Faster than you can say ...

  

Today was the first day in Boise that I was able to take the new bike out on its first "true" ride.  The harsh weather Boise has been having only let me take it out sporadically and for less than 5 - 10 miles at a time.  The sun came out today, with absolutely no kind of precipitation on the road whatsoever.  It was still blisteringly cold this morning so I decided on riding after my climbing class.  

  Well, it was still as cold as ice around 1:30, but at 24 degrees , it was still warmer than it was yesterday.  Anyway, I started on a what became a 32 mile loop on Hill Ave. and as I started to warm up, I started to really push it.  The only word I can think of this bike is twitchy.  I know road bikes vary greatly from TT/Triathlon bikes, but this one seemed like it wanted to escape from me every time I inhaled and exhaled.  It's when you lay low in the drops that this thing just takes off.  It seems like the less you fight it, the easier it is.  It's definitely not a lazy man's bike.  Or maybe coming off the TT/Tri position is still ingrained in me and i'm still adjusting.  Whatever it is, the bike requires some attention on the road.  

  Holding it on the pace line is sensitive to input and a little goes a long way.  The shifting is incredible on this thing.  I've been using 105 10speed on the Cervelo and it's nothing compared to this Ultegra SL.  Every shift is light, fast and extremely responsive.  The compact geometry constantly keeps me in an aero position, but coming off TT/Tri's it's almost natural anyway.  The wheelset is light enough, but i've been using carbon wheels almost exclusively for quite some time.  It's a bit on the harsh side, but it does the job.  Still better than the Velocity's I once had.  The seat is amazing.  Somehow, the design would lead you to believe on how uncomfortable it would be to sit on such a thin piece, but it was solid and very much more comfortable that my previous Profile Design seat I was using.  

  All these opinions may or may not even be relative since I'm coming off a completely different aspect of cycling.  It'll take me some saddle time to get used to all of this, but it all looks so promising.  Somehow holding a 22mph pace for ten miles seems quite good (and relatively easy?) to start this new year.  Climbing still sucks.  I could tell coming back to my apartment is going to be the worst after a good ride.  I went over to George's Cycles to get a saddle bag and cage and I had a chat with Dustin and he mentioned a yearly race up Bogus Basin road.  A $1000 prize for someone who can climb it in under 50 minutes.  I haven't seen the route, but I will check it out with my car later.  Must be one hell of a climb.  It's supposedly 16 miles up.  Training, training, training is all I can say.  Also, I've read Kristen Armstrong uses that same route in her training.  Is that why she won gold in Beijing?  There's a connection in there somewhere.  

  Well, I hope this weather lasts as it is or at least gets warmer.  I really have the itch now and in the back of my mind I still HATE running.  Not too many people know that.  They still think I like it for some reason or another, but I really HATE it.  I want to be back on two wheels.  I run out of boredom and a disillusioned concept of keeping me right for the bike.  I think it's working.  Oh yeah trail running is only cool because there's always something different to look at, at any given time.  It also packs in a little bit of adventure and different route every time I go, whereas road running is the same boring routine.  Some people may have a different opinion, but I plead the fifth on any other reason why.  

  So a bit of R & R for the rest of the day, I have got to catch up on Heroes.  I've been out of the loop for quite some time.  I'm only on season 3.  

  Oh yeah, and Netflix?  Exactly.