the Way of the Turtle

RIDING IN THE RAIN
13 Miles in the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Park
Friday, December 22, 2006

With a little over a month to go before the Lake Effect Snowshoe Duathlon, it's clear I need to put some time in on my mountain bike on pavement (and in the cold weather!) So despite the fact that the rain moved in early today (the original forecasts called for the rain to start sometime tonight) I packed up the bike and headed down to the waterfront, specifically the Corning Preserve on the Hudson River. Granted the traffic noise from 787 is everpresent along the bikepath there, but it has a major advantage in being very close (only 10-15 minutes from home!)

The rain started out light but picked up a bit as my ride progressed. Started out with a quick jaunt down to the Hudson Riverway, a fancy pedestrian bridge over 787, and then headed to the far end of the Preserve and the Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park in Watervliet. Pushed a fairly good pace out and discovered on the way back that I was riding into the wind, which added an extra kick to the workout. At the end I did another quick jaunt down to the bridge and back, just so my total distance would be more than the 20k ride in the upcoming duathlon.

Didn't feel it much as I was riding, but once I stopped it was clear that I was very wet and pretty cold. Fortunately the car warmed up quickly and then I just had to put up with crazy traffic through downtown Albany to get back home.

More riding is definitely in order - from what I recall there are some decent hills in the duathlon, and I'd like to ride the 20k in roughly an hour, so I need to put in some time on hills. Still, it's a good start... it will be interesting to see if we have snow and decent weather this year, or if it's another mud-fest like last year's race.

JMH