FATURDAY

Today, December 1st was the first global Fat Bike ride. I çan't say I am amazed at how the "Fat" ride has caught on because when a cyclist rides a Fat Tire bike it becomes a whole new world of fun for cycling. This will be my 3rd winter of riding the Fat Tires, and still loving it. I ride the big tires all year, but when then snow falls and snow mobile trails pop up all over the country side Fat Bike riding enters a world all its own.  

The weather people said drizzle and rain would be coming around 5:00 p.m. today so I figured I could ride 50 miles and be home before this was going to happen and didn't pack for getting wet. They lied to me. Rolled out at 11:30 and by 1:00 I was soaked, cold, and riding in temps in the 40 degrees department and dropping. I thought to myself to plan better the next time. Seems riding year round day or night requires a continuing development of skills. 

I hear a series of shut gun blasts. Deer hunting season opened today in Iowa for shut guns. I try to tell myself they know this is a bike trail and won't shoot this way. I don't believe that and pedal faster to get out of the area.

You reach a point when riding in a drizzling rain where you can't get any wetter. You just slowly get colder. My hands were starting to freeze. I do pack chemical warmers this time of year for emergencies. I thought about sticking one in each glove, and I was wondering if the soaked gloves would smother the chemical heating process. I decided to push on with out them. Music from my IPOD distracted me from the cold that was starting to penetrate my bones. I was watching the tempss continue to drop on my Garmin and I knew turning around now would bother me more than this chill was. So I rode on, on this gravel trail, keeping the pace up in an attempt to stay warm and completed my ride. Tomorrow brings more of the same minus the rain if the weather folks are telling the truth.  

 

Everybody is drying out now, including me.

 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your week end.
Dave