Tuesday, February 08, 2005

February Thaw

It felt like spring in my part of New Hampshire yesterday. It's been feeling that way for too long, considering that it won't really be spring for another three months, no matter what the temperature does.

I almost took a ride on the fixed gear, but I figured that the discomfort of the different muscle use and my lack of saddle toughness wouldn't be worth it, since it wouldn't go to build this season's cycling fitness. Winter will return. It always does.

Once or twice in the last 16 years I've started riding almost this early and kept it up. But those were phenomenally bad winters, not just disappointing ones, as this one is proving to be.

Riders who live only to ride will be spending the winter either dealing with the weather outdoors or riding the trainer indoors. Someone like that would be ready to zip out for an off-season ride. But I try to let winter be winter, and do the things in winter that can only be done then.

Before I skied, I hiked. I like having an off season, an other season. If civilization overtakes me, destroying the nature around my home, perhaps I'll return to the mechanized faith. Mechanized, but never motorized. But that remains to be seen.

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