Brown Season: Gravel Therapy

Escape Route: An alley in a "bougie" neighborhood.

January around these parts is not known for stellar country riding weather. In fact, many Januarys have gone by where I barely get out into the woods to ride. Commuting to work amounts to all the riding I generally get in for most Januarys around here. 

That's because of our terrain, our weather, and my desire not to get frostbitten. I only am half kidding about the last part. It really is not a lot of fun to get out into the rural areas to ride in Winter here, if you can even do that. 

Many times the roads are very icy, so riding out there on icy gravel is nigh unto impossible. Not a good idea, at any rate. Then there is the wind. A constant in Iowa, and when that starts in when it is much under 25°F, well, that windchill is nothing to take lightly. 

But sometimes we get that rare combination of clear roads and a day where the air temperature is high enough that wind chill is not a big deal. Last Friday was just such a day here. It was in the mid-40's, and the wind wasn't too bad. The Sun was out, and the roads had no snow or ice whatsoever. In fact, we maybe have had two inches of snow all Winter here so far. Maybe two inches..... It hasn't been much, I do know that!

A "working dairy barn" outside of Waterloo on Ansborough.

Nothing will stop the wind out here in Winter, or stop you from freezing to death.

I decided I could take a bit of time in the afternoon to take in this rarity.I needed to get some gravel time in on those Good Grief Nice Bars anyway. More importantly, I needed some mental therapy which can only come via riding a bicycle. 

I know many riders who will tell you that a good ride can help cleanse the mind. I am one of those who hold to that philosophy. I would only add that, for me, getting that dose of medicine goes down best on a gravel road. It is just me, the bicycle, and gravel. Simple. No distractions. No traffic breathing down my neck. No worries about missing the next turn, or concerns about getting lost. Just time to think clearly and employ some good mental hygiene. 

Good thing I went out Friday! That wind and cold we have now is going to put off the next ride for a while.

It was a good thing to have gone out on a mid-January day for some rare country goodness. I did not care if the plants were all brown, the fields bare, or that there were no animals about. I got what I needed out of the ride. A much calmer mental interior for a while. 

Oh! And I got to evaluate those handle bars. I'll have something more to say about those soon.