Road Ride Wednesday

With the temps reaching Spring-like proportions, it was anything but silly not to go out for a ride on the roads yesterday.  Yeah, there was a lot of much and sand on the roads-probably a little bit of salt out there too, remaining from the snow over the past weekend-but who the hell cares when you can go out in long sleeves, knee warmers, and glove-less?

Like I've stated before, I got the "bug" to ride the road again.  After picking up the new road bike and enjoying the warmth yesterday, I'm stoked to be getting fit and riding on the road again.  I'm not going to lie, in no way, shape or form do I get the same "rush" riding on the road as I do bombing down a rocky, rooty trail, but it is somehow therapeutic and very satisfying to be rolling along and just pedaling.  There's the sound of the tires on the road as well as the sounds that you don't hear from the bike.  It's just smooth and fast.  Power from your legs goes directly into the bike and from there in to the road.  There's no suspension to suck some power, and not jostling of the bike to get around obstacles.  What you put down is what you get out of each pedal stroke.  Without getting too poetic about it, things are just simple on the road: You pedal and you go.  That's about it.

I say all this keeping in mind that mountain biking is still (and probably always will be) my preferred style of riding-particularly Enduro style riding. I love the aspect of having to pedal to the top only to get to bomb the descents.  Getting through rocks, roots, mud, drops, and other obstacles is what makes things for me on two wheels more enjoyable than anything else.  But, and it's a big BUT, there's something to be said about the road.  Even though I spent most of the last year discrediting everything "roadie" (see lycra, shaved legs, etc.), it's pulled me back in like a drug.  Having the right mix of both will, in all likelihood give me a balance I've missed out on most of my athletic life.