May in January
I’ve been unable to resist riding these past few days. I really should have taken a rest day in there somewhere, but I figure there will be days with crummy weather at some point this winter, so I’ve taken advantage of temps in the upper 50s.
Shorts and a t-shirt weather in January really ought to be celebrated, and I’ve done so to the tune of 84 miles so far in calendar 2007. It works out to two days of only commuting to the library (about four miles each day), two days of commuting to a client’s office, and two days of strictly recreational riding.
On Wednesday, one of the client office days, I took the long way to and from their office, and added eight miles out-and-back to the route, just to see some of the Canalway I haven’t seen yet in the winter. With no leaves on the trees and no water in the canal, it’s a much different ride with respect to scenery. There’s more to see. I rode slow and easy—in part due to the winds that day, and in part to take in everything I can’t usually see through the foliage.
Thursday I was really sore. I’ve been sore since that long ride on New Year’s Eve, and with no rest days and a pretty long ride in the wind on Wednesday, I didn’t quite know what to expect when I left the house.
Taking it easy again, I rode most of my west side Canalway stuff, making the choice of whether or not to turn around at each street crossing. I made it all the way to where the pavement ends, which is where I ordinarily turn around.
There were tons of cyclists out on Thursday. All of us with great big grins on too. I talked with a couple of guys—one as I passed him and another while I was stopped to take on water. Neither of them thought global warming was a bad thing.
I can take it slow and easy for only so far, even when my muscles are sore. Every day this week I’ve done some sprinting. I’ve raced cars in five o’clock traffic. I’ve won a few and at worst, kept my place. Although I carefully choose where I did it too. Yesterday and today I sprinted to work. This morning I broke the speed limit for the first time this year—30.9 MPH and I still had one gear and 10–20 RPM to go.
Tomorrow is supposed to be our last nice, nice day before we get a few days of rain. I’ll be out tomorrow too. Then maybe a day of rest.
