Cold, dark winter early morning training…

[wolf1969]

I hate:

• The alarm. It makes me feel nauseous at 4am
• The fear for the first 15 minutes that I am underdressed
• The hissing sound of pavement irrigation systems that make me think I have a puncture
• Those same irrigation systems spraying me while I am worrying  that I have a puncture
• Municipal water leaks across the road that spray up onto shoes and legs and backside
• Runners, pedestrians and recycling dudes in dark clothes on my side of the road that loom out of the darkness like cattle
• My visible breath as I’m climbing which reminds me that I am not going fast enough to disperse it
• The thought that the flashing rear lights on bikes I’m riding behind might cause an epileptic seizure
• Repair channels cut into the tar across the road which are darker than the other tar making me  wonder if they are deep dongas in shadow or new tar. Bunny hop or proceed in faith?
• The temperature drop while descending into dips
• Cars that keep their lights on bright while coming towards me
• Street lights that for some reason best known to themselves go out just as I get to them
• So much snot and tears coming out of me that I worry I might dehydrate
• The loss of feeling in hands and feet as they slowly freeze

I love:

• The brotherhood of cyclists up at that time of the morning
• Watching the sun come up and the mist across the land
• The coffee and hot shower after the ride
• The warm feeling of blood arriving in my legs as I get to the first climb
• The knowledge that I am out on the road while lots of people are trying to train on indoor trainers or spin classes
• The friendly runners and other people up and about when everyone else is still in bed
• The bubble of solitude that riding in the dark brings. Can’t see my bike computer and can’t see much beyond my front light. Just riding to feel  and my thoughts.
• Reading the early morning newspaper headline posters on the side of the road
• Knowing almost down to the degree celcius what layers I need to wear
• Being out on my bike

[NotSoBigBen]

I hate - WINTER

 

I love - early retirement and lunchtime rides 

[Pikey]

I hate - WINTER

 

I love - early retirement and lunchtime rides 

i hate the cold . The end

['Dale]

i hate the cold . The end

 

 

Ai, cupcake

[Grey Hubs]

I love winter

- get to sleep late and ride later in the afternoon without burning to a crisp

- no rain (for JHB area anyway)

- predictable weather: cool without rain! 

- predictable single track - dry and sketchy with chance of loosing the front

- if you really need to cycle first thing in the morning, you get to wear cool hitech stuff to keep you warm

- Indoor trainer is now paying for the money you invested....

 

What's not to like!

[Pikey]

Ai, cupcake

That be me ❄️????????....one day when I am big I'll suck it up ????

[Stiggy]

Try the Cradle at 5:30am before the sun rises, eery quiet - super lekker

[Nancy Drew]

 

I hate:

• The alarm. It makes me feel nauseous at 4am
• The fear for the first 15 minutes that I am underdressed
• The hissing sound of pavement irrigation systems that make me think I have a puncture
• Those same irrigation systems spraying me while I am worrying  that I have a puncture
• Municipal water leaks across the road that spray up onto shoes and legs and backside
• Runners, pedestrians and recycling dudes in dark clothes on my side of the road that loom out of the darkness like cattle
• My visible breath as I’m climbing which reminds me that I am not going fast enough to disperse it
• The thought that the flashing rear lights on bikes I’m riding behind might cause an epileptic seizure
• Repair channels cut into the tar across the road which are darker than the other tar making me  wonder if they are deep dongas in shadow or new tar. Bunny hop or proceed in faith?
• The temperature drop while descending into dips
• Cars that keep their lights on bright while coming towards me
• Street lights that for some reason best known to themselves go out just as I get to them
• So much snot and tears coming out of me that I worry I might dehydrate
• The loss of feeling in hands and feet as they slowly freeze

I love:

• The brotherhood of cyclists up at that time of the morning
• Watching the sun come up and the mist across the land
• The coffee and hot shower after the ride
• The warm feeling of blood arriving in my legs as I get to the first climb
• The knowledge that I am out on the road while lots of people are trying to train on indoor trainers or spin classes
• The friendly runners and other people up and about when everyone else is still in bed
• The bubble of solitude that riding in the dark brings. Can’t see my bike computer and can’t see much beyond my front light. Just riding to feel  and my thoughts.
• Reading the early morning newspaper headline posters on the side of the road
• Knowing almost down to the degree celcius what layers I need to wear
• Being out on my bike

 

 

under your hate list, I think you forgot 2 important points:

 

• Putting your cold HR strap onto a nice warm body. Especially if it's slightly damp from being rinsed the previous day
• The burning of the hot shower water when it touches all of your frozen extremities 

[Patchelicious]

Try the Cradle at 5:30am before the sun rises, eery quiet - super lekker

I have been out there a 2 mornings a week for the last while.

 

Turning off the N14, the temp plummets so quickly.

 

Been getting -3 a few times.

[ChrisF]

As a Cape Tonian just GLAD for the bit of rain we are getting ... and using the dry moments to get some miles in .....

 

 

About a 60% chance of rain for tomorrow morning at my commute time ... so another day in the cage.  Who knows, maybe Wednesday morning I get to taste the crisp fresh morning air on the way to work.

 

 

LOVE the cool afternoon rides !!!

 

Absolutely LOVE that feeling of the endorfines when I read my emails early morning at work .....

 

Nothing better than a hard session after a crappy day dealing with site issues.

 

 

 

in short - LOVING my time on the bike, and this from a short distance commuter.

[Patchelicious]

I love riding in the cold, you get to wear cool kit that can only one out a few months a year.

 

I hate the knob heads who order "20 Grande Lattes to go" at the local coffee stops when you just need your quick post ride fix.

[Fat Boab]

I love riding in the cold, you get to wear cool kit that can only one out a few months a year.

 

I hate the knob heads who order "20 Grande Lattes to go" at the local coffee stops when you just need your quick post ride fix.

 

But if you keep wearing that Rapha gillet, then how are we meant to recognise you and say howzit, especially if it's covering your Genasys top........?

[Patchelicious]

But if you keep wearing that Rapha gillet, then how are we meant to recognise you and say howzit, especially if it's covering your Genasys top........?

I never ride with my Rapha covering my Genasys kit.

 

If I need my gillet, it will be over a Rapha top, pfffft Rapha over Team Kit.... WTF, we aren't farm animals!!

[Fat Boab]

I never ride with my Rapha covering my Genasys kit.

 

If I need my gillet, it will be over a Rapha top, pfffft Rapha over Team Kit.... WTF, we aren't farm animals!!

 

Maybe it wasn't you? Sat 17 June, around 0830, just past the Cradle view point, riding in a Rapha gillet, with a Genasys equipped rider on a Bianchi?

[Patchelicious]

Maybe it wasn't you? Sat 17 June, around 0830, just past the Cradle view point, riding in a Rapha gillet, with a Genasys equipped rider on a Bianchi?

I was in that group with said gillet on, but the dude on the bianchi was Ryinc.

[Fat Boab]

I was in that group with said gillet on, but the dude on the bianchi was Ryinc.

 

Next time, I'll try and be a bit quicker with the "I wonder if that's Patch?" self-query. (Mea culpa...hangover!)