Adios '06

Date: Dec 31
Mileage: 22
Ride type: Road
Bike: Trek
Temp: 50-60F rainy->sunny
December mileage: 421
Year to date: 2648

Final ride of the year, and a great ride at that. We had lots of rain earlier, so I took the Trek out for the last-of-year stroll. With all the water on the ground, you can really tell a difference on a bike w/out fenders- spray going everywhere, but mostly on my lower legs. I was in no mood to set speed records, so I strolled through Seneca and Cherokee, over towards Mockingbird Valley, along the river, back up Indian Trail and through Seneca again. I find that, with the bare trees and low-light conditions, that the color contrast really stands out in the parks and along the water- hues of red, orange, brown, green, grey, occasional splashes of others. It makes for a very pretty scene, and one that rivals summer if you just look at it all differently. I also saw a different kind of bird along Beargrass Creek, one that I hadn't seen around here. Based on some quickie research, I think it was a Belted Kingfisher, as seen to the left. Too bad I didn't have the superquick camera to snap a pic. I'm not birder, but I like to find new things on my journeys. As the temps warmed, I also found misty fog rising up from the dampened streets and puddles, especially in the lowlands near the river. It was just a really enjoyable casual ride, getting rained on early on, but then warming up to 60F and the sun coming out all in the span of an hour and change. I was 10x wetter on the inside of the cheap Performance rain than I ever was outside of it.

I found myself pondering feet and tires, the tires being the CdlVs, and the feet with respects clips or no clips. I've had several people respond to the CdlV issue. Apparently they don't always seat well, and a combo of liquid detergent and extra inflation help them "pop" into place. I spent some time this a.m. adjusting the front fender to my satisfaction. I also did the 'super inflation' trick on the front CdlV tire, but not with the detergent. That will be the next step. I'll get there (hopefully). Concerning pedals, I'm still not sure what my opinion is. Today I was in the Lake shoes and clips. I like the advantages of clips, but my feet have often bothered me with clips (well, clip-less as it were). In contrast, yesterday's ride of 36m gave me not one instance of foot soreness. During today, I probably stretched my feet and ankles 3-4x.

Final mileage for 2006 is just over 2,600. December was my heaviest mileage month of the year @ 421. November was 2nd with 404. This month's total supersedes that of March, April, May and June combined, with a 4-month total from that period reaching 312 (NO miles in March). It's pretty silly to have far greater mileage in the "cold" months of the yr. like Nov, Dec, Jan than in the "sunny" months like late spring and summer.

I don't have a specific mileage goal for 2007 as of yet, but I want to do a century; my longest ride has been 85 miles. I want to ride to family camp in early September, which is about 100m, and I want to ride to Lexington again to visit friends, which is around 80ish, depending on route. I just have to figure out how to get mileage in in the heat of tennis season, when every day becomes a 12-hour day, and most of those are spent driving the truck around w/ a bed full of balls, hoppers, and crap. And I have to get mileage in the summer instead of sitting around watching the pinche Tour or tennis matches all summer.

Great finish to '06 though.