Word on the dirt street was that today was Global Fat Bike Day. Even as a fat bike owner and rider I don’t know what that means, and since I’ve never been one to do what the masses do, I rode my El Mariachi for two hours on dirt roads north of town.
Twas swell… ish.
See, this is where I always get into trouble as a blogger, writing my REAL feelings often comes off like being a whining little bitch of a man. I apologize for that, but if I leave my house on a 37˚ day start riding and realize that a steady wind is coming out of the north, pushing me backward and chilling my balaclavaless face like it’s a pointy nosed, iced tuna I am gonna tell you (or at least me). Just two miles in I was hating life, regretting not wearing my balaclava and I wanted to turn around. I mean what’s fun about being fucking miserable? Nothing. BUT, I’ve also been doing this shit long enough to know that if I can push through that brief window of miserableness, sooner or later things will be pretty darn OK.
And I was right, I mean you can only go north for so long before you turn and embrace the crosswind like it’s the freaking Prodigal Son or something. The wind wasn’t even that strong, but it was steady, relentless and made 37˚ feel a LOT colder.
The funny thing about the wind here in Michiganderburgh is that you would THINK I would be used to it by now. I’m not, I still hate it with every fiber of my fat assed being and would trade it in a heart beat for a hill that forced me out of my big ring. Sigh. BUT, it is what it is, yada, yada, yada, and I can deal with it. I just like to bitch out loud.
What I WON’T bitch about is riding on dry roads, on my regular mountain bike six days into December. I’m sorry fat bike snow lovers, XC skiers and other snow loving freaks, I can put up with cold winds numbing the sides of my face giving me a speech slurring, stroke face any day of the week. Yeah, yeah, I’ve learned to DEAL with the snow and ice, but never mistake that for actually LIKING it. I realize that this IS Michigan and that in three days hours things could be covered in snow and ice, but for now I will just ride and love it, at least when I’m not hating it as I ride into a head wind!
Lastly, I want to introduce you to Roxy (the dog in the photo above). Roxy came out to greet me as I as pushing north and ran, jumped and leaped like a deer beside me for nearly a half mile before a friendly farmer in an oncoming pickup truck noticed me trying to coax her back home, stopped and offered some assistance. Turns out that Roxy is his neighbor’s dog and he was willing to drive slowly and steer her home. Thanks friendly farmer dude! Roxy was not aggressive or mean, but I really didn’t feel good about riding with her getting further and further away from her home. Now if Roxy would have bit me, well, that would be a different story.
Hoping to get out for more miles tomorrow… unless I don’t.
Later.