How do I Train in This?: Global warming gone awry

January 30, 2014

The view from Alex's room across Lake Commando to the peninsula where the Cochrane Winter Carnival is about to commence in two days. So yes, somewhere under all of that snow and ice is an actual lake where we can swim, kayak and generally frolic during the summer.

I do believe global warming is an issue and do not mock the concept. In fact, my guess is that gw is partly or even totally responsible for the extreme cold we have been enduring in this part of the world for the past number of weeks. Not counting the wind chill there have been days in the vicinity of -40C. And the snow! Well, just take a look at the pics on this page then think about the fact that winter can easily last into May here. Mother's Day 2013 gave us about 60-70 cm of snow.

And from the living room to the front yard on a very snowy January morning. If this is only January what will this view be like after another two or even three months of winter? Oy! In short, what you see before you here, ladies and gentleman, is a failure to commute. Or joy ride. Or train ride. Or any outdoor pedaling for that matter (I DO have chains for winter riding, but that is also another story for another day.)

Though beautiful, and I like living here, each year gets a little harder to take. Not the cold or snow, but the fact that it can start in October and last til May.

With all of that winter going on outdoors, I will have to take Alex's example and get on the mind-numbing, brain-cell-killing indoor trainer. Riding on that is as comparable to real touring as smelly socks are comparable to butterscotch pudding. AT LEAST I will get myself a bit more prepared for the ride in May.

Consequently, though I am not fond (putting it mildly) of an indoor trainer, if I want to be sure to be even somewhat prepared for the tour and the mountains, I will have to bite the bullet and ride.

At least I have some episodes of Mrs. Brown's Boys that will entertain as I burn brain cells on the bike.

This show is so hilarious here's hoping that I will forget the drudgery of the trainer. Photo from BBC Pictures.

I am proud to say that a few days ago I got onto the bike and rode the mag trainer during a session of YouTube videos. My newborn hobby of woodworking has all kinds of gaps in it so I am reading voraciously, and watching any how-to videos I can, whether they be for table saw tricks, how to build a router table or techniques in applying lacquer. And these days, a hobbyist's best friends are Google and YouTube. They can teach anyone to do almost anything - and explain it to them in 181 languages.

Back to cycling. The ride went quite well, though I already see what I have ahead of me. My legs are weak. My lungs are weak. My bottom is not yet re-acquainted with the Brooks. By the time I set off, they will know each other quite well. But each day I ride is a wee bit better.

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