Sick of snow.

This was Fox Lake Road yesterday.

Actually, it was okay to ride, and in fact quite passable (I rode it in reverse, which is definitely the easier way—but still a strenuous climb). My ride on Tuesday took me through some other seasonal roads, which were interesting, to say the least. I took a tumble on one of the icy parts and my knee is a little sore because of it, but I'm otherwise no worse for wear.

I'm really liking the Moose Mitts.

Thanks Marty for letting me borrow them!

I'm definitely going to be investing in a pair of these next winter. It was about 35ºF and I was able to ride with fingerless gloves, which was very nice.

In the mean time, I'm hoping it starts to warm up here soon. I want warmth so badly. I've been planning a trip to Florida some time in May, and it can't come soon enough.

Southern Links Trailway

...Or at least that was the goal on Thursday.

Before indulging in St. Patrick's Day festivities, I decided it would be a good idea to embark on a 60 mile road ride. The goal was to ride from Hadley to Columbiaville on the road (approximately 20 miles), and then ride from Columbiaville to Millington via the Southern Links Trailway (10 miles), and then back. All was going swell until I actually reached the Southern Links Trailway:

Which, to my dissatisfaction, was still thoroughly ensconced in snow and ice.

For the record, it was 67ºF on Thursday. Too warm for legwarmers...but somehow, ice? I decided to bear onward, but after about a quarter mile of the ice-snow mixture, I'd had enough. Also, I fell over and decided staying on the planned course wasn't worth struggling the remaining 19.75 miles and risking MORE ice down my pants.

The skinny cross tires were just not up to the job.

So I took an alternate route. I headed up north along some roads, saw the Columbiaville Trike Guy:

This guy is ALWAYS riding a trike around Columbiaville, even throughout winter. I see him every time I work at the Columbiaville branch library.

I ended up riding around the Lakeville High School in Otisville, then made my way back to Hadley. Total trip (with a few laps of the driveway at the end for good measure) was 50.1 miles. I ended the day with a beer (well...a lot of beer...) at Sherwood Brewing Company with some friends.

The perfect post-ride snack.

It's beginning to feel a lot like...

Winter!

We've finally got a significant amount of snow on the ground and the temperatures are frigid. I've been keeping warm riding the cross bike on the trainer. I am determined that next year my racing season will be much better.

I am also determined to take up snowshoeing. It's funny that after living in Michigan all my life I've never tried any snow sports. Well, this year that's changing. I'm going to rent a pair from REI soon, then hopefully after the holidays when we've got more snow on the ground (if all things go well and I don't decide that I hate snowshoeing) I'll get a pair.

Also, just a reminder that the winter solstice is coming up in a few days (December 21!) and with it comes a lunar eclipse, visible throughout North America. It's somewhat rare for a lunar eclipse to fall on the solstice—the last time it happened was in 1638! The best time (according to NASA) to view the deep coppery moon is at 3:17am. I'm going to try to stay up to catch it!