February Century

I managed to ride my February century on the last day of the month. I left the office far too late and rode another slow century around Mt. Mansfield. It was sloppy slow ride of mechanical mishaps – I lost my rear blinkie from my Carradice twice (the second time over some railroad tracks killed it), the chain sucked into the chainstays twice, I dropped the chain once, the new saddle needed several adjustments, I fell (clipped in, landing on my knee) leaving a convenience store as an SUV doing twice the speed limit bore down on me, and my computer ejected itself from my stem 2 miles from home. I chalk the drivetrain mishaps up to the salty overspray that coated the entire bike – my chain was in trouble at about mile 50 and I listened to it chirping the rest of the way home. It took me half a day to do a proper cleaning – and for good measure I pulled the bottom bracket to find it filled with water (most likely from cleanings and last falls rain rides).

The middle third of this ride was wonderful – great views as I pedaled through Johnson, Hyde Park, and Stowe – the landscape very different from January – lots of snow on the ground and in the mountains. As I left Waterbury the sun set and the runoff started freezing. The last 20 miles was misery into the wind heading back to Burlington and dodging ice on Route 2.

A fountain or spring in Stowe that has frozen over and over… this was not here last month!

4 Replies to “February Century”

  1. I miss this sort of winter landscape. In western Mass (where I lived), or in Vermont, you get to live in two places but without the hassle of moving. A lush green environment for half the year and a stark white environment the other. Beautiful pictures.

  2. Thanks for the comments on the photos. Winters been a long time coming this year! Some days I do dream of living somewhere warm… but its typically when I haven’t been outside in a few days. It only takes a few minutes turning the cranks to realize how wonderful it is to have seasons – even cold ones.

  3. Living in Canada I can say that winter is fun for about a month. After that it becomes a drag and you pine for the warm days of summer and long bike rides. I am going to try and commute through next winter. I can’t believe I just typed that…lol…now I’ll have to really do it!

    Mike you got a nice ride in hopefully had all your mechanical bad luck for 2007 in one shot…=-)

  4. Hi… Thanks for the nice comment. You must have drifted over from my buddy Kent’s blog 🙂 Gorgeous pics here, but I’m sure you all are past ready for the arrival of spring. Hold tight, I feel it approaching!

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