She's big and ugly. She cost $30. Gert is an old Giant ATX aluminum mountain bike I found on kijiji to hang my single speed parts on. I rode her to work until early December but she's been idle since then. I went on a 2 hour 20 km ride this afternoon and it was like she was the best bike in the world. Sure beats sitting in the bedroom starting at a small screen and pounding out km. But those hours on the trainer paid off as the legs were strong.
Today looked like the weather might be a bit warm creating a sloppy slushy ride but the temperature held just right. Not too cool but enough to keep things from melting and crowds off the pathways.
Using the back lanes and the railroad bridge got me to the paved pathways that are about 75% ice or packed snow and the rest bare pavement. The studs had little to do but it's reassuring to hear them bite as you cruise along. I got as far west as the trail goes and then up to the university. I took a few of the trails along the McIntyre where anyone walking is probably wondering what was screaming in the bush. Just Gert's brakes, which sounded like a seal with its butt in the mouth of a killer whale. I don't use them much on a single speed so the squeal is my bell on the trail. Ring a bell and after maybe three tries people look back and move over. Hit a set of squealing brakes and they move, now. But going down the steep hills they sounded awful. I might have to put the bell on and clean up the pads.
I came across a huge hole in the ice about the size of a hot tub in the river near the university. The sides were about three feet thick and I could see running water in one small hole. I'm not sure how it got there, it was quite a distance from the residence and there were no beer bottles or I would guess students had created it for some kind of college adventure. Meteor?
An hour after getting home it was off to another Leafs practice. I should sleep well tonight.
Today looked like the weather might be a bit warm creating a sloppy slushy ride but the temperature held just right. Not too cool but enough to keep things from melting and crowds off the pathways.
Using the back lanes and the railroad bridge got me to the paved pathways that are about 75% ice or packed snow and the rest bare pavement. The studs had little to do but it's reassuring to hear them bite as you cruise along. I got as far west as the trail goes and then up to the university. I took a few of the trails along the McIntyre where anyone walking is probably wondering what was screaming in the bush. Just Gert's brakes, which sounded like a seal with its butt in the mouth of a killer whale. I don't use them much on a single speed so the squeal is my bell on the trail. Ring a bell and after maybe three tries people look back and move over. Hit a set of squealing brakes and they move, now. But going down the steep hills they sounded awful. I might have to put the bell on and clean up the pads.
I came across a huge hole in the ice about the size of a hot tub in the river near the university. The sides were about three feet thick and I could see running water in one small hole. I'm not sure how it got there, it was quite a distance from the residence and there were no beer bottles or I would guess students had created it for some kind of college adventure. Meteor?
An hour after getting home it was off to another Leafs practice. I should sleep well tonight.
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| strange hot tub sized hole in the ice |
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| a little trail riding |
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| Gert, big ugly cheap and FUN |
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