Has Spring Sprung?

Hard to believe that about a month ago we were riding in feet of the white fluffy stuff in temperatures so low that it hurt your face to be out in it for more than a few minutes unprotected.




Fast forward to yesterday when we headed down to Marysville to ride with the Hoffmans at Backroads Bicycle. We went from every inch of skin needing to be covered up to wearing a jersey and vest yesterday. I'm usually a winter person over the sweltering heat and humidity of Nebraska summers but after the sub zero weeks this year, I am more than ready for warmer temps to stick around.




The real question is, will the temperatures stay warm or is this just a lull before the cold returns? I did see geese flying north the other day which is usually a good sign that the worst of winter is over but living in the midwest is a lot like being on a Duncan Yo Yo. Temps this week start out in the 50s but drop down into the 30s by the end of the week only to rebound back into the 50s next week... Lindy Loop here we come! It is the Gravel Worlds Winter Endurance this Saturday so I suppose it would be befitting that the temps were more winter like than spring like.


To be honest, I'd be okay with the temps doing their thing as long as the snow stays away. Roads are just now getting back to being good riding after a month or more of being very suspect if not unrideable and gravel season is just around the corner, seems like as it gets bigger and bigger the events are starting earlier in the year.



Regardless if it stays warm or goes back to being cold, I hope you all got out and enjoyed the gravel this weekend because it was almost perfect.

 

Simmering Through Winter

While we likely aren't going to break any records in Nebraska for total snow fall or coldest winter on record, we have certainly had our fair share of both recently. More so than the amount of snow it's been the timing of the snow and cold that has been cumbersome. It seems like the last 3-4 storms have rolled in right around Thursday or Friday and continued into Saturday afternoon and sometimes even into Sunday making for a less than enjoyable weekend for getting out of the house even to go the store, let alone riding a bicycle. Now if you're one of those conspiracy types I suppose all this could be explained away as the gubmint geoengineering the weather to keep us isolated in our homes but I personally just think it's been a crappy winter. We were due and I personally have my doubts that our government could pull off geoengineering the weather, lately they can't seem to be able to agree on much of anything. I think we'd need to out source something like that.... wait, it does feel like Siberia.... hmmmmmmmm. Nuting to see here, comrade. 


Saturday we got dumped on again with a few inches to go along with the snow we still have lingering around from the last snow that dropped several inches on us. I shoveled the drive and hoped we were done but it wasn't to be and we got a dusting Saturday into Sunday morning as the cherry on top of cruddy weekend snow. As a bonus we got bone chilling temps to go along with the white stuff this time around. I skipped leaving the house much on Saturday but got a bit of cabin fever on Sunday so ventured over to the local single track for a decent 6 mile ride, in 2° weather. What's worse is that those frigid temps are planning on sticking around for a week or so, like an unwanted aunt who suddenly pops over uninvited.


2° is nothing to balk about as far as being cold but with the right gear it is definitely a temperature you can ride in if you ride smart and use a fair amount of caution. I would probably make sure you're not going out for hours at a time, don't get too far from someplace warm if things start going sideways and by all means let someone knows where you'll be and about how long you plan to be gone. I know that sounds a lot like checking in with ma and pa like you had to do in your youth, but things get iffy real quick in that temperature range and it's a good idea to at least have someone out there that would get concerned if they didn't hear from you and know where to go to find you. 

I bought this Giro Discord helmet a few years back for winter riding but I guess I tend to run a bit warmer than your average bear. (Is it just me or does it look a bit like the Emu on the Liberty Mutual insurance commercials sitting on the saddle?) Every time I wear the helmet I have ended up sweating, profusely. Saturday was no exception, I had sweat dripping off the font of it even with the vents fully opened, I had to stop and take it off multiple times to wring the sweat out of the brow band. With all that sweat dripping everywhere it started to fall on the top of my Cobrafists leaving ice to buildup on the pogies. That did not seem ideal so I actually secured the helmet to my Osprey pack on the second lap and just used a smart wool thin beanie... yes, I know that not wearing a helmet will get you the wrath of the helmet police and in general I agree that having a helmet will help in most cases buuuuuuttttt sweat and cold weather is maybe a little bit more of an immediate threat to your well being in below freezing temps. Sweating is a sure fire way to get cold, I know that might not make much since to most people but that sweat forms ice as it moves away from your core and ice on the outside of your clothes will eventually rob you of all your warmth. Anyway I did the second lap with a beanie and called it a day, even though it was cold the sun came out and I swear that the track I'd worn in on the first lap started getting soft and squirmy by the end of the second lap.


