And of course all that ice that was hiding under the snow yesterday morning and turned slightly soft for the ride home last night was skateably hard this morning. And lots of it. Where there was a shoulder on the ride it was all ice. Snow bank to white line and a few places well beyond.
I'm glad we got a bit of melting but there's still a looong way to go.
Given the melt and the water I headed back through the neighborhood. Tried a new wrinkle to the commute, it was a touch faster and easier, but one stretch was great, the connecting one sucked big time. Not going to do that again. I just didn't want to deal with the water and ponding on the Vet heading south. But hey, experimenting, if we don't test we don't learn. Provided what is learned is retained. Stupid elephant brain of mine probably will remember that. And forget more important shit.
Tired and still out of sorts big time. But I still got on the bike and rode in. Stupid headwind really sucked though. But the studded tires were key for keeping upright. I've got a feeling I won't be able to take them off any time soon.
So far the toll on the winter has mostly been the drive train. Start of one week (three weeks ago?) the chain still measured out at 75%, time to change. By the time I had the chain in hand (end of that week) it was over 100%. That was one of the saltier, higher torque weeks. oops. Happened two years ago to me too. Same kind of conditions. So now I've destroy the cassette to go with the chain.
This morning I had an idea riding in. When I finally ditch the Studs, maybe I hang up the chain with this cassette and save it for next year. After a good long bath in the special chain lube, still the only chain lube I'm using. And right now using a lot of it, clean/lube. Clean/lube. Clean/lube... At least it still shifts.
Yesterday I made a comment in a photo I posted over on faceplace, alluding to the perfect bike that formed in my mind as I was riding in in the snow. A fat bike just is impractical and slow at least until the bike path is grooved in enough to ride (from quick inspection most of it is so lightly traveled as not to be packed at all - aka no fatbike probably until i can ride the CX on it at this point).
Gotta be CX bike though as a base. Singlespeedish. Gates Belt drive of course. Now singlespeed would be fine but if we're dreaming Di2 Alfine would kind of be amazing. No cables to freeze, still enough gears and no chain getting destroyed by salt and sand and slush and ice. Brakes? No cables for that shit either. hydro discs. Drop bars, Hydro Di2. Done. Simple... perfect. Maybe set it up like Kevin Noiles and have left shifter move up gears and right shifter do the down side. And of course some amazing full coverage durable awesome fenders with road hugging mud flaps. Then if I felt like it I could always turn it into a SSCX bike by changing the rear wheel. But then what's the point of that. If we're talking dreams this would be totally dedicated. I'd get a separate CXy bike. Frame material on this ultimate build? I dunno, but honestly I'd go aluminum if i had choice. But for now it is just daydreaming. I don't have room for any more bikes as it is. I'm only riding one of the bikes I have. Shit haven't ridden the QPro in two years+ maybe? Not since the drive train kind of decided that yeah, we're so worn we're not going to shift so easily. Pretty far gone with 9sp. And of course there's no reliable quailty 9sp shit out there anymore.
I'm just happy to be able to ride this plastic bike. It works, keeps working, parts wear out, they get replaced. It isn't so bad. Just wish it was possible to put fenders on it. I suppose I should break down and buy some fat speedez things but with studded tires and the shitty roads they'd probably get destroyed like my last pair, last year.
Mindless pointless
Coffee not as strong as it usually is today. underestimated how much I had left, didn't bring more in. And no, too broke to feel like I can go buy a cup at a shop to make up for it. That and not quite enough left overs in the fridge to take for lunch this morning. Out of eggs for breakfast too. But I have probably enough for lunch. should help shed the extra winter pounds, right? Definitely could go for a burrito though. That sounds really good right about now. Like as in eating it right now.
But it is all good. I have a plan for dinner, hopefully will be able to excute it and make it work and make up for all this. Plan for lunch tomorrow too. Just right now? it is what it is. strugglefest.
heddwch
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