I went for an icy death ride with Cory this morning. The plan was to do around 50 miles of gravel. The temperature was marginal (around 20), and there was a nasty northwest wind. It was the kind of wind that gives you an instant ice cream headache. Shortly after leaving home I realized I was under-geared, and went back to get ski goggles. That helped some.
I rode to Ada Hayden and met up with Cory. We tooled around a little waiting for Matt (he was the smart one in the bunch and didn't show). Then we headed north into the teeth of the wind. It was not too painful, except for my face, which really hurt. Even with the ski goggles, I was getting a bad case of brain freeze. Cory was wearing some kind of full face mountaineering gear, and look like a cross between a ninja and the invisible man. He said it was toasty warm. I gotta get me one.
After a few miles I wimped out and we turned east, with the wind. Going with the wind was much better. We sat up, chatted, and enjoyed the ride. We briefly considered riding east for 20-30 miles, then calling Christy to come and get us, but instead turned into the back side of the McFarland prairie. I rode part way across the prairie with Cory, then turned around and headed for home. It sounds like I missed some excitement shortly after that. Yesterday, when I warned about deer season, this wasn't exactly what I was worried about.
Even though I wimped out, I got in almost 2 hours on the bike. And, with wind chills in the -10 to -15 range, also got some pretty big suffer points (for those of you scoring at home).
Today was the first day I used the little had warmer packets in my shoes. I wouldn't say my feet were warm, but they didn't get as painfully cold as they have in the past. After I was done with them, Christy put them in her socks for the rest of the day. I think they're still putting out heat for her. For the price of a gel ($1.25), they're worth it.
I wonder how the Team 14 guys are doing in KC at the 'cross races? With the snow KC got earlier this week, KC should be good and sloppy, just like Thad likes it.
3 comments:
Paul: Lou and I went out Saturday morning, (6:50am), for a little jaunt around the Center Trails. We made it one lap and I was successful in talking him into another cup of coffee, (I had to buy). The wind outside of the trees was brutally cold. Only got an hour in so I guess you have more tough guy points then us thus far this season. I'll be lookin' to catch up to you in the points race in the next few weeks!!
Pete: I went to the local JAX store today and got an OR gorilla balaclava. They look a little goofy but they sure are warm.
It's not that I like riding in the bitter cold, as I much as hate riding inside on the trainer! I want to put that off as long as possible.
On future days like this, I might try to talk Cory into going urban (as urban as Ames gets).
The gorilla was tough to get comfortable with, at least for me since I fall between sizes with a lot of things, but it makes up by doing its job well.
Post a Comment