Finding Nemo – by Bicycle

Winter storm Nemo hit like a bad Clint Eastwood speech the last two days, blowing full force in the Valley. We got nearly two feet of snow in less than 24 hours. People were talking about the Blizzard of '78, but I lived through that Blizzard, I sledded in that Blizzard, and winter storm Nemo, you're no Blizzard of '78.

Sorry... Political flashbacks...

I was eagerly planning to find out what it's like to cross-country ski in howling, snowy winds yesterday, but I ended up spending much of the weekend fighting off the cold that Mrs. V was suffering from all week. Instead, I entertained myself by cooking a special meal for last night. Not a bad way to beat cabin fever, though it sadly added calories instead of subtracting.

Today, I felt a bit better, so I ventured out to the big farm field next door on my skis. Unfortunately, all I could manage to do was post-hole my way around the meadow one time. Exhausting and not fun; no gliding going on at all.

So, I popped back in the house, changed into hiking boots, and hit the road (though not literally, despite plentiful snow and ice) on the all-season, all-terrain, all-awesome Salsa Vaya -- these days featuring the Sport Package: full fenders, lights, and rack.

Before I knew it, I was off in search of Nemo... or its aftermath, at least. My 35 mm Kenda Small Block Eights were enough to keep me upright (with a few intentional pounds lower PSI than usual), and there was no shortage of gorgeous winter views. The weather was very cooperative -- 32 degrees with a warm sun and stark blue skies, saturated with winter intensity. First sighting: a classic Hadley tobacco barn, all decked out in dress whites for the occasion. (Tobacco used to be a cash crop around here, before the anti-smoking days.)

Next, a more traditional barn, with the residential towers of UMass Amherst rising like sentinels in the background. 

It wasn't a long ride, since I didn't want to risk my health, but after two full days trapped in the house (literally, since our plow guy didn't get here until mid-morning today) it was very, very welcome.

Don't let winter stop you having fun. Be persistent, and be willing to compromise. You don't have to be out for hours to feel the good of it. To quote the megagazillion-dollar coporation and their genius marketing guys: "Just Do It."

Adventure Journal: When you're not out there yourself

Okay, so winter storm Nemo has us socked in like a pair of bears waiting for spring. Doesn't keep me from posting about bikes. Or re-posting, more accurately. I spent the morning trolling around on my new iPad Mini, and stumbled across a very promising blog: Adventure Journal. In addition to all kinds of thoughts and reports about all things outdoors, they devote regular space to people doing very cool (or crazy) things with bikes.

Here's one great story about a Black man in a sketchy neighborhood in Denver who's singlehandedly building a cycling culture, against great odds. He fixes WalMart bikes for homeless folks needing to get to jobs, and also spends time in the summer building his own whips, branded Chocolate Spokes.

Here's another about a Canadian racer who will be spending the winter training in Florida. No news there, except that he decided he needed yet more miles... So he's riding all the way there. Through snow and single-digit temps.

I'm guessing I'll be spending more time on Adventure Journal.

In the meantime, pass the remote, willya?

Midwinter Meander

Three-and-a-half hour winter base ride today, temps could have been higher to suit me -- mid-20s most of the day. Thank goodness for my wonderful new Thermos with the one-hand trigger-top sip lid.  There is just nothing as good as hot coffee on a long, frigid ride, especially when you can drink on the fly. Though pulling off on a ridge-top to enjoy a moment of sun and a long view makes the taste that much better.

Everything the Thermos site says about this puppy is true, and then some. And, with a standard stainless steel bottle cage, I can squish the opening a bit and the bottle stays snug.

The ride was beautiful, cold, long, and fun. Not necessarily in that order.

Rusting farm machinery, some of the Valley's best scenery

Circles times circles

Colors aren't restricted to spring and summer

The eponymous feature of Falls Road -- Frozen, for February

Can you see the ice fishing folk on Lake Warner? Dozens!

