Real Road Ride

There was a time in my life when I lived and breathed road cycling.  I bought my first road bike in 1985 when I was in the Army stationed in Berlin, Germany.  I had this German friend who worked at the bike shop where I bought the ride and he took me under his wing and taught me everything.  After our rides on the weekends we would sit in his apartment eating croissants and Nutella and pouring over German cycling magazines.  He instilled in me the crazy love for the sport that is so prevalent with cycling fans. 

The weather sucked in Berlin in the winter and I couldn't wait to get off the rollers and outside in the spring for that first road ride.  Later, when I was racing in Boise in the late 80's and early 90's, we had the same yearning for the first ride in shorts.  Boise's weather allows year 'round riding but the shorts thing was a milestone each season.

Now that I have a racing license and consider myself a serious road cyclist again, I found myself watching the weather the last few days wondering if an outside ride was looming.  I've been on the trainer a couple of days a week but things have been shaping up favorably for a foray onto pavement.  I even did a little recon of Spring Creek last night to confirm that the climb was ice free.  Blue bird powder day?  Nah!  I'm a road cyclist again and I want to break some legs this season!  Never too soon to start preparing.  I can ski tomorrow.

Well, around 2pm today, I packed up the bike into the car and drove a short distance toward the square and saddled up.  It was wet and a little sketchy on the shoulder but motorists were tolerant.  I think they were mostly amused at this desperate looking character riding a road bike in Jackson in February. 

Temps were mild for winter riding and I headed to Wilson.  Being a bit OCD when it comes to keeping my bike clean, I was cringing a bit with each pass through the muddy puddles watching the muck accumulate on my new Cervelo.  Actually, it was KILLING me!!   But I got over it and soldiered on, enjoying the speed and the pleasure of standing up and feeling the bike move under me. 

I did a couple of laps back and forth to Wilson and then headed up to Spring Creek.  On the climb I realized how out of cycling shape I am but tried not to stress about it and shifted down.  After all the rando training I've been doing, I thought it should've felt easier.  It just further confirms my long held belief that cross training is bullshit!

As the afternoon cooled and the sun settled low toward the horizon, the wet pavement started to glaze in places.  I made it back to my van just in time and loaded the bike for the short haul home.  Of course, when I pulled the bike out I cringed at the mess and promptly brought it upstairs into the shower to get all the ice and dirt off.  Kind of comical, really. 

All in all, it was novel riding outside in February but far too messy to repeat right now.  Perhaps if I had a garage and a hose it would be more reasonable.  For now, I will continue to suffer on the trainer longing for the snowbanks to melt further back off the road.  March is close!  -  Brian