A Banner Day

January 31, 2012
Road Conditions: Dry
Air Temp: 58F
Sunny with a 5 to 10mph breeze

I may have experienced nicer winter days here in eastern Pennsylvania...but I can't remember when!

When you get a stunning day as this you have choices:
1. Go to work and complain all day about what you could have been doing if you stayed home.
2. Call off and get the bike out for some road miles.
I opted for #2.

In the morning I took my wife to see her parents and snuck off to visit a local bicycle shop in Doylestown.  I was the only customer and made small talk with the owner of CycleSports.  Bought a few items including a Campagnolo shirt that was amazing on two fronts.  It was in my size and was 30% off retail.  This day was promising good fortune.

Returned home after lunch and the air temperature was well into the 50s.  My with said: "Why don't you go for a ride?"  How often do wives utter those words?  About as often as the Arabs and Israelis sign peace accords.
I suited up, did a brief bike check and was gone.
WoW!  Eight weeks off the road gave me a funny sensation those first few miles.  But the Garmin found the satellite, my motor memory kicked in and I was loving it!
About five miles out, I was warming up and starting to get my cadence where it was supposed to be.  Now, let's find some hills.

I like to avoid major traffic areas when I want to beat myself up on the bike.  I have enough to contend with keeping the cadence, attacking hills and cutting the right arc on curves.  I don't want to contend with drivers unused to bicyclists on the road.  The plan worked and I completed my ride before the school buses and mom-in-SUVs started cluttering the intersections.

Put 22 miles on the Bianchi and felt like I had plenty left in the tank.  Those cold, dark mornings in the garage pumping away on the Kurt Kinetic were paying dividends.

If I'm fortunate enough to get another freak weather day in February, the soul searching to call off might take some thought and consideration before placing the call.  Naa, I'll just leave a voice message the night before.  Ride on.