winter cleanup

Is it spring yet? I don't think it's that I'm sick of winter but more of winter riding. Yes, I would much rather ride outside than sit on the vomit machine but what I'm finding is I'm sick of cleaning bikes. I love my bikes spotless and showroom shinny but it seems that I'm spending as much time is cleaning as I am riding. Having the bike wash in the basement has made life so much easier, I'm just a little to grown up now to be washing them in the normal bath tub. I've done it then spent half an hour degreasing the tub.

It doesn't matter if I ride road or somewhat trail the bike comes back begging to sprayed down. Sand in every part of the drivetrain, salt everywhere else on those road rides. It doesn't help that I've been avoiding riding my winter specific beat the shit out of them and put away wet and dirty bikes, if I ride nice bikes nice weather will come right? It's also that mind set that if I look fast, altered thought if the bikes look fast!!! I will be fast. I'm not sure it's working but I'll keep telling myself that.

It won't be long now, I hope that the Chuck Norris bike will be gleaming even after a week of solid riding, where cleaning up after a trail ride is pretty much a light dusting of the frame if anything at all, not the up to an hour of scrubbing that it seems to currently take. I know I'm ranting and complaining but I'm probably thinking what everyone else is. We're anxious for spring so Mother Nature speed the hell up, let global warming take action and melt all this snow. May I suggest you start in Copeland forest. XC skiing there is pretty much done, as it is in most of the big back yard, it's that time of year that becomes a crap shoot for waxing and with all the crap that fell during the hurricane conditions are far from pristine. Melt and I'll play with the rocket skis next year. I can still skate, I have the bay for a couple more weeks.

Wild guess on what I did last night, yep cleaned both the cross bike and the hard tail for the umpteen time this month. They have been washed more in the month of February that they will for the rest of the year. I think it will be a skate day, sun is up and I'm needing some colour in my pale winter skin.