It was snowing when I headed out with Madeleine for our ride today. Not hard, and it was consistently above freezing, but there were flakes coming down nonetheless. Happily, the going was easier today than it has been the past two days, so I added a mile or so and a small hill to my route. By the end of my ride, all my parts that pointed out to the front were frozen: toes, knees, fingers, boobs, nose - you get the picture. I'm having trouble getting my clothing right for these very early spring conditions. Sorry, but I also wasn't inspired to linger for a photo, so there's no proof of the weather.
I laughed at myself a bit as I rode. Normally, I'd never have ventured out today. It never ceases to amaze me, however, what I'm willing to do in the name of training. Not, mind you, training for any grand competition. I'm just talking about training so I don't look like a fool on an upcoming adventure. I wrote the other day about fears. Perhaps looking like a fool is something that I fear, or at least really hate.
In this case, I don't want to be the only one huffing and puffing down, and up, the Himalayas in Bhutan. I have less than three weeks to get as much riding in as possible before I leave, so I can't be a weenie and give in to a few snowflakes! It's bad enough to be going on an athletic adventure as overweight as I am (I don't even want to consider what people think when they first see me on such a trip); to lag behind everyone else would be simply too much. So, I'll squeeze in as much riding as I can between now and then in the hopes of reducing how foolish I might look.
Ah, vanity, at least it's good for something!