Tuesday, December 24, 2013

All I Want For Christmas

S 84°01.000' W 080°08.372' 16 nm
Very windy and cold today. I added my Pearl Izumi barrier jacket and pants to my normal layers. Days like today are so hard to get that right balance of frostbite protection and warmth but not too warm. I struggle with my hands a lot. I have to add and remove layers of gloves often to get things right. I've found though that the ice build up on my face mask makes a good wind block.
At times today I was turning the pedals so slowly that I was constantly on the edge of being able to balance. The wind was straight on, no need for a compass to navigate, just head straight into the blowing snow. At about half way through the day I decided to try and make my setup more aero. So I shortened the ropes to the sleds so the first could draft off of the bike, and the second sled could draft off of the first. Then I took the panniers off the rack and stuck them in the sleds. I think it helped. The panniers create a lot of drag in the high winds.
Merry Christmas everyone. I love Christmas. I am one that thinks Christmas songs songs should be listened to as soon as it starts snowing. I have never been away from home for Christmas before. So what do I want for Christmas? The strength to be able to go 16 miles tomorrow and each day.
A few years ago my daughter promised that if she could set up the Christmas tree she would take it down after Christmas. She never did and the tree stayed up in the front room all year. I am hoping that the tree will still be up when I get home and then I can have a big Christmas party.

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