Riding the Nor’easter

More like pushing against the nor’easter

This past weekend was another tough weekend for RAAM training. Winter took off the months of December and January but has decided to fully participate in February and March.

I had three consecutive 14 hour rides planned for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, a late season nor’easter blew in Friday night and dumped 12-14 inches of new snow. I was just finishing up my first 14 hour ride when it started to snow a strange mix of snow, sleet and ice that was unrideable. Within an hour the road was a slippery mess.

After falling for the second time, I decided to call Lisa for a rescue. I really didn’t want to call, mainly because I didn’t want her to have to drive out and get me. I had already seen two cars off the road and felt really guilty about asking her to come out during the storm. If something happed to her or the kids I would feel horrible. I finished up the day with 90 minutes on the trainer.

Reluctantly, I took Saturday off. Competing with the cars for a few inches of road is difficult enough when the roads are clear, give them a good covering of fresh snow and the competition could become deadly. I made up the missed ride on Monday, and hope that the added intensity/speed from being rested will make up for the gap in the spacing.

Even with the new snow I saw the first real sign of spring. No, it wasn’t a bright red robin in a tree or flowers sprouting from the ground; it was a winter starved skunk standing in the middle of the road at 4:15 am feasting on some unfortunate victim of a hit-and-run. I had just enough time to dart to the other side of the road and pray they he didn’t feel the need to spray.

I did make it up to the White Mountains and over Gonzo’s pass all three days. I have been hoping to ride the loop and hit all five gaps, but it occured to me that Bear Notch isn’t open during the winter. That little oversight could have added a big loop of bonus miles to my ride.

I think I am running out to things to say to myself during these rides; my internal dialogue has been reduced to lines from old movies. I spent at least an hour mulling over a line from Spinal Tap, “Our amps are better mate, they go all the way to 11, 11 is better than 10.” And in the movie Zulu, the Welch solders start singing Men of Harlech to counter the chants of the Zulu warriors.

“Men of Harlech onto glory

This shall ever be your story

Keep these burning words before ye

Welshmen will not yield”

This chorus (or some mumbled version as I didn’t remember all the word) looped through my head for a good two hours. A warning to the crew, if I start singing this song during RAAM, I may be preparing for a Zulu charge.

All in all it was a successful training weekend. I completed all my scheduled rides and my legs felt good. Unfortunately, I think I got a sinus infection from the road salt. On Sunday the roads had dried and they were covered with a fine white coating of salt, and every time a car or truck would drive by, they would kick up a big cloud of salt dust. At the end of the ride my sinuses were on fire.

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