So I've got a couple of knees that aren't exactly really happy right now and maybe 90 miles of commuting under my belt for cumulative pedaling so far this season. Weather was nice this weekend. Maybe time to get a few easy spinning miles in? Get the knee all rehabed up for the race coming up in two weeks?
Oh come on, you know me better than that. It's time to ride out to the biggest fucking hill I can find, ride to the top, then take the muddy, rock strewn road back down the other side. Also gotta sneak in as much dirt as I can on the way there and back.
You know a ride's going to be good when the road gods bless you with a pizza within the first five miles. I'm sure there was a beer or two out there as well- or certainly enough empties to buy some. The receding snowbanks revealed all kinds of hidden treasure. And deer carcasses.
A few miles later, I turned off the pavement and hit my first dirt of the day. I stopped at the top of the hill and looked back down the road, out over Keweenaw Bay towards the Huron Mountains I'd soon be trying to conquer. This picture demonstrates my complete inability to capture such images.
Climbing the paved section to Herman, stopping to see what I've accomplished. My photography skills continue to amaze.
Climbing up to Herman is always cool, as it's the closest thing we have to a mountain road around here. You can actually watch as the climate and geology change the higher you get. Herman proved to have some interesting road conditions at times.
And other times, was totally awesome.
Logging crews were out in force. Or at least their equipment was. I'm convinced that when the robot apocalypse comes, humans will meet extinction in the claws of things resembling logging machinery.
I gotta say, my fancy new wool jersey (Thanks, mom!) really did the trick. It's much more tolerant of the wide ranging weather conditions you see in a typical day than the usual synthetic bike garb. Unfortunately, this is the best I can do in the beard department, so I still can't qualify as a full on wool n' leather retrogrouch yet.
Finished up with about 85 miles on the clock. I was dismayed that my knee was giving me some grief. Happily, not "HOLY SHIT STOP WHATEVER THE HELL YOU'RE DOING!!!" kind of grief, but a more mellow "Sorry pal, we're not at full strength yet, so take it easy." kind. So I seem to be making progress- despite doing stupid things on the bike. I think I'll be in good shape for the Barry Roubaix and well on my way to a trouble free Ragnarok in a month.
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