Friday, November 23, 2007

What a Difference a Day Makes

It has been a full 2 weeks since my last ride. I was very sad. I suffer from seasonal affective disorder. It seems the Gods did not shine upon me and I have been plagued with rain on all my days off except November 11. My daughters wedding and an absolutely gorgeous day. The Gods were smiling.

I was fortunate this year to get both Thanksgiving and Friday off. Rain was in the forecast for Thanksgiving, but was supposed to hold off till late afternoon. I was hoping to get an early ride in before the family gathering. I awoke to a beautiful sunny morning with highs in the mid 60's. It was so balmy I did the ride in my favorite clothes. A T shirt, shorts and sneakers no socks. Since I didn't ride for 2 wks and I needed to get back early for my In-laws, I decided a 30 miler would be perfect. It was so warm, I worked up a sweat casually riding ensuring I wouldn't over exert my unused bent muscles. Obviously it was a great ride and I could smell the kitchens of families preparing their festive dinners. Once home I enjoyed my families company and gave thanks for a great days ride and the traditional family feast.

Today, Friday, I awoke to a different scenario. Temps mid 30's and windy. I rode wearing many layers, my XC pants, a balaclava and a wool hat. I thought I would be shedding some layers but it didn't turn out that way. My clothing was spot on except for my feet. The wool socks and sneakers were not enough. After 35 miles my toes got cold and numb and I had to stop multiple times to regain circulation and warmth to my feet. This is my biggest problem for cold weather riding. I use big BMX pedals so I can wear different shoes, but I still cannot come up with something warm enough for my feet. Despite my cold feet I did a 50 miler. The Maple trees that still had leaves were a brilliant yellow or red. Instead of smelling food cooking for Thanksgiving I could smell the warm wood burning fireplaces.

These 2 days have been a gift and I am fortunate to have 2 great and different days of cycling.

Enjoying the ride.

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