Sitting here at this stupid-early hour and seeing that the temp is 28 degrees makes me realize that indeed we are yet again headed for winter in the Midwest. It also makes me question why I live here anymore as I really cannot stand cold weather. I've tolerated the freezing coldness in the past and just rolled with it but I don't know that I can do that so easily anymore - age has changed me.
So, I'm saying good-bye to decent weather for the next 5 months or so and also saying good-bye to two of my bikes. The time trial bike has been dismantled and the frameset will be retrieved by it's new owner in a couple weeks. My back-up road bike will soon be someone else's number one. We know what that means - something new will be making it's way into the bike room hopefully before the end of the year. The hunt to find the perfect replacement TT bike has begun....
I believe there's something to be said for passing a weekend doing absolutely nothing. In fact, there are lots of things to be said for it - we should all be so lucky to do it once in a while just as a reminder of how good it is to not be a lazy ass all the time. This past weekend is a perfect example of how I did next to nothing and felt so guilty about it that the prospect of doing it again is unthinkable. I watched entire football games and only left my place to go upstairs to feed my neighbor's cat. It's a good thing the fridge was empty or it could have easily been an all-day eating extravaganza. My ass is thankful for that.
Okay, so I did ride my bike both Saturday and Sunday (a fine roller session complete with fierce melon Gatorade) but I didn't race even though there was a 'cross race about 30min away. I indeed feel guilty about that - I really need to get out and race again for Verdigris. I intend to do that next weekend in Lansing. I just wasn't into the idea of freezing my face off after suffering in Saturday's killer 20+ mph cross/head wind and temps in the low 30s, never mind the wet pavement. My hands were so frozen that I was alternately shoving them up under my jersey until I could almost feel them again. Not a whole lot of bike love going on at that point.
Of course, I always tell myself, it could be worse - so just HTFU and live through it. It will all be over in a few months. Think I'll just start planning those early 2009 getaways now....Arizona, California, Florida, where do I go? Maybe San Antonio now that I'll have a friend residing there....
So, I'm saying good-bye to decent weather for the next 5 months or so and also saying good-bye to two of my bikes. The time trial bike has been dismantled and the frameset will be retrieved by it's new owner in a couple weeks. My back-up road bike will soon be someone else's number one. We know what that means - something new will be making it's way into the bike room hopefully before the end of the year. The hunt to find the perfect replacement TT bike has begun....
I believe there's something to be said for passing a weekend doing absolutely nothing. In fact, there are lots of things to be said for it - we should all be so lucky to do it once in a while just as a reminder of how good it is to not be a lazy ass all the time. This past weekend is a perfect example of how I did next to nothing and felt so guilty about it that the prospect of doing it again is unthinkable. I watched entire football games and only left my place to go upstairs to feed my neighbor's cat. It's a good thing the fridge was empty or it could have easily been an all-day eating extravaganza. My ass is thankful for that.
Okay, so I did ride my bike both Saturday and Sunday (a fine roller session complete with fierce melon Gatorade) but I didn't race even though there was a 'cross race about 30min away. I indeed feel guilty about that - I really need to get out and race again for Verdigris. I intend to do that next weekend in Lansing. I just wasn't into the idea of freezing my face off after suffering in Saturday's killer 20+ mph cross/head wind and temps in the low 30s, never mind the wet pavement. My hands were so frozen that I was alternately shoving them up under my jersey until I could almost feel them again. Not a whole lot of bike love going on at that point.
Of course, I always tell myself, it could be worse - so just HTFU and live through it. It will all be over in a few months. Think I'll just start planning those early 2009 getaways now....Arizona, California, Florida, where do I go? Maybe San Antonio now that I'll have a friend residing there....
