Cycling Season Opener!

Much like Jonathan Richman yearns for New England and my boys yearn for unlimited access to sugary carbonated beverages and french fries, I have been yearning for the road bike season to begin since November 21st, my last ride of the '09 season. In my last post I predicted that my first ride of the year would come on March 12th, I am delighted to report that I was off by about a week.

The off-season has been quite a trial, but if I lived in Hawaii, there wouldn't be an off-season, and you know what they say about the importance of yearning! My strategy of combining once or twice-weekly rides on the trainer with daily workouts with EA Active (for Wii) has really worked out well, and now I really understand the value of cross-training. I was really strong on the hills today, and felt in as good a form as mid-summer last year.

The roads were in surprising good shape for early March, even before the heavy rains have come to wash away all the salt and grit from the shoulders. I was reluctant to take my precious bike out, given the destructive power of the road salt, but a quick bike bath put things back in good order once again.

Without a doubt, the highlight of today's ride was seeing the brilliant sun reflecting off of vast fields of snow in Lansing. This time of the year, as the sun's angle shifts, the snow fields rapidly melt in angled patterns, resulting in almost blinding shimmery seas of snow. The Cayuga lake views are equally stunning without the foliage to obstruct roadside views. 

I'm so thankful that I'm back on the road again. There is no substitute for cycling outside, and all of the unknown variables like sun, rain, wind, unexpected roadkill, and oblivious drivers who are too busy texting to notice you. No close calls today, just some to-be-expected obliviousness from drivers who aren't expecting to see human powered transportation on the roads. 

Today was my first road test of my upgraded drivetrain and new helmet, and I'm happy to report that my new shoes and pedals exceeded my expectation. The Shimano 105 pedals and Louis Garneu road shoes were incredibly comfortable and stable. What a difference it makes to have a larger and less wiggly pedal platform. It makes standing on the pedals so much easier, though the toe box is a bit looser than I want it to be. Thicker socks might be in order.

Now I need to convince Chuck, Jean, and Karl to smash their piggy banks and buy an entry-level road bike. Come on guys, it's SO worth it, and I'd love some more riding partners! I'll be your personal bike mechanic, and that's a promise.

It's stats time...I'm really happy with my ride today, given the stiff headwind as I headed north. It will only get better!

Stats:

Distance: 22.64 miles

Avg. speed: 18.7 mph

Vertical ascent: 1017 ft.

Avg. heartrate: 157 bpm

Calories burned: 1360 kcal

Max. speed: 33.6 mph

Time: 1:12:34

Cycling Season Opener!

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