Friday, March 4, 2011

Roadless trip

If I didn't do it now I may not do it at all this year. The ice could last for a few more weeks but the conditions for an epic ride out there might not be as good. I had time to kill and options on how to do it leaving the skis on the wall for some quality time on the 2 wheels. Put on the headphones, turned on a pod cast, shook up some hot pockets and I was off. It took all of 5 minutes before I left the smooth low rolling resistance of the black top. In the coming months I will see plenty of it, today I'm going to try and avoid it. The plan, Waubaushene to Midland roughly 18 km away with no pavement. There was one exception.

I can bunny hop just about anything, even with out the aid of full suspension but I was forced to avoid that big obstacle out there that stood about 4 feet high in places. Yep that dam pressure crack. Is it wide, I don't know, doubt it. I know the ice fairly well, that's why I'm out on it but the bigger factor that I use when out there is common sense. I know there is a crack there, I don't go near the crack, I go around the crack, I live to ride another day. The clowns that died out on their snowmobiles on the bay just a week or so ago were way off the trail system in an area that everyone knows it's not recommended to go. There is a reason the trail markers at that island point you the long way around, that was also the reason i diverted from the short route on to shore and that evil pavement for a km or so to go around that wall of ice.

It wasn't to long until I returned to my original route following the tree line out, way out. I was chasing Christmas trees. It's sometimes amazing how peaceful things can be, of course that's when business took over as that evil cell phone rang. My day to day job still trumps my doesn't pay a bill cycling one. After a few moments things were silent, this is when I took this.


I'm about 5km out in the middle of Georgian Bay, not very often do you get to ride your bike around channel markers. It was awesome out there, all that was needed was a comfy chair, a beer and the sun. Hmmm still time this season??? Continued along before making one of those infamous left turns, I can see Midland in the distance. It became very similar to riding in farm land where the road just seems to keep going and you never seem to get to the end. It was 45 minutes before I finally made it to what I initially saw. I rolled past the redneck fishing village of winter and up on the shore line. An hour forty five to get here, the day is not done yet. Evil pavement was now my friend.

My legs were happy to be back on the asphalt, the last half of my ice run had become very sluggish and not fun. The rest of the ride would be done on a darker substance, I also was a little more aware of the time, it was getting dark which meant it was getting colder and I was at the minimum an hour from home. So I turned right away from home to the top end of town for the long way around Midland. The trip continued with no craziness which in the state of my body was a good thing. My feet began to get cold, no big deal, it was my hands that I didn't like, they were starting to become uncomfortable. More hot pockets were cracked open and i started wishing I wore my boxing glove mitts. The ones that my hands almost sweat in in minus 20, they would be perfect if they weren't sitting on the shelf at home.

Put my head down and turned my legs trying to clear my mind, it's dark now and my little flashy lights are hopefully keeping me safe from passing cars, it's cold. I'm tired but not the riding tired, the trying to stay warm tired that battles misery. This was not fun, this is part of training though, it's a ramp up for those 24 hour type things when I'm cold and tired and don't want to keep going but I do. And I did, I rolled in the driveway 3:15 of rolling time. My fireplace became my friend, I didn't stick my feet into the fire, dam close though. The highlight, I rode past 7 pm and it was daylight for most of it, it won't be long before evening rides won't include lights. That's a great thing because the Chuck Norris bike is itching to get off the trainer.

More adventures today.

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