Will Ride for Pasta
The Ride: Pioneer Loop
Miles: 21.0
Time: 1:31
Ave. Speed: 13.5 mph
Weather: Sunny, breezy, cool, 45 (WC 40) Wind 10-12 mph
Total Outdoor Miles 2018: 112.3
Total 2018 Indoor Season Miles: 241.2
The Story
This evening I am going to be making pasta for dinner.
So I told myself that this afternoon I would head out on the road and earn those carbs on a ride out in the countryside.
First of all, it should be noted that for the second day in a row the weather did not live up to the forecast today.
The forecast was for sunshine and warm temps in the upper 50's.
Well, the weather dude on TV got the sun portion of that forecast correct at least. It was NOT warm.
In fact, when I completed the ride at about 3:00 in the afternoon, what should be the warmest time of day, I pulled out my phone to check my weather app which indicated that it was sunny and 45 degrees, with a 'feels like' wind chill of just 40 degrees!
I rode over the water on the Trestle Trail bridge and there was still a patch of ice along the shoreline where I got onto it to make the crossing that feels so good on hot summer days.
And there were still a few places with snow on the side of the road today as well. When not going into the wind I felt okay temperature-wise, but when it was a headwind I was once again chilled to the bone just like yesterday.
This short route has several rather long, drawn out hills on it and they about killed me today. What a struggle.
Hills that would normally be easily conquered by me later in the season when in riding shape were now causing me all kinds of hurt. My legs were screaming with the pain of a rider who hasn't had much saddle time on the road this year yet.
You look down at what gear you are in at almost any point in the ride and are surprised to see it's about two gears easier than it felt like it should have been. Why, in this easy gear, does this feel so hard?
You look down at your computer to check your rpm and it's about 10 below what it feels like it should be. Why does it feel like you;re doing your normal tempo 90 rpm but it only shows 80 rpm?
There are two reasons for this lag at this time of year:
1-You're going into this nagging wind I keep complaining about
2-You're out of shape!
But you have to start a new season somewhere. This is that start. Base miles. No-frills rides. Weather forecasts that let you down.
But hey, it's better than being inside on the trainer in the dead of winter!