Love Me Some Outdoors

This is so sad - I started this post several days ago, when it was a little more fresh in my mind. But between work and holiday preparations, I wasn't able to finish it until tonight (Thursday)! So please excuse this somewhat late account of last weekend's awesome bike ride!
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TRIDi, Popscr and REB60 invited me to join them on Saturday for a bike ride. Standing on my deck that morning watching while Buttercup and Fezzy took care of their business, I thought to myself, "It is going to be a chilly one!"

Since my Christmas list includes all sorts of items I never thought I'd ever need until this year, like arm warmers, bike shoe booties and such, I scoured my closet to figure out what to wear. Fleece lined exercise pants, gortex turtleneck, bicycle jersey, a pair of borrowed arm warmers, heavy fleece sweatshirt and TRIgirl bicycle jacket later - I headed off to meet the crew at TRIDi's house, feeling more like the Michelin man than anything.

My fellow bicyclists were waiting for me, ready to go and a little more properly dressed. We headed off to do two loops around TRIDi's house, including a few more trafficked roads (she being a daring traffic connoisseur).

It was cold at first. But about five miles into the ride, it didn't matter. My mega layered torso must have been radiating enough heat throughout my body that even my ungloved fingers were warm. While our speed seemed faster than what it actually was, I occasionally thought I heard a manic Annnn laugh in the distance.

The ride flew by. We did a little over twenty miles in about an hour and fifteen minutes. TRIDi, Popscr and REB60 plan on riding every Saturday, weather permitting, and don't seem to mind if I tag along. Which convinced me - I am going to ride outdoors with them as much as possible during this winter off-season.

I will miss the discussions and music of indoor cycling class, though I am keeping my fingers crossed that no one minds if I still drop in on really bad weather days.

And I hope they understand that I just can't resist the lure a good ole outdoor ride!