About eight miles in, when my fingers felt close to frostbite, I considered cutting the ride short. Glad I didn't. Whatever you do in the winter to stay fit, make sure to put some warm clothes on and get outside as part of it.

January Update

There's been so much happening on the biking front in the last few weeks that I've been too busy to blog. Sorry about that, dear reader! Here's a quick list of highlights:

• After establishing a one-day-per-week private practice not far from our house, I've been commuting by bike every week and loving it -- even in frigid cold.
• The commuting has necessitated lots of interesting purchases such as fenders, lights, a rack, a pannier, good pants clips, etc. Tons of research and development, lots of fun.
• Over the holiday break, I rode every single place I had to go -- to meet friends, shop, go to the library, etc. -- using my new rack and pannier. I had a blast and retained much of my late-season fitness from 2012.
• Also over the break, it snowed a fair amount over two days, and I cross-country skiied five separate times. I was a bit burned out by the end of the break, but I was in great shape. Turns out skiing is every bit as good for bike cross-training as people say. I've been scooting up the hills the last couple weeks on the bike.
• A New Year's resolution: to lose enough weight so that I come in at maximum 160 pounds -- with a second goal of 158. I'll try that for a while and see how hard it is to maintain. Meantime, I'm eating like a ballerina -- tons of vegetables and fruits, lean meats, and then near-daily doses of healthy cholesterol, like eggs or cheese or red meat. Seems to be working -- I actually lost a few pounds in December, of all months.
• Just back from 27 miles and 1600', and feeling spry. Though the wet, 40-degree headwind was annoyingly cold, it just makes hot chocolate afterward that much more yum.
• Researching a good handlebar bag. I have a goal to ride longer distances in 2013, and this is part of it. Also, a great winter asset for holding that extra layer I need to don before those frigid descents.

Keep 'em turning, folks. Talk soon.

Amherst Cross-country Skiing and a Winterized Salsa Vaya

I've been off work for a week or so, and as you may have heard, it's been a friggin' winter wonderland here in New England this past few days. I have indeed taken good advantage of this delightful combination of circumstances.

We got our first real snow in a year on Thursday night. Not much -- a few inches -- but it was enough to merit digging out the cross-country skis and head to our local hilly golf course. It was technically a weekday morning, and there were delightfully few others around. I parked on the shoulder, clicked in, and off I went. Once I climbed to the top of the hill, I discovered an extensive network of wooded trails off the back of the course, and amassed one-and-a-half hours poking around back there. Not bad for the season kick-off.

Friday, I spent part of the afternoon at my LBS -- Hampshire Bicycle Exchange -- chatting away with the good-natured staff and taking advantage of the off-season lull to commandeer some of their professional-grade tools. (Oh, joy!) I finally properly (re-)installed on the Vaya the fenders and rack I'd bought from them a couple weeks ago. Consequently, yesterday found me tooling around downtown Hadley on said bicycle, sporting my stylish new black Ortlieb pannier and running every errand I could think of to extend the ride. (Pix and reviews of all gear to come, in the new year.)

During a what-the-heck addition of a back road with a good view of the Holyokes, the next snow started dumping, and I made for home. 

I'm rediscovering the joys of winter riding, both through commuting to my new one-day-a-week private practice office, and going everywhere by bike this vacation. It's been the healthiest, happiest vacation I can remember.

That snow yesterday turned into three or four more inches overnight (oh, the joy of hearing the plows going by all night!) and I headed back to the golf course this morning to find out where those trails really led. Miles of woodsy tracks led me on and on, though I was out of food and the needle was on E. Postcardy tableaus of snow-laden pine branches against bright cobalt skies, and very few fellow travellers, once I really got out there. Two good hours of exploration and exertion, followed by an exemplary guten-free, aprés-ski grilled sandwich and hot java at Cushman Market, clomping around in my ski boots. 

Thence, homeward, fully sated.

How often I've said it, and yet I keep discovering it: The Pioneer Valley is an outdoor paradise. Get out there!