Imagine my reaction when I pulled up the weather forecast on my computer at 5:15 this morning and saw that the temperature might hit 60 degrees. For all my fellow New Englanders, I hope you got to share in my joy and spent at least one minute outside while it was warm and sunny.
In any case, when I headed out this morning, I just threw on some jeans, a t-shirt and a light jacket. I can't wait until it's t-shirt/jeans weather on a semi-consistent basis.
I usually ride down Beacon and take the Mass. Ave bridge to get to Cambridge from Brighton. Today, though, while happily pedaling I was just reading the side street signs to myself (join me on my thought process)... Darmouth .... Clarendon ... Berk -- OH DEAR I HAVE COMPLETELY MISSED MASS. AVE, I am not even close. I honestly didn't even notice until right then. I blame it on the weather.
Not taking Mass. Ave means one thing: time to climb some hills! Now, I'm from Fitchburg, MA. I am no stranger to hills. Fitchburg residents are highly aware that the city is the second hilliest place in the United States, after San Francisco. Fitchburg is also home of the Longsjo Classic. Despite this, I am more afraid to bike in Fitchburg than I am in Boston, for a multitude of reasons.
I digress. There's a reason they call it Beacon Hill. Every time I think that my 42x16 gearing is ridiculously easy, my legs screaming with lactic acid climbing this hill kindly remind me that it is, in fact, not. This is the only painful (up)hill on my commute TO work when I go this way, but this is certainly not the case on the ride home. The ride home all the way up Beacon is just one long, slow climb, with a few sudden increases in incline and one downhill worth noting.
The one thing I really wonder about this downhill is the light. The downhill I'm talking about is approaching the intersection of Washington St. and Beacon St., heading towards BC. It's a pretty sharp decline and you can definitely catch some serious speed. Right after this intersection is an uphill. Without fail, I cruise down this hill, only to see the yellow light of doom ahead, followed by the red. In all my time cycling to this intersection, I have never had the joy of zooming down this hill and then up the next with that momentum behind me -- until tonight! I wonder what I did tonight to finally make it happen.
It's amazing how the number of cyclists increased dramatically because of the weather. I'm so glad that people are riding, but when the weather's cold, tough it out, everyone! Riding in the winter is totally doable, 66 degree weather or not. You just have to be prepared.
Next post topic (unless I slam face first into a car or something): how not to freeze while riding in the winter.
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