One Mile Per Degree

Yesterday was a complete wash with regard to saddle time and any form of serious training. It rained non-stop from dawn to dusk, and the Pacific Northwest like fog only dampened my motivation further. All I managed to do in the training department is burn half an hour on the step machine. I might as well have eaten a pint of ice cream and a bag of chips.

When I got up this morning, the weeklong period of rain finally subsided, so I was determined to get outside to do something reasonably constructive. I originally thought about continuing my series of mountain bike endurance tests, but decided against it since the ground was so saturated from the constant rain. Instead, I decided to brave the 31-degree temperature and gusting winds for a road ride out to the lake, which, oddly enough, just so happens to be a 31 mile round trip. Discretion being the better part of valor, I donned several layers of cycling gear before heading out.

bib shorts
fleece tights.
wind blocker tights
fleece lined socks
cycling shoe covers
cycling jersey
long-sleeve thermal jersey
regular long sleeve jersey
vest
cycling jacket
ear band
balaclava
cycling cap
helmet
heavy-duty Columbia gloves

It only took about 5 miles before I started to over heat, so I stopped along the side of the road to unzip various layers before finally reaching a reasonable compromise. The hardest part about riding in the cold is finding the right balance of clothing. Once I got going again, I plodded through a gusting headwind at the astonishing speed of 13 mph and one mile traveled for each degree in temperature.