Winter Training Precautions

Cool beans....it was 40 degrees today in Heber so I was very comfortable while riding outside. That is pretty much a miracle in January!

A few things about winter riding that I noticed today are that all those yards with fences that enclose dogs that like to chase you SUCK because all the snow makes it extremely easy for dogs to jump the fence. Luckily the ones I am thinking of didn't quite clear it today although they did try.

And one puffy poodle who was a bit angry to see a cyclist, I might add, forgot the fence was there all together. That was funny stuff to watch him haul a#$ towards the fence so completely focused on me that he totally forgot about the fence. "Yipe!!" was the last peep I heard from that doggie.

The other thing is that cars just simply don't expect a nut job like yourself to be out on your bike in the middle of winter so you need to be extra careful.

In addition, there are sections of pavement that sit in non exposed places making it slick. Watch for those! Not everything is melted off at the same time depending on exposure.

The width of the roads can be smaller with all the snow surrounding and on them too. So be prepared to have to time things accordingly so that all cars and you can fit through at the same time. You get really good at timing things that is for sure!

And when you get back in to the nice WARM house of yours, expect to have the overwhelming sense of needing to use the facilities (even if you didn't have to a second ago) and plan accordingly. You certainly don't want to be running through the house in all your wet gear even though, believe me, that is what you would like to do!