In the bag

Black sheep, black sheep have you any wool? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags full. One for the master, one for the dame and one for that crazy rando who always seems to need more.

In Sanford on the return leg. Less wool.

35 degrees was the WRAL ABC11 temp predicted for our 5:30 am start time of the Carthage Coffee Run that goes from Durham through Sanford to Carthage and back. As it turned out, my hands, torso, head, neck and legs were warm enough even after riding the first 20 or so miles. (I've never appreciated uphill so much in my life!) It was the feet this time that gave me a problem. Deep down, I knew they would. I'd left my full shoes at work and didn't want to drive back to get them, so I thought I'd make do with the Keen cycling sandals and wool socks. After all, it was supposed to reach the mid sixties. But I found that I couldn't make do and had to use some extra insulation, paper bags, and a pair of chemical warmers.  Luckily Sag had an extra pair of toe warmers for just this kind of emergency. He snapped a pic of my handiwork and some others from the ride are here. I didn't take my camera because of the cold, but got a photo of Sag with one less layer at a control using my phone.

Outside of some lower back back right hip pain and too-close-for-comfort dog encounters, big dogs too, it was a great ride. The spacing of the controls on this ride is ideal for me. I passed on the coffee and had the hot chocolate at almost every stop except for two where I had some form of cheese (high calorie, low volume). On the bike I tried something new - Perpetuem solids in the orange vanilla flavor. I liked them a lot, but I'd have to carry too many to use them for an entire ride. All five were gone in an hour and a half.

Before January I have a couple of things to take care of, besides clothing choices, to make the ride more enjoyable: (1) physical therapy/exercises to help get rid of the lower back/hip pain and (2) to remove the suicide levers from the Tricross. A few weeks should be enough time to do that. Hopefully our January weather will be as warm as the December weather has been.

Thanks to Sag for the company and toe warmers and to the Lady in the Blue Minivan who ran interference for us when she saw two large dogs coming for us. Lady you are the best. Those dogs were sceeeery.