warmer than i thought

When I looked at the weather prediction for today, I figured: COLD. So I decided to try a shorter-than usual ride, without a break, thinking that the misery might be mitigated that way. 

When I spoke to Heddy B at the PFW Holiday Party last night, she mentioned that she'd signed up thinking the same thing: short enough, and no rest stop at which to shiver; maybe this could work.

Seven of us started.

I'd done some work on Eric's bike, but there was a noise about which he was complaining today. He took off out front at the beginning of the ride, and I thought he was angry... but it seems his pace was less anger, and more high energy. (We think we've got a cause of the noise, as well.)

We did the route... and the weather not only cooperated, but was a bit warmer than we'd thought; more than one of us (including very truly yours, Plain Jim) remarked that we were a bit overdressed today.

(In the past, on winter rides, I'd just layered up [sometimes three or four layers] under a long-sleeve fleece jersey. This year, I broke down and bought this Bergrisar cycling jacket. I was a bit too concerned about getting layers underneath, and bought an XL; a large, or perhaps even a medium, would have been enough. I have a plan, at the end of the season, to send it through the dryer to see if it shrinks. Mine is orange, by the way, in lieu of hi-viz yellow; if orange is good enough for hunters, it's good enough for me.)

One benefit today was that Marco B had listed a ride from Mercer Park, and many of the faster riders had gone on that one. We came upon a group of them... and then another one... and then a third group from Marco's ride. My ride stayed together, at a pace that (I think) everybody was happy with.

We passed Six Mile Run, which was EMPTY. I'm sure it was because the recent rain would make the trails a morass of mud, and the conscientious mountain bikers wouldn't risk destroying their trails due to the softened surface.

A good day. Ride page.