I may be tiring of winter

For a second day in a row, the office was closed. Every school district in the area had classes except Pittsburgh Public. I slept in until Cal decided it was time to play his favorite game: 'step on mom and stick my cold, drippy nose in her eye until she wakes up because we're hungry'. Ask me if I like playing that game.

I was loathing the thought of dragging myself into the office and undertaking the task of layering.  Getting ready for a ride takes as long as the ride itself when the temperatures are very low. Boots, socks, glove liners, mittens, toe warmers, goggles, ear warmers, 3 layers of pants, 4 layers of shirts. Damn, I am finding this rigamarole tiresome.

OK, I had to get on the bike somehow today. I really needed to try out the new toys on this last cold day for some time. A long range forcast for February looks good as far as temperatures.
I mustered up and I brought the bike back to work and got caught by the president in the office when we're not supposed to be there. Ooops. I used the excuse that I was dropping work off that I had finished at home and was collecting more work to take home that night. Never you mind that bike I'm rolling in.


Cadence computer: I must have it installed incorrectly, I can only get a reading of 45-56.
Pogies: Ugh. I'm glad I only spent $20 on them. I feel like my arms are lashed to the handlebars. This might be OK for long trips where one doesn't need to brake and shift constantly. These may be good for trails, not stop and go on the streets. They come up very far on my arms and it's difficult to pull my arms out of them. I don't like feeling tied to the bike, (bedposts, sure, but not a moving bike!) I'll never use clips. I could not use them today.
Bar extender: I don't like where I've positioned it.

Ohferthree on the new toys.

With a pair of Gore-Tex Cabela's mitts, two layers of liners and a set of toe and hand warmers I was great starting out in 10 degrees. I decided I might try and get over to Thick to see if they could adjust the cadence computer and re-situate the bar extender, but I had forgotten my wallet... again. I'd remembered everything except my wallet. This was a bad habit I needed to get out of.

So, I went as far as the Cork Factory in the Strip to get more shots of the icy Allegheny.

The view of the Allegheny from the Cork Factory

A warped panorama from atop the Clemente Bridge.

I saw this cyclist on the Clemente Bridge, one of three I saw along my travels today.

On the way back, gusts nearly knocked me over, twice. My hands were perfectly toasty. No one beeped at me and only one close pass by a distracted driver. I was able to use the still-warm toe and hand warmers around our chilly house in my slippers: BONUS! On this cold, sun-drenched day, a 1 hour ride that ultimately, I didn't regret.


2014 YTD Miles: 151
BMI: 25.9