Training Log Archive: PG

Bright and sunny early in the day, but also cold, figured I'd trade no sun for an extra 15 degrees. As it was -- 30, W 5 mph -- seemed pretty benign conditions.

Since I had to drive down the driveway anyway, went the half-mile up to the start of Falls Road so I could be on back roads the whole time. North through Montague Center, then looped around to come use the pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks. It occurred to me a little bit before I got there that it wasn't going to be plowed, and it wasn't. Walked across, pushing the bike through the snow.

Saw three others out on bikes, plus a couple of runners.

Low 20s, overcast, S 5-10 mph. More or less the same as yesterday, flats south of town, but the wind had mellowed and so less character was needed.

Thought about skipping today, but finally decided it was just too nice out not to be out enjoying it...

25F, NW wind about 15 mph. Started from the bottom of the driveway -- yup, drove down, driveway is way too icy to try riding on -- headed south on a route that is usually somewhat protected from the wind. On the way out it was very pleasant, but at some point I realized that wind, which I thought was supposed to be out of the west, and therefore a crosswind, was actually out of the NW or even a little more towards the N. And I was going south.

The last bit going south I passed two different tree crews trimming limbs, didn't envy the guys up in the cherry pickers nor the cops directing the very minimal traffic. They weren't far from my planned turn-around point, and having passed them both once I didn't really feel like passing them again right away.

So back a slightly different way, through the farm fields now, dead into the wind. Just kept the head down as much as possible while still seeing as much as needed to be safe (from cars, potholes, telephone poles, people, dogs, though the last two categories were nowhere to be seen).

And at some point I was done. And didn't even have to ride up the driveway.

Lower 20s, W 15 mph. A bit nippy. I was wondering, as I headed downhill right into the wind, not what the windchill was, but how long it took flesh to freeze at that windchill. Not that I was seriously worried, just curious.

Parked just across the bridge* and did a short loop in Deerfield, couple of hills. Seemed not to have any zip, so I opted for the shorter of two possible loops I had in mind. Just as good, my fingers were starting to get uncomfortably cold by the time I was done. Need a better solution for them. But the rest of me was OK.

* because the driveway was sheet ice, wasn't going on it on my bike. Had two or three inches of snow yesterday, followed by some rain. Stuff was really heavy to shovel off the steps and deck. Lower back on my left side was starting to hurt (lower right side hurts every morning, but gets better after I move around a little, left side has been good) -- to clean the deck I have to toss the snow high enough to clear the railing and far enough to clear the bushes.

So I switched hand positions on the shovel, which put the force on the right side of my back, and that was OK. And even felt less awkward after I had done 50 or 75 tosses.

Pleasantly surprised today that the back is fine, ditto the arms and shoulders. :-)

C • warmer fingers 5

Hmmm, looks like I could have stayed out all day and not worried about frostbite. Though hypothermia might have done me in...

Flats across the river. Low 30s, W 5-10. As usual, seemed to take a while for the legs to get going.

More snow expected tomorrow. Even after the pavement reappears, I'm less enthusiastic about riding in the hills, or on dirt roads, or both, because of the greater likelihood of ice. So may be sticking to the valley most of the time.