The water didn't fare as well, nothing like sucking water out of an icy bunghole on the side of a snowy trail.


So if it's been cold, snowy and miserable... what have you been doing? Well, I am glad you asked.

Not at all bike related but I did pick this bad boy up recently and while it's not exactly like new bike day, I am pretty psyched. A little over a year ago I started getting more into cooking at home, mostly it was simple things that I'd made before or things that didn't seem to complicated. The idea was to try to pick up a skill that wasn't related to cycling and one that I could share with my non cycling friends, yes I do have some of those if you can believe it. As time has gone on and the pandemic made going out almost impossible, I started experimenting a bit more and moving out of my comfort zone and started cooking things that I liked to order when going out but had never cooked myself. I am a huge fan of cast iron and with this new addition I might not have to use anything else for most things I cook since I already have multiple cast iron skillets/frying pans to compliment this enameled cast iron Dutch oven. One of the first things I worked on was perfecting a Sloppy Joe that wasn't from a can and that didn't have that oddly sweet taste to it like you'll usually get from a Sloppy Joe "mix". I prefer my Sloppies to be less sweet and more savory, while there might be need for further testing and tweaking I think I might have this one almost right where I want it. Sorry no pictures of the Joe since I initially wasn't planning on blogging about cooking when I started this whole thing.


Pork Chop with a white wine, garlic cream sauce was delicious.

 


Craw-fish Etouffee was probably one of the things that was the most out of my comfort zone but I think it turned out pretty good. Room for improvement for sure but it was tasty and that's part of what this journey is all about, making tasty dishes, learning new skills and having fun.

 


Stuffed Peppers have been fun to make also and a pretty big hit with those I've cooked them for, so that is a bonus. I've cooked a few other things, some of them multiple times but I won't unload all of those here at this time. With that said, I might from time to time share a few of the things that I make that I feel turned out really well and maybe even a few of the things that failed just to equal things out. If you enjoy that kind of thing then you're in luck, if you don't, well you're going to have to gloss over them when they happen.

 

Snowy Tightrope

March is arriving in much the same manner as February left off and I can't say as I'm a big fan. I am really hoping that the cold weather breaks soon and we get into at least the low 50s by mid month, probably optimistic thinking but it would be more normal than this ice box we are stuck in now; will it happen, only time will tell. We had a bit of a smallish group for the SMNDFBR but with the chilly temps, mountains of snow on the ground and the forecast calling for more during the day; that wasn't all that big of a surprise that some folks decided to beg off. Then, of course, there were the streets; in true Lincoln fashion the ice on the residential streets is so shiny that I swear they must be plowing them with a crew of Zamboni. I swear I could see the blue line under the sheet ice at one point; thankfully the puck had already crossed, so we were good in that aspect.


Came across a guy walking down the bike path in the middle of winter in full Army battle gear just before we got to N Street, not sure what that was all about but that's something you don't see every day.


2 for 2 on things you don't see everyday, Plasma Center is changing names and taking up the entire street to do so at least the N Street Bike Way was still opened and I suppose it was Saturday so probably not too much traffic.




The plan was to get back into Wilderness Park again this week, with all the snow and ice, the gravel might be a tad sketchy in places; plus I had an appointment in the Park later that day so the Park just made sense. I imagine most non Fat Bike folks probably think that the Fat Bikes are having the time of our lives this winter but they would be wrong. Without the ability to properly groom the trails around here to keep the tread packed down there is a point where the snow is just too deep to be much fun; even with 4" tires until it gets ridden in. Even after it gets ridden in, it becomes a balancing act in the snow, using tires to groom the trails, you end up with an 8 inch wide ribbon of packed snow; if you can stay on that ribbon then life is good. Fall off that ribbon by even an half an inch and your tires start to sink and pull you off the trail even further, sapping all of your momentum. Due to this falling was the norm on Saturday and quite a few of us went down at one point or another; mostly due to being unable to unclip in time when you came to a dead stop but at least the snow is a bit softer than dirt.




