New Years Day Ride

A New Year tradition, a bike ride on New Years Day! It really wasn't looking too swell for a bike ride this morning, fog, drizzle, 33 degrees, and a breeze of 10 mph. Normally, I'd have just waited until it warmed up....... it wasn't supposed to warm much, plus the wind was going to pick up. So.... took fifteen minutes to pull on a bunch of clothes...... Craft cold weather base layer, heavyweight tights, heavyweight Adidas jersey, vest, cold weather jacket, wool glove liners, cold weather gloves, heavyweight DeFeet Wool Blaze socks, and toe covers over my shoes .....oh....and a warm skull cap, plus balaclava..... I should be OK, if I can just manage to waddle out the door.

I felt like the Michelin man on a bicycle! Even though the temperature was above freezing, I kept getting ice on my glasses, finally had to remove them for a while, only putting them on when I needed them. Visibility wasn't too bad, but there was this constant drizzle, which turned into an occasional snow flurry as I rode. A couple bridges were getting a bit slick as well. But...I got out on New Years Day.......

Looking a bit skeptical and not really too sure what the H*** I'm doing out here. I wasn't alone however, there was the biggest flock of Guineau's out feeding this morning I've seen in a long time .....   Of course Guineau's are not noted for superior intelligence .....

All in all, I managed 22 miles before I had more than I really wanted, got back, had a light coating of ice on the bike, my jacket, helmet, gloves..... whatever. But, I did get in a New Years ride. People that passed me in warm cars gave me friendly waves that I'm sure was just to humor "that crazy nut on the bicycle"........