LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

My Training Update

March 6th: It got above 40 degrees for the first time since before summer!!

March 8th: Because of the weather I haven't been on my bicycle for over four months, but now it is time to get my rear in gear (no pun intendeded, well...actually it was intended). Today I started on my 11 week training schedule that will have me gradually work my way up to be able to ride 300 miles a week (50 miles a day). But there was a problem. It was only 39 degrees out and my skinny body threshold is 40 degrees. You see I hate cold, and rain, and snow (I know what you’re thinking, “And he is going on a cross- country ride!”). It’s not so much the cold I hate; I guess it’s more that I hate pain. In fact I think that I am allergic to pain. Pain really wouldn’t bother me so much if it didn’t have to involve any form of the word “hurt.”

Luckily I had access to a certain unnamed building that I went in and road around for 40 minutes. The building is unnamed because if the custodians found out they would throw my bike off the edge of the Grand Canyon, with me on it.

March 25th: I am falling behind on my training so I had to ride today even though it was...I can’t bare to say it… below 40 degrees. The average wind was 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. It is an odd sensation knowing the road is definitely going down hill but yet you have to peddle as hard as you can to barely keep moving.

April 6th: Because of bad snowy weather and our three day long 25th Anniversary get away (I actually did bring my bike. It took up the entire back of the van, but I didn’t even get to use the bike) I haven’t ridden my bike in a week so I have to go today no matter what. However, we got a foot of snow last night and I did a lot of shoveling. It snowed on and off all day. By 4:00 PM the roads looked barely dry enough to take my mountain bike out. I went up past the lake (East Canyon Reservoir) and all of a sudden it started snowing. I turned back and stopped at a resort to wait for it to stop. I continued home. I was a little wet from the snow and with the wind chill it was about 18 degrees. My fingers and toes were soooo cold. I am pretty sure no mountain pass this summer will get that cold so I know I can handle it. It is amazing how a goal will make people challenge and improve themselves by getting out of their comfort zone.
On the ride I saw an eagle, a porcupine, lots of little birds that were following along side me and in front of me that I had to dodge occasionally. Some wild turkeys crossed right in front of my path. A few times I almost ran into some deer (oh, deer! …Oh… I mean, “Oh, dear!”). I bet you didn’t know that springtime riding in the mountains could be so hazardous.