Feels Like Summer Again…

The long Wisconsin winter has finally appeared to break. Today it was 45 degrees, tomorrow will be 49 and Monday and Tuesday of next week will be in the low to mid fifties. With the warmer weather and roads that are clear of snow, I can finally start riding again.

I did a 35 mile ride today, from home down to High Cliff State Park, then back up to the CE trail via Military Road and Harwood Road. I dropped into the Recyclist to purchase a new cycle computer and then used Prospect Ave to get back to Washington Street in Kimberly and across the bridge and back home. It was a great route. High Cliff State Park is always nice. After climbing the hill, I came straight back down, out the gate and took a right onto Spring Hill that took me to Military Road. There was another smaller hill here, but it was cool to do something different than just to come back via State Park Road.

My only complaint was with Outagamie County. In several places, the CE trail is still covered by snow, forcing me to get off and walk over the snow. Eventually, I gave up and just road on CE (College Ave). The traffic out east isn’t too bad an there is a shoulder, so safety was fine. But come on folks, its springtime after a long hard winter. People want to get outside and after being indoors for the last 3 ½ months. Lets get the trail plowed. We pay a lot of taxes in Wisconsin, I wouldn’t think it would be too hard to get someone out there to plow the trail.

There were quite a few people outdoors today in Appleton. Mostly people out walking, a few runners and a few cyclists. It was great to see. I think everyone is ready to do something other than huddle indoors and try to stay warm.

I’ll see how I feel tomorrow, but I’ll get another ride in. I’d love to do 40-50 miles, but early in the season, you just have to see how you feel. I feel like I’m a couple of weeks behind where I would like to be with my training and building a base. So I want to get out there and get some miles in. But I need to be careful not to overdo it too. So I’ll do something, but I’m not sure what yet.
But it doesn’t matter. Spring is here. I can ride outside again. The sun shined a little brighter today.