IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, mild winter day today, with a nearly cloudless sky, bright sun, and not much breeze.  It would have been a shame to waste it by doing a spin bike session or worse, doing nothing at all.  So, an actual ride, outdoors on a moving bike seemed just the thing.

Prior to setting out I replaced the dummy load placeholder in one pannier with the actual contents it will carry: sleeping bag, sleeping pad, CPAP batteries, and travel CPAP machine.  This being the first time all of those items were actually together in the house, it made sense to confirm that they will indeed all fit where and as I intend.  They do- only just, but they do.

When she heard the plan, my lady wife decided she would like to come along, trying out the e-bike we bought for her last autumn.  It got only one ride at the time, before cold weather closed in and ended her willingness to brave the hostile elements, so it's still something of a novelty for her and for me.

Being accompanied on a ride by my wife is something to which I'm unaccustomed, but which I welcome.  She's really not a cyclist, although we've done a number of supported tandem tours in Europe over the past two decades.  Typically she does zero riding between those tours, except for training rides as a tour approaches.  She never takes a ride "just because", for the simple pleasure of riding.  And until the e-bike joined the household she had no bike of her own, nor any interest in obtaining one.

We found today that, at least where and as we were riding, she had no problem staying with me.  That's obviously due in part to the electric assist, but of course equally to the fact that my pace seems to be about 10 miles an hour.  (I've mentioned in previous pages that I am doing most or all of my prep rides with a full load, maintaining as realistic a setup as I can manage.)

Our "route" was simple: a lap on the Millenium Trail, the 10.5 mile loop that girds our town.  Factoring in the bit of distance from our house to and from the trail as well as a departure from the actual trail in order to avoid a stretch I dislike intensely, we did about 13.5 miles in total.  

It was enough to "stir the juices" without being overly taxing, and to demonstrate to me that spinning has helped but is no substitute for the real thing.  Still, it was good to be out in the fresh air and sunshine.  I'm pleasantly relaxed from mild exertion but by no means shattered.  I doubt I'll even be noticeably stiff and sore tomorrow, when I hope to take advantage of a similarly pleasant day with a longer, slightly more challenging ride.