It was cold today!

I waffled back and forth for about an hour about riding outside, but since I am determined to get out as often as possible, it was time to suck it up and go--the thermometer was reading 16 degrees.

I got out a week or two ago and it was 11 degrees--today felt much colder, I think it was the fine snow that was coming down and blasting me that did it. I made it about a hour and a half, at which point I was still 10 miles from home. It was late and the wind started to pick up. It got so cold that I had to "pack some heat." No, I wasn't going NBA and bringing a gun with me, I had to put something in my pants to shield my unit from the frigid air. I wish I could say that I needed to take off my shoe cover or my extra long wool sock, but sadly, my sweatband was adequate protection. Poor little me.

So I managed to get in 2 hours outside. I rode a big loop out in Middlefield in an effort to stay on flat roads. It was a little boring, but I didn't have to deal with descending in the cold. The roads were pretty clear of ice and traffic.

You know the story, 2 hours of riding and an hour of clean-up time. It's amazing how trashed a bike gets with all the salt. Again, another plug for the fenders. Aside from my knees down, I was mud-free and dry as a bone.

You thought I forgot my third hour, didn't you? Yes, I only rode 2 hours outside, so I jumped on the trainer for another hour of sweatbox torture. I managed to hijack one of my birthday presents early and watched the first 8 stages of the 2000 Tour de France. Earlier in the week, I managed to knock off 3 1/2 hours of the 1999 TDF. It's such a trip seeing all the old equipment--the bikes look nuts with the superlong top tubes and stems. I suppose on a less pleasant note, it's interesting to see all the guys that we now know were totally juiced. On the bright side, I figure I've got about 20 hours left to get through all 7 of Lance's victories. It gives me something small to look forward to while I suffer away on the indoor bike. As the temperatures are looking colder for tomorrow, and I only have so many sweatbands, I can't wait to see the boys of the TDF hit the Pyrenees--or should tomorrow be a rest day?