Running out of Gas

This morning I hit the road at 9:45 for what would become the most epic road ride I have ever done. I met up with Justin Henri in Thorold at 10:15, and we decided to ride the 140km circle route (canal path, Lakeshore road, Parkway, friendship Trail). We headed back to my home in St. Catharines so that I could grab some sandwich baggies for my toes, and then we hit the canal path.

Today was the coldest weather I have ever ridden hovering around zero, with cold wind chills near the lakes. I new my legs would not have much punch as they were not fully recovered from all the lunging lately, but they weren't sore, so I was good for the long-haul, so I thought. I felt good riding around 32km/h and was nice and warm until about 50k in when we arrived in Niagara falls. We stopped at the Timmys on Clifton hill to grab some coffee and a muffin, and got asked a hilarious question by a tourist in line. She noticed all our winter clothing, but not our bikes and asked "what sport are you guys doing?..... speed skating??" Trying not to laugh, we answered "cycling", "like mountain biking?" Justin said "no road biking". I guess she has been watching some speed skating on TV and our booties make cycling shoes look like speed skates. Too funny.

Fueled on caffeine, we headed back out into what seemed like much colder air to make the long stretch of the parkway to Fort Erie. My legs started to feel achy here, mainly in the butt and outer thighs, but I still had power. About half way there, we noticed some snow patches, and the closer we got the deeper the snow got till it was around 3 inches deep. The roads were clean though, until we made it to the friendship trail. The friendship trail was covered in snow, ice and water making for a slop fest that we had to get away from. We opted to ride a road parallel to it that was clean, but the ice messed with Justin's pedals and he couldn't get locked in, so we stopped at a little restaurant that we could bring our bikes in to defrost them. The lady working there didn't want the bike in, but I explained our pedal issue and she understood. We pounded a couple more coffees and then headed back out, and it felt even colder out. It definitely was with a could breeze coming off lake Erie that chilled me to the bones.

Shortly after this break I noticed my energy going down and started to feel weaker and weaker. Justin was putting in much longer pulls than me, and was definitely the stronger rider. Once we entered the outskirts of Port Colbourne I started to feel light headed, and really weak. We pulled over and I pulled the plug, making the decision to call my dad for a ride home. I said I'd meet my dad at the Moe's in Port Colbourne, so my total distance would be 120km. I hit up a convenience store for some beef jerky and than showed Justin the way to the canal path were he headed back to Welland still riding strong. I then went back to Moe's to wait for my ride.

I wasn't bonked to badly, and could have made it home for sure, but the sun would have been down by then, I would be risking my health riding so cold and depleted. I also would have been much later for my 4pm meeting time to pick up my new Kona cross bike. Yes I bought a cross bike, just as cross season ended so I had an excuse not to race it. It's a lightly used 07 Jake the Snake that I will be using to train on all winter, and race a little next fall. I just have to tweak it to my likings, throw some pedals on, and then it'll be ready for rip though Shorthill's tomorrow.

Peace out