I lied.

Even though it was below 40F, it was above freezing. The ride was great. It was a refreshing change from looking outside at the crappy weather. No. It was sunny. Well occasionally sunny. Yes, the tires did slip and slide. Well if I can't handle a little slipping and sliding, I shouldn't be on a bike.

OK, people have already said I shouldn't be on a bike. Fuck them.

There was one alarming incident. A dog bolted out from some trees into the road in front of me. There was a woman there who I assume was the owner from the way she was screaming. I reverted to my MSF training and weaved around the dog. I missed it by just enough to miss it. Hitting it would have been the end of the dog and not much better for me.

I hope that woman learned a lesson about the importance of leashes on country roads. If I was in an SUV, that would have been dog splat.

My heart was racing for a while after that incident. Other than that, the ride was very enjoyable. It was my first ride of 2009. It was so nice to get the bike out. I still want some wind guards for the levers though. The gloves I have are pretty good in cold weather. But with wind blowing over them at 60MPH or more, they don't have the insulating qualities one could hope for.