In Which Some Early Spring Rides Are Freakishly Cold

Dry Creek, early this morning, from the C Avenue bridge. For this time of year, it's very unusual for it to be iced over. A pretty, but very cold, morning ride to the gym--the air temperature around 7, I think.

The sun was shining Wednesday, and I had an errand to run at Mount Mercy, so late in the morning I set out.

Man, it was very cold. Luckily, I had checked the temperature, so I was not surprised and I had long johns and a scarf on—the full winter biking outfit (other things, too, I just mean the long johns and the scarf are things I would not normally have also been wearing).

The morning ride was cold, but I assumed as I worked that it was warming up a bit—so by 12:30 p.m., when I got ready to head out, I texted my wife to suggest we meet downtown for lunch. Fortunately, she did not respond and I headed for home, because, even though the temperature had gone up, the wind speed had gone up even more, and it was a psycho cold ride home. I took the trail, wanting a bit more of a ride, and frankly, I don’t know that I enjoyed the extra ride all that much.

Today, March 21, it’s still January weather in spring. I rode my bike to the gym this morning, and briefly toyed with the idea of a trail ride on the way home. However, the Lindale Trail is closed right now (I assume maybe flood damage on the Boyson Trail?), and the very cold air persuaded me to head directly home.

I may yet ride this afternoon. The wind is much milder than yesterday, and the temperature warmer. I know I’ll need two pairs of socks, but I’m not totally sure about the long johns.

Well see, but this morning was quite cold.

I found, via the Northtowne Bike Shop web site, a “map my route” application, that I sort of regret using. I mapped my morning commute, and it came to 3.6 miles. Now, the actual route I ride is slightly longer—the mapped route does not include climbing the hill at MMU and crossing campus, and there is a detour west of the Rockwell Collins building that doesn’t show up on the mapped ride—but that 3.6 number deflated my ego, a bit. I always claimed I was biking about 5 miles. Just short of 4 isn’t exactly the same—and the fact that it takes me 30 minutes is a bit sobering.

On the other hand, it’s an in-town commuting route. There are lots of stops, waiting for traffic or the light to change, and few long stretches of flat-out biking .And 4 (I’ll claim 4 due to the extra distances not mapped) is still 4.

It makes me more determined to ride for a little while this afternoon. I definitely need the RAGBRAI training miles!

Ice on Dry Creek.