This morning it was just 33 degrees at 9:30 AM. It was Peg's ride and Larry J, Don R, Toni P and I showed up looking like masked bandits with our Balaclavas covering our faces. I was plenty warm wearing my Phantom Gore Wear jacket (with the sleeves zipped in), a turtle neck Under Armour long sleeve shirt, a feather-weight vest, wind stopping tights over padded bike shorts, Smart Wool liner socks and second pair of medium weight wool socks, full GoreTex shoe booties with Instant Heat pads between the bootie and shoe toe, a WindStopper full coverage balaclava, fit-over sunglasses to block more wind, and last important cold weather garment - one set of gloves inside Oasics wind-proof mittens. A warm Instant Heat pack inside the mitten. Good thing I didn't have to go pee - I'd be like the little boy in "A Christmas Story" who got all bundled up to go out in the snow and said he had to "P". Was I too warm on this twenty-five mile ride out of Greensburg Park this morning? Not really. My toes stayed warm, and fingers too. Those are my biggest worries as I'm totally miserable if they are cold. But after a couple of hills my long sleeve UnderArmour was feeling a tad too much covering. I wanted to rip it off actually. I start to feel itchy with that garment when I've worked up a sweat.
But oh what a nice ride. The sun shone a little, the snow had stopped for a couple of hours and the wind wasn't bad 'atall!! I stopped at Buehler's Market on the way home and got goodies to make a salad. I hope I burn more calories in this cold weather -- with my body trying to stay warm. This is the first year I have biked in colder temps. I just get out there and give it a try. Once I get going I find I do pretty good. I don't think I want to do much more than 30 miles max though in these cold months.
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