It was 20 degrees (Fahrenheit!) when we rolled out. Brrr! The high for the day was about 40 degrees. I suppose it takes a certain kind of person (what kind, I'm not sure) to willingly spend nine hours in such temperatures. Really, though, the hardest part was getting started. Isn't that true for so many things in life?
The ride was, thankfully, uneventful except for the cold, which was eventful enough. Our favorite sign entertained us at the control in Madison:
As Wayne put it, if you got this at a gas station, it would be like playing ptomaine roulette.
Wayne also had the quote of the day. As several of us were riding across a bridge over a lake, we saw a small fishing boat out on the water. Wayne said, "I bet it's cold out there." It reminded me of something having to do with a pot and a kettle.
It seems appropriate that that evening when I got home, I cooked fish and chips, using a beer batter on the fish. (This was already on the night's menu.) Additionally, I cooked while wearing my pink flannel pajamas with the bicycles all over them.
After successfully completing an admittedly challenging long winter ride yesterday, I'd like to encourage other cyclists to ride outside even when it's cold. (Riding inside gets old, doesn't it?) Here are some tips I've picked up over several winter riding seasons:
Clothing
High-quality cold-weather riding apparel is key. I'd certainly rather ride when it's 85 degrees and sunny, but I've found that with proper clothing, even subfreezing temperatures are manageable. And note that your cold-weather cycling clothing doesn't have to be bulky. Some of my rando buddies thought I must be cold because I wasn't wearing parachute pants and a Michelin-Man jacket. That wasn't the case at all.
Upper body: I wore a long-sleeved thermal base layer, a fleece long-sleeved jersey, and my team cycling jacket. On top of all that, I wore my fluorescent yellow ranndonneuring vest. The vest was really for visibility, but the extra lightweight layer certainly didn't hurt.
Lower body:I wore my insulated bib tights. They are so warm that I didn't need any other layers on the bottom. Remember that your leg muscles are doing most of the work, which goes a long way toward keeping you warm.
Hands: Fingers and toes are the toughest things to keep warm. Even with good covering, usually they will be cold for the first few miles until your circulation revs up. Robert gave me a super-duper pair of winter riding gloves for Christmas. Although I already have a warm pair of cycling gloves, their design is very poor. If I have to take them off (a given at rest stops, etc.), the lining gets turned inside out, and it can be very difficult to get them back on. The new gloves eliminate this problem. Yesterday I added a pair of disposable, plastic food service gloves under my cycling gloves. This helped a lot. I've also heard of other randonneurs using latex or neoprene gloves.
Feet: If you're going to do a significant amount of cold-weather riding, consider getting insulated cycling shoes. They are even more effective than shoe covers. Yesterday I wore wool socks and my insulated cycling shoes, and I didn't have more than some short-lived toe-sicles at the start of the ride.
Miscellaneous: A head covering under your helmet is a must. On regular winter days, I usually wear an ear-warmer headband and a cycling cap. Yesterday was so cold that I went full-tilt with a balaclava. It covered my whole head and mouth. I can't pull it up over my nose, however, or my sunglasses fog up. Yesterday I also added a neck warmer, a relic from my snow skiing days back in college. Now it's a nice addition to my cycling gear repertoire.
Food and Liquids
I was fairly comfortable yesterday, but I forget that the cold makes you use so much more energy. Therefore, it's particularly important to consume enough calories on a long ride in the cold. I really could have eaten more than I did: two Clif Bars, trail mix, sardines in Louisiana hot sauce, and a bottle of chocolate milk. I got additional calories from two bottles of Skratch Labs powder mixed with water, and I refilled with Gatorade at the convenience store controls.
It's also nice to have a hot beverage at the end of the ride, like a thermos of coffee or tea for the drive home. One time I got some samples of Skratch Labs recovery drink mix that you put in hot water; it tasted like hot apple cider. I ought to order some more of that.
Brain
So much of cycling is mental, particularly in endurance riding. Maybe the same approach works for adding distance as well as acclimating to the cold. Just as a newbie cyclist would build up to riding a century, try riding in successively colder temperatures.
Don't get me wrong - I can make myself ride in the cold, but I'm glad this next week's forecast calls for highs back in the 60s. Ride on!
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