Cycling
The 80k+ Ride
Regular readers of this blog will know that in addition to being completely insane about snowboarding I also recently purchased a Specialized Allez Sport road bike, forcing me to join the “dark side” for at least half a year. My first couple of rides were pretty short – around 30k and 40k, to be a little more precise – but Steve had big plans for my third ride. He wanted to get closer to 80k.
At first, I wasn’t quite sure I would be able to handle it. Before the ride I headed to Mountain Equipment Co-Op, every Canadian’s favourite destination for outdoor gear, and bought a pair of cycling shorts and sunglasses with removable lenses. The shorts were about $50, the glasses about $25. Cycling lesson #1: I can save a hell of a lot of money by shopping at MEC.
The day of the big ride, I headed about 7k to Jane/Rutherford Rd. just north of Toronto to meet Steve, who biked up from downtown. We headed west, up Islington, and through the Kleinburg/Caledon/Brampton areas. There were hills, headwinds, detours and a flat, not to mention some pretty slow riding by yours truly — but at the end of it all I survived. My quads were burning, I was hungry as hell and I needed a nap, but cycling lesson #2 was: cycling is way easier (and more fun) with other people, IMO.
This weekend it’s supposed to rain, so I’m not sure I’ll get out. I regret not getting this bike earlier!
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I also recently brought a new pedal bike to combat the bordem of not skiing, I just got a new Marinn Magnesium Alloy pedal bike, great for long distance and all terrain cycling! Target about 35miles a day, did 90 miles in one day!