Shifting Gears

It’s mid-November. South Buffalo area is gettin’ whacked (4+ feet!) with its first lake effect dumping of snow. So too is Watertown, but Rochester in the middle is currently spared the excitement … for now. Days are shorter. Nights are longer, and I’m cold most of the time. “Official” winter is still a month away, but “meteorological” winter has arrived in full force and that means the fat bikes take center stage for the next few months. That’s not to imply that fat bikes aren’t fun in nice weather. Case in point: just one week ago at OCP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZHJSjt8gqQ
Video by Wayne Prentice

Looking back at ’22, I scored some great times on the bike(s) as well as another 10K of miles … and THAT is probably why I’m cold most of the time. With all the biking in the last couple years, I’ve kinda dispensed with any “insulation” I’ve carried around in the past. About the only times I’m comfortably warm is:

1. In a hot shower … we have a tankless water heater and I LOVE it.
2. In my “padded cell” … I have a weighted blanket and I LOVE it.
3. In the gym … and I’ve been crankin’ it!
​

A Good Day

So as the weather turns colder, I’ve returned to the gym now that COVID stats have dropped precipitously, and I’m sure to quit going if the numbers start to (inevitably) climb again over the winter. But for now, I’m one of “those people”: a Gym Rat.

I looked at my Ride-With-GPS stats this evening and realize that I’ve made no entries in over a week. I’ve done no real “rides” in 8 days, other than riding to (4 miles) and from the gym (and the coffee shop - bad boy!).

But the snow is starting now.

That changes everything!

B