Riding outside and oriental grasses...

Saturday, January 12, 2013

I’d been reading the weather reports for the past two days that had forecasted temperatures in the fifties over the weekend.  I’d determined that, regardless of rain, I would be riding if it was that warm.  I walked outside to grab the paper first thing in the morning and knew instantly I’d be riding.  The roads were moist from overnight precipitation, but I had some chores to do around the yard and house that could easily take me to noon by which time, with some luck, they would be dry. 

We have oriental grasses all around our yard.  They started out as wee little things several years ago, but as they grew and expanded, Holly instructed my to half and quarter them, transplanting the pieces parts around the yard so that the four plants we’d started with were now around twenty.  She likes them…which pretty much means I like them…but after a summer of growing like…well…weeds, they stand about six feet tall and turn into amber-colored stalks which have to be cut down and bundled up.  Holly won’t let me do this until after Thanksgiving since she likes to see them all brown and dead and then uses cuttings for her Thanksgiving decorations.  I figured I had a little time to whack them down after bird day, but I procrastinated and then five feet of snow fell on them.

Anyway…the snow was gone…the grasses were smashed to the ground…and I had to cut and bundle them and get them to the curb.  It took a couple of hours and lots of sweat, but that was okay because it was making for a good warm-up for my ride.

I hadn’t been on ‘UB Express’ since the snow had fallen and I still hadn’t transferred my saddle bag, water cages and tire pump from ‘Big Red’.  I spent thirty minutes preparing the bike and by 12:30 was ready to ride.  Though not a drop of rain had fallen, the roads were still covered in a fine mist of water.  Not perfect road conditions, but it was in the low sixties in January and I wasn’t complaining.  I headed out with the intention of riding at least two hours.

I pretty much had the roads to myself.  I suppose most cyclists have their bikes loaded away for the winter and with snow still melting onto the roads, I could understand that sentiment.  Fortunately, I’ve overcome that mentality and will take any opportunity to ride outside.  I had two large water bottles in my cages and consumed almost all of it before the ride was completed…it was that warm.  I was slightly out of shape for the climbs after spending the last five weeks inside on a trainer, but I felt I did well and rode hard throughout.

Tomorrow is supposed to be warm though heavy rains are predicted.  Should they hold off though, I’ll be ready for another long, January ride. 

Bike duration:  Two hours and 10 minutes.

Training Heart Rate:  120 bpm.

Calories burned during workout:  1825.