WEATHER

A big part of riding... being able to... enjoying the ride... has to do with WEATHER. This winter has been a very cold, wet, and downright brutal offering of cold temps. Not conducive to cycling at all.

It's cold days like this that I kick myself for not riding more in August and July. Crazy how "PERFECT" weather is during those months. I'm anxious to get on my bike, but I know deep down that it's going to be a while before the weather is back on my side.

For now, I'll just sift through my memories (and blog entries) of my summer rides. I need to ride more in the summer. :)

READY TO RIDE...

But the weather has other things in mind. Ice. Sleet. Snow. Freezing Rain. Rain. Wind.

Won't be riding today or tomorrow, for sure.

The knee is a bit better. I got a cortisone shot in it. Seems to be doing the temporary trick.

Surgery is most likely off in the distance. Not this week though.

I just want to go bike riding.

ITCHING TO RIDE

I'm itching to ride. Can't. The knee is keeping me off my bike. It sucks. I'm hoping tomorrow to find out the course of treatment I'm going to have to go through to get this fixed. Surgery? Maybe. Hopefully not.

We'll see. The weather was warm enough yesterday for a nice ride. Too windy for it, but the temps were great.

Stay tuned.

MRI

I had my MRI yesterday on my knee. LOUD machine. I had headphones on and it was still deafeningly loud.

I will find out this coming Wednesday what the deal is with it. Surgery? Cortisone shots? Rehab? All the above? Not sure.

I'm hoping it's quick, whatever it is.

Stay tuned

X-RAY SHOWED THAT I NEED AN MRI

Great. The knee saga continues. Bummer. I'm hoping to get this darn thing done so I can get back on my bike. The weather today is KILLER warm for our part of the US this time of year. Go figure.

Those of you that know me know I don't do "immobile" very well. I'm restless. I get bored "sitting down." I can't do it. I have to be going 100mph at all times. If I sit down, it's to eat or fall asleep. I'm not a "crasher."

The options presented to me all include a bit of that "immobile" word. I'm not happy.

This Saturday I have an MRI scheduled. I hear you have to be pretty still during those? Anyone out here ever had one? What can I expect?

Immobile. I get the heeby-jeebies just thinking about it.

MONDAY CAN'T COME QUICK ENOUGH....

I've always prided myself (almost to the point of bragging) that I have a good, strong back and 2 good knees.

Scratch that. Make it 1 strong back, and only 1 good knee. My right knee is KILLING me. I've torn something on the inside portion of my knee. I have Dr. appt coming up on Monday. I actually can't wait. Hope they diagnose it and fix it quick! I'm limping around here like I'm in my mid 90's. Sad. (It hurts...)

Needless to say, my cycling has been curtailed to the point of non-existence. It sucks. I'm ready to ride. I want to ride. My knee has other plans for me right now.

Monday can't come quick enough, for once....

HEAT WAVE

I rode in this morning. Nothing new this year. The temp though was a BALMY 28 degrees. More than TWICE yesterday's morning temps.

Almost had to break out the shorts.

SO FAR, SO GOOD

I've hopped on my bike 8 of the 11 days this year. No major mileage, but the count is impressive. Hope to keep it up.

I rode in toward work this morning for my 4 mile ride. 12 stinking degrees outside. My feet froze. Need to put on another pair of socks in weather like this. Great ride in though.

Yesterday, Bill and I headed out to the US National Whitewater Center here in Charlotte, NC to do some nice mountain biking. What a great time! Nice trails. I forgot how much of a TOTAL body workout mountain bike riding is. My legs were toast by the time we were done.

So far this year, I have ridden into work EVERY day. FREE parking. :) Can't wait to jump on my bike this afternoon. At least it will be in the 40's. Not 12 degrees like this morning.

I was talking with Bill yesterday, as we rode in 19 degree weather and we both agreed that in August, we could kick ourselves for not riding in the WARMTH.... After freezing some body parts you didn't know you owned, riding in the warmth is all you can think of. Sweating your ass off. Not worrying about layers. What a thought!

It took me 20 minutes to get dressed yesterday. Long underwear, then my long riding pants, followed by sweat pants. 2 pairs of socks, 1 T-Shirt, 1 Long Sleeved Shirt, 1 Sweat Shirt, 1 riding jacket, and then 1 colorful short sleeve riding shirt. Not done yet. 2 pairs of gloves, followed by my Balaclava (a face mask) and skull cap, topped with my helmet.

It was quite the look. I was warm for the most part. My fingers were a little cold in the beginning. I warmed up though.

Still, one of the coldest rides I've done.

C'mon August!

5

I have ridden into work 5 days in a row here. I think that is a first for me. Cold weather and all. Yeah.

I'm hoping the momentum here keeps up. I love the downtime on my bike each morning. The afternoon ride back to the car is therapeutic.

I parked a tad bit further out today that I want to make permanent. 20 miles a week simply riding into work. The miles there will add up before too long.

That, and I'm saving $5 a day on parking. That's $1,000 a year, just to ride my bike. I'll take it.

4 DOWN, 1 TO GO

Days of the week that is. I have ridden into work each morning this week. In temps in the teens. Nice. This morning's ride was so invigorating. Truly. Had the heart going and the blood pumping. I enjoyed it.

Gonna be even colder next week. Brrr!