Crusty Cassette

"There's a biker up there," Linda said as we joined the bike path at the foot of Critchfield.

I couldn't see anyone but then I can't see any way. But soon I did spot a figure moving away quickly in the distance. Linada and I weren't going to catch him.

Helen, whose been on absentee list recently, had promised to show up but I expected no one else. The sky had been clear all morning but cold. By ride time though it had clouded up and the temperature was at a rideable 42 at my house.

Linda and I usually hit 129 to get to Southway rather than that steep twisty trail. As I passed under the bridge about to swing onto the bike trail, a cyclist came up the trail and headed across the bridge.

He was on an older bike, had one black shoe and one white--looked like a tenny runner and he had skinny legs like Mike Warnock. He foold me though since he was riding platform pedals. Turned out is was Mike on his winter bike, an old Schwinn. Still looked pretty light though.

Chris had driven down from the frozen north. Said he had five inches of fresh snow in his front yard this mroning. Chris only gets to ride when he comes to the vally but he still disappears out in front.

I suggested that Helen and Linda meet us somewhere for coffee assuming they'd ride the Clarkston Loop but Helen wanted to do Lindsay Creek. Chris, Mike and I headed up Tammany.

It wasn't long before the clouds cleared off and we found ourselves casting long dark shadows. No snow line appeared on the hill and most of the snow melted from the bed of Chris's pickup before we got back. I saw one reader board that claimed 53 degrees. It always lies though. Let's say 45 degrees. Not bad for the first week of January.

We didn't have enough light for a stop at Polar Bear and riding home so we scratched the snack.

Nice to have a crowd.

From my lazy boy I can see a dark blue spruce. It is thick and heavy. The wind does not trouble it much. In the Lazy Boy, gray kitty on my lap, book in hand, I studdied that blue Spruce this morning.

On Sunday I had thought the wind which swept those heavy blue needles not so bad until I stepped fully costumed for my ride out the front door. I lost all interest in the prospect of the 1 pm start.

I tried to gauge the force of the wind in those branches. Not so bad as Sunday, I thought. And the sun is shining stronger. But the forecast said 42 and its still onlly 35.

But I had called for the traditional New Year's ride. Perhaps someone would show up? I'll drive down and then I can come home easily if no one shows, I compromised.

That's Chris's pickup, I thought pulling into the boat launch. Guess, I'll be riding. The sun was bright and the boat launch seemed to be out of the wind. Chris was off somewhere spinning away the minutes until I arrived. I put on my helmet and test the wind. Yeah, I'd need my booties.

But the first rider I saw was Jim McCracken, not Chris. Suddenly we had a ride. When Chris pulled in, he recommended Lindsay and down Tammany. There's an east wind he reported.

Chris hasn't been on his bike since the last tme he came down sometime in early December, I think. Jim's been fishing or "casting" as he calls it. He's ridden once since Josph. The 25 miles of the Lewiston Loop were more than I had expected to do today in the wind and cold. I've been out nearly every day this week but only 15 milers. My toes scarcely have time to get cold.

Jim had on his balaclava. I opted to stick mine in a bag. I might want it coming down, Tammany I thought. Chris and Jim wore toasties; I put on the neoprene and was gald of it too.

I'd meant to bring the camera but had forgetten it and had sat for moments in the drive way trying to decide whether to go back into the house for it. Nah, no one's coming probably and if they did the picture would just show bikers in bright sunshine. Snow surrounds the valley but we had only a wet fall on Wednsday morning which dried off by 1 and let me get in a ride.

The Palouse is a different story with 195 closed for a few hours this week from Pulman to the top of the hill because of the drifting snow. The news is full of scenes of big CATs moving snow.

We had a good ride today in the sunshine though from Hell's Gate to the boat launch we faced a bitter northeast wind.

My toes were happy find the pickup waiting to take them home.

It pleases Steve to refer to this as my challenge. The truth of the matter is, that I was reluctant to even complete that first January century that put Steve on to this craziness.

I did get out on Tuesday last week when it was 60+ and did 30 miles.

On Wedesday, a car with a bike on a rack passed me as I started down Critchfield. The car pulled off to the left at the gravel parking lot at the bottom of Critchfield so I stopped to see if it was anyone I knew. Turns out to have been someone named Dun. At 76, he said he hesitated to ride with us thinking he couldln't keep up. We rode up Clemens and on to 10 mile together. He was in shorts despite the temps having dropped back to the high 40s. I had kept my tights on.

On Sunday, Linda and I and Helen rode to the Boat Launch for the usual Sunday 1pm start. We were pleased to meet Bill Arnold.

Bill had been on a mountain bike when he joined Sean and I last spring riding toward Steptoe Canyon. Bill turned around before climbing up Steptoe Canyon. He'd lost 25 lbs and has lost another 25 and bought a Lemond from old Sean.

Saturday Nicky and Mike hosted a Christmas party and Chris showed up. He's working three jobs now and doesn't have much time for cycling but he wanted to ride on Sunday. Doug was up for it so despite the over cast and temps below freezing, I geared up--booties and balaclava and headed out for a ride. Doug lead us up Lindsay Creek a bit fast for my taste, but Chris still jumped out on that first steep climb. I think Doug may have caught him by the top but how would I know--I was bringing up the rear.

The cold got to my toes despite the wool socks and booties. It is tough to get out when you are alone and the clouds are hanging low overhead. Not even STeve's Challenge can interest me in a century now. How'd you get one in on these short days?

Two years ago Corrie challenged me to do a century each month. Last year I found December the most challenging month, and the same this year. I had planned to ride on Saturday as the forecast was for sunny with forecast highs near 40. I was up before dawn, but unforecasted snow had fallen and didn’t melt until afternoon. Sunday was forecast for cold and sunny- a forecast high of only 33 which it never hit. It was 17 when I got up, but I still wanted to get out, and wanted to meet Corrie’s challenge a 2nd time! I knew my tights were inadequate, so I slipped my nylon shell pants over them thinking I could shed them before noon. Within an hour of leaving home the few icy spots on the road seemed to end, so I picked up my slow pace a bit, and the sun was high enough it slightly warmed my back as I headed west. I prefer doing the Emmett Century on Saturday’s as I enjoy the old turn-of-the-last century country store there, and it’s closed on Sundays. I stopped anyway to sit on their chairs on the sunny porch. I was ready for a snack, so I went to my pack for a Cliff Bar that had been there for about a year. As I tried to bite it, I decided it was harder than my teeth. Not wanting broken teeth or a dentist bill I stuffed it between my layered shirts hoping it would melt. My desire to salvage the Cliff bars was increased by my discovery I hadn’t brought my wallet! I still couldn’t bite or break the bar when I got to Emmet, about 7 miles away. I threw in on the ground hoping it would break. No luck. Tried again as hard as I could, and it shattered with about half the bar’s shreds flying through the park. By sucking the shreds that remained they became soft enough to chew! I had a 2nd dehydrated bar that I was able to break against the pavement without losing so much of it! A good reason to take your wallet on your next ride! By 3:00 MST unforecasted clouds were moving in; I couldn’t find the sun behind them; and the temps started falling. Despite the lack of food, I didn’t bonk though I was pretty hungry last night! Except for the lack of money, it was a pleasant ride. My feet were a bit chilly that first hour, and were getting that way again as I arrived home though that pair of nylon pants never came off. So, why am I not seeing blogs of some of your winter rides up in the banana belt? I did notice that day last week when your high was 65 degrees!

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