There's cold in them thar hills...

It's a good thing I'm not using voice recognition software to type this post. I'm not sure my words would be clear enough with a frozen jaw. It was cold again this morning - 32 when I started my ride and 30 at the end. Brrrrrr!

I got out the door a little slower than yesterday, so I had a little less time to ride. I rode down by the bank to look at the flag and get an idea of the wind direction because the weather online was a bit too inconclusive. The flag wasn't much better. It was hanging pretty limp, but the fabric was laying on the west side of the pole indicating a breath from the east. I decided to head out toward Glendale south and east of town.

I have to admit here and now that I do not have climbing legs. I have been off my bike for so long that my body has forgotten how to gut it out when the road tips up. I rode slowly up the slope on Country Club Road and then even slower up the climb south of the lake. Grrrrr!

Of course, the ride wasn't all climb. I live in Kansas, so there was plenty of flat ground to cover. That went much more pleasantly. I cruised along at 17mph+ most of the time.

When I got back to the lake, I decided I had a little time to kill so I took a loop around the local fishing hole. On the north side of the lake, I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings. There's never anyone out at the lake till sunrise anyway. Never say never. I was startled by a couple of women out walking. They were wearing dark colors and barely showed up before I was right on them. Glad I wasn't looking down at my Garmin. When I left the lake loop, I nearly wiped out in the ditch on the opposite side of the road. I hate riding in the dark when there are no white lines to highlight the edge of the pavement.

I rode back home by way of NE 25th and Highway 54. I wanted to keep the puny 16mph average I had, so I stood to climb the hill passed the Sonic Drive-In. I rode up and over and just past Pizza Hut turned onto Howard. I was going to turn on Random, but a car coming from the north changed my plans. I rode on up Howard and turned into my driveway from the east.

I hope my climbing legs come back soon. I have a goal of riding the Gyp Hills between Medicine Lodge and Coldwater before the year's out. I will die on those hills if I'm riding then like I was this morning. (garmin data)