45 and wet is colder than 20 and dry

It's one of those days. 45 and misty. Not raining, but lots of moisture in the air. The kind of cold that kind of permeates to your bones. I know you mid westerners and northerners are poo-pooing this Virginia cold day. But I think I'd much rather it was 20 and cold rather than this wet cold.

I did get on my road bike and get out though. It was pretty nice. Though it is amazing how quickly the riding legs go. It has only been a few weeks since I was at my best in quite a while, and it's gone. Well not riding hardly all and lifting will do that to you.

But it was quite fun to just noodle along, daydream. 1hr 1/2. Nothing too dramatic. I was pretty comfortable the whole ride except I didn't put anything on my feet. I didn't want to wear the full on booties, and I didn't have any toe covers. They didn't hurt till I got in the shower later.

I realized, that this was the first time I'd ridden my road bike outside and not on the trainer in quite awhile. Recently I'd wanted to take any opportunity for outside riding to be on my mountain bike to regain any semblance of skills.

It was nice to get on it. I love that bike. It's a little hard to go back and forth between this bike and the cross bike. This bike just feels so much more lively. Well DUH. The road is what it is designed for. the cross obviously is designed for other things, but I get jaded on the cross bike because I ride it 90% on the road.

I have long legs and a short torso. The legs of someone 5'7" but overall height of 5'4". So I've been on custom bikes for years.

This road bike is a custom steel frame made by Richard Moon out of Folsom, CA. Classic lugged steel. Painted by Brian Baylis. I often times just sit and stare at it. I come to cycling through mountain biking, so it is kind of funny how much I love the classic lugged style of bikes. This ride is part of my fascination with frame building.



I bagged those yellow cages and put them on my mtn bike and the tires are yellow right now. I want to build up a set of Speedcific wheels with the IRD rims that are the same as the American Classic rims, and then put these Cane Creeks on my cross bike.

A combination of reynolds steel and Bocoma lugs I believe. Sure in these days carbon fiber this and that, and Scandium it isn't super light, but the components mix is pretty decent so it's not a pig.

In all honesty, I don't take near enough care of it as I should. It has internal cable routing for the rear brake (probably the only thing I would change). Where the cable enters the top tube, is a prime spot for rust to start if you aren't careful. Well since kids, I usually ride it and put it away wet, with very little maintenance, and I've got some rust starting. Cripes, this is a $300 paint job alone, and look how I treat it.

I remember the days of totally breaking down the mtn bike after every mud ride, now adays if I just get to the chain and pedals it is a good day.

I can tell I've been doing hamstring work, because the road bike saddle is 1cm higher than the cross bike, and I could feel my hamms stretching at the start of this ride.

Anyway it was nice to get out into the fresh air and just cruise.