
It was also my day to not eat leftovers and make myself something tasty for lunch. That something was one of my fave standbys: whole wheat pasta tossed with fresh, store-bought, not at all locally grown, non-organic broccoli, garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
After Sunday’s foggy ride, I took Monday off the bike but not off from “doing stuff.” I forced myself on the treadmill for 3 miles of sprint intervals and to do my feeble attempts at strength training with the weights which is about as fun as root canal. Tuesday I headed back out onto the dirt roads for a short ride which was again enveloped in a misty fog.
With the first singletrack ride on the Procaliber under my expanding belt on Saturday, I decided to take it out for a short twenty-six mile spin on the dirt roads north of town on Sunday. I was warned that I might not like how the bike rides on dirt roads, mostly due to its gearing, and as it turns out, I didn’t like it–I loved it and found the gearing a non-issue.
Since my weekends usually feature two rides, and I’m an old, suck rider, I like to take time off the bike on Mondays. I also like to front load my week with house stuff, chores, and any work stuff I have so as to make the rest of the week more fun and ride friendly. However this weekend I only had one ride (Sunday), and the weather looks “ify” the next two days with predicted 40˚ temps and a rain/snow mix, so I figured I’d better roll while I can, or at least while it’s 40˚ and dry.
It seemed like forever since I was last out on my bike; in truth it was a week exactly. Betweenst those two rides was a holiday week stuffed with travel, too much food and not enough exercise. Thankfully all that is over with now (at least until Christmas) and I was able to get out for a ride on the Fatterson Sunday to help kick-start some much needed calorie burning. I know, I know, it’s like pissing in an ocean of bubbling fat, but you gotta start somewhere! I guess.
My plan to ride my bike on Friday was a fail. The winds were still just too damn strong. On Saturday there was a winter storm moving through, with little visibility, so I opted to run on the treadmill for a half an hour, then head down to Terry’s Cycle to pick up some much-needed winter riding gloves before stopping by the Alma Grand Prix of Cyclocross course with my camera to click some pics of the reported “fun” ride that was going on there. The run, the gloves and the pics were all a success, even with only two riders (including the ride’s organiser) showing up for the ride.
