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Monday, January 7, 2013

01-01-2013 Day One - the adventure begins


New Years Eve and Larry was checking the weather--once, twice, three times--but every time it was just the same, twenty-eight degrees was the forecast for Tuesday morning, New Years Day.

He checked an app on his phone for the wind chill factor and found that there is the “old” wind chill factor and the “new” wind chill factor.  There wasn’t much difference, only two degrees and when you are riding down the freeway at sixty miles per hour, minus eleven or minus 13 isn’t going to make you feel any warmer.
We woke to find the ground covered in frost and crystal clear skies with no wind.  This would mean ice on the roads and black ice in the shadows and anywhere the fog would creep in.

Heated gear is wonderful but sometimes it is still not enough.  I get much colder than Larry so I layered: UnderArmour coldgear leggings, jean, chaps, tank top, UnderArmour turtleneck, UnderArmour quarter zip long sleeve top, heated liner, sweatshirt, buff for the face, fleece face buff, and heated gloves.  I sort of felt like the Pillsbury dough boy in black.  The feet were toasty warm in Milwaukee socks and my police tactical boots…I’m ready to ride.  Now to get on the bike and plug in.  My older son laughed when I explained all this to him later as he asked, “I thought you didn’t ride if it was below fifty degrees?”   I guess when you know you are going to ride with friends you make adjustments to what your “limits” really are in life.

Larry of course had his heated liner and gloves and a couple of extra layers but nowhere near as many as I did.

We stopped to gas up the bike and head to Sehome Starbucks.  Of course we were early—but still late for our group.  They were already finishing coffee and having a relaxed leisurely conversation when we sauntered in from the cold.  No clear destination in mind…it is not the ride that counts but who you ride with.
The Acme Café is under new ownership and that was our destination for lunch.  We wondered, on the way to lunch, if the café would be open on New Year’s Day.  It was and even though they were busy because of being short handed, the chef took our orders and the food was really good.  It is not often you will also find the chef clearing plates, but she did it with a smile and appreciated the compliments about the food.

We headed home to a warm fire, a cup of coffee, a quiet evening, and an attitude of, “I’m glad we did it” for braving the cold.  We hope no rain on New Year’s Day is a good sign that we will have plenty of dry weekend ahead of us to ride with friends and make more memories.

No pictures to post of proof of this ride because fingers are not really agile in big fat heated gloves trying to push those little tiny buttons.  I guess you will just have to take our word that it was a really good day and we hope more of our friends can join us next time. 
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