getting ready

It's April First. Is your bike ready for the season?

I ask because in the fall, you don't always know when a ride will be the last of the year. Just the other day when I went for a spin on the snow bike, I wasn't thinking at the time it would be my last snow ride, but now that another four days of melting have passed, I think it was. Kind of sad in a way because it'll be a long time until the next ride where I can't hear or see a car. I'll miss riding in the woods, but it's something to look forward to in June (sigh).

Dear Bicycle,
Sorry about the crust of dried mud
on your downtube. I promise to clean
you before I take you out this spring.
Affectionately, Muddy Girl.

As I ponder these upcoming dirt trail rides, I'm reminded of all the things I need to do so my mountain bike will be ready for dirt. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I'll need to brush off the crust from last fall, find the seat bag and check its contents to make sure I have all the tools I need, plus make sure the spare tube is good and that I have some patches. I'll have to repeat the process on the road bike. (By the way, how many Divas are racing in the Bike for Women?) A little bit of preparation out in the garage on these sloppy days will mean a bit less stress when I'm getting ready for that first Divas ride in a few weeks.

Ready for any emergency?

If your bike needs to be tuned up, hurry down to your favorite shop so you can have it back in time for the first ride. Things have really been picking up, which is why if you stop in at Paramount this weekend, you might just see me working. Yes, it's so busy that I agreed to lend a hand. It should be fun seeing customers I haven't seen in months.

One more encouraging note, I went for a ride with Lynn C. the other day. We rode around the south side of Lake Hood and out past Point Woronzof. The route was mostly dry and some of the road shoulders had been swept. We had a great ride in the sunshine. In a few weeks, we'll all be out there for the first official ride. In the mean time, I'd encourage you to check it out. It feels great to start the season with a few miles already on your legs!

See you on the 7th at the Annual Meeting.

posted by Rose