It wasn't all bad though, actually it was mostly good as we have had a few folks riding in as many of the trails as they can and those sections are rolling good.



We did a brief attempt at breaking new trail on a section that hadn't been ridden in yet but only made it about 200 yards before we got passed by a lady walking her two small terriers and we decided to give it up and retrace our steps. Plowing through the snow does work up quite the thirst though, Gary and Joe had just the remedy for that in the form of two delicious bridge beers.


We only made it as far as the suspension bridge south of Old Cheney Road before we ran into Ed and Schmidty coming the other way. Both of them had ventured a little bit further down and reported that it was pretty tough going since nobody on two wheels had been down that way yet, so we decided to just turn around and head back to the bridge. We were meeting some folks there soon anyway to discuss the new route for the upcoming Run for the Bridges so it was like life was telling us we didn't need to slog along any further today.





Despite the colder temps and the deep snow, the Park was full of folks on Saturday; lots of Rastas out there also. Even met up with a cross country skier or two out enjoying the white stuff.



Wasn't long after we made it back to the bridge that the rest of the Bridges folks started showing up, Chase was leading the way and having a blast. Looks like it's going to be a snowy one this year but should still be a good time and honestly it might be easier to run in the fresh snow than it is to ride in it right now.


With the official business portion of the ride over and the snow starting to fall, it was time to hightail it back downtown and find some food and drink. We earned it on Saturday.


With State Basketball in town, we were a little concerned that Yia Yia's would be busy but it was actually as empty as we'd ever seen it; we had the place to ourselves for a short period of time before about a dozen other folks showed up for a slice of pie and a pint of barley pop.



Pizza was good as it always is, the Polynesian is my go to favorite. The view wasn't too bad either with the new snow falling, big flakes for a brief time too.


Full of pizza it was time to throw in the towel and head back to the shop, ending another SMNDFBR for the week. No ride next week due to the Run for the Bridges but hopefully we can get out on some gravel here soon and get in some decent miles.

Snow Wrong

If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change. That is a saying that is heard around here often and it's one with more than a little truth to it. Earlier in the week it was supposed to snow around these parts, it was supposed to snow a lot. Up until Friday morning it was supposed to snow 3-5 or 4-6 inches and be blowing and drifting to beat the band depending on which source you wanted to religiously check.


The snow was supposed to be so bad that things got cancelled before the snow even happened, there was supposed to be a board member meeting for the Great Plains Bicycle Club that I was going to attend on Saturday morning that never happened. But because it was supposed to happen, the SMNDFBR was never scheduled for this week and that left me on a Saturday morning without a normal ride to do. While it didn't snow, it did do a fair amount of freezing drizzle on Friday which meant that driving to Lincoln was probably not the best idea, so instead I hit up the local trails. In all actuality we could have used a good inch or two of snow, would have improved the tread immensely as it wasn't even enough to cover the previous tracks and it was down right icy and slick in more than a few spots.


Would have been bad coming across this rut buried beneath the snow, was slick enough knowing it was there but would have been crash worth if you didn't see it.


It was still cold, really cold as the feel like temp was a single degree. It looked like there was one other bicycle out there today but I didn't see a single person while riding around, the sun helped to keep me warm but all the battery operated devices didn't much care for the extreme cold. GPS battery went down to 60% in an hour, camera was telling me it was about to die and even though I had the iPhone in a Ziplock in my jersey pocket, underneath my jacket, it was still cold enough to drain it from 85% to 1% by the time I got back to the car.


An oddly amazing thing about the ride today was that, despite the single digit temps, there were a few places that must have some sort of underground heat source near them as they were still muddy and not at all frozen like they should have been. Hoping we can either get some additional snow on the ground here soon or some much warmer temps to stick around. As it is now a little sun and then refreeze overnight isn't going to do the trail any favors, likely to get real slick without another inch or two of fresh snow on top of it soon.