Road Ride!

I enjoy winter in Maryland. Unlike summer where the bugs out number everything else in the universe, there are no bugs in winter. Except that crazy new immortal stinkbug that must have been designed by a rogue nation. So I wanted to get a good road ride in before more snow and ice arrives. It was 27 ºF (-3 ºC) with 20 mile winds. I layered up and covered every bit of exposed skin that I could and headed down Truslow Road towards Rt 213 looking like a ninja that decided a large bike helmet and Columbia jacket was extra intimidating. I took a left on Fey Road where I traveled for about 3 miles along the frozen Chester River. The road turned right into a long uphill grade for about a mile. I put it in high gear and stood on the pedals until I got to the top. By then, I was sweating and sucking cold air into my lungs that immediately condensed on exhale and fogged my glasses up. I turned around, mainly because my feet were getting pretty cold and I still had to return home. Road riding in winter is a lot colder than mountain bike riding because you can go a lot faster. I can really get overheated picking my way through the woods at 10 mph. But yesterday, going all out downhill at about 25 mph with a head wind after sweating uphill, well that's a wakeup call that you want to avoid if at all possible. Even my best ninja gear didn't keep that cold out. I need to do a lot more of these shakedown runs before I attempt any 50 milers in winter.