-15 means different things to different folks

We have a few things to talk about today. The least among them is this;

There was some CX racing that happened this past Saturday. If it looks like I’m going slow, it’s because I am. They give me a number plate so people don’t try to kick me off the course thinking that I am some shmoe that just happened to be riding by. It’s also been determined that whoever laps me the most times, wins. I won last place, again.

Although I’m pretty sure that I’m in 2nd place for the series, go figure.

If you haven’t hit one of the races up yet, there is still one left for you to dip your toes in the CX river. And remember the cool thing about cross is that just being there and heckling is just as much fun as riding. So if you don’t feel like burning your lungs in cold weather, just show up and shake a cowbell in my face. After all, this past race I had to heckle the crowd to even get a “pedal!” out of ’em. Some of the worst heckling ever…

This may have been due to the fact that my personal cheering section made up about half of the spectators.

That be my mum, grandmum and meself. Add in KB and the three of them were there to cheer me on and didn’t heckle at all.

Did I mention that it was cold on Saturday? I had to make a mid race pit stop to change gloves because I couldn’t feel my hands any more. This was exactly one day before I experience the odd sensation of my balaclava freezing to my face on my commute to work. Most of us live in SG because the weather is awesome, most of the time. With that in mind, let’s see how things are stacking up.

Yup, that doesn’t look too bad. I can handle it feeling like 12 right now when I can see 50+ degrees on the forecast within three days. SG is for Super Great. This also means that kick ass riding weather is exactly three days away and it’s already time to start thinking about the garden, amongst other things.

This cold snap has brought back good memories of my residence in the Polar North. As I mentioned in my last post, back then I was a legit cyclocommuter. Yesterday’s race into work was cold and it got me to remembering those times in the frozen upper corner of this state. And while 11 degrees was cold yesterday morning, it doesn’t compare to 15 below, which happens to be the coldest morning that I have ever commuted in.

I had a class, don’t recall which, that was at 8 a.m. I was running behind in the morning and didn’t get to check the temperature as was my habit to ensure that I was properly protected from the cold. Those six or seven blocks to campus felt like 20 miles. I couldn’t believe how cold I was. Once in class, I quickly used my few minutes before things got rolling to see how cold it was. I may have chosen a different form of transportation had I known that it was 15 below. As luck would have it, that morning still holds my record.

See I am a legit cyclocommuter.

This can also be seen every time I talk to someone I haven’t seen a couple of years and the conversation moves to not being able to ride as much as we did. Eventually the other person always looks at me and asks, “Well, you are still riding to work, right?” To which there is a confused look on their face when I say I haven’t commuted in months. I always feel a little disappointment in having to answer that question that way. There must be something seriously wrong with me.

In my defense, the Mooseknuckler-mobile has not moved other than to transport me to said CX race in a week. I feel pretty good about that.

To wrap this post up, let’s close with the latest edition of Stuff that doesn’t suck.

Having been commuting in “cold” temperatures once again, I have had the opportunity to pull out some gear that I haven’t used in quite some time.

11 years ago today (not really, I don’t remember exactly when I bought it), I pulled a Pearl Izumi Klondike long-sleeve jersey off the rack at Red Rock Bicycle Co. and purchased it. It’s the equivalent of a mid-weight fleece in cycling jersey fit. Most of the year, it is too hot to use. I pulled it out yesterday and mumbled to KB, “It’s not often I get to wear this.” It did it’s job well as it has done the times I’ve needed it for the past decade. Other than a few fleece balls hanging off it, the jersey looks exactly the same as it did when I purchased it.

I did a quick search and PI does not make the Klondike anymore. So if you don’t have one, you’re shit out of luck. And if you do, today’s weather is probably perfect for wearing it.

P. L. and R. Now it’s time to figure out what I’m going to wear to make this commute tolerable…