Bootyless

Sweet!! A ride without booties and winter riding jacket! Yes, folks, it hit 68 degrees here today. I rode to work today, and on the way home I was positively sweltering in my winter sidis, wool socks, verge tights, craft base layer, and long-sleeved jersey. I had no idea how warm it was until I got going. I almost stopped to strip the tights, but waited until I got home, then changed into knee warmers, arm warmers, a short-sleeved jersey, and went back out. No gloves, no shoe covers, no windstopper headband. I rode until dark. Just felt awesome to be out. I didn't want to stop, but it got dark and I was getting hungry. So I rode about 3.5 hours today. Not bad for a rest day when I didn't need to ride much at all! I can't wait for this weekend. Long ride tomorrow and again Sunday, or maybe even Wells Ave. Maybe, since it's often a crashfest early season, and I don't want to get tangled up with hairy-legged guys...

So I dropped 8 bills on my bike this week. But now I don't want to use it!! I don't want any grit in the new drivetrain or cabling! It's all decked out with new cassettes, chainrings, tubbies (and a spare set), derailleur pulleys, cabling, chain, etc. God, this hobby is friggin' expensive. I also got training tires and a campy cassette body so I could switch my shimano-compatible cyclocross Ksyrium wheels to Campy to use for road season. I can't even remember what else I ordered. Hopefully I won't actually need anything else all season! I can't bear to ride my road bike until the streetsweepers suck the sand up next month, but my cross bike only has a 48-tooth front chainring and different sized crankarms, and I can't train on that much longer... besides, I probably shouldn't race Wells with cantilever brakes...