You know its cold, when there is mist on the water.
And, you know its cold, when I need to wear booties.
Its was 0 C when I awoke. Sun was forecast but it didn’t happen. By mid-day it did warm to 12 C. I wasn’t going let the cold stop me from riding. However, I did change my planned route. Instead of heading north on remote roads, I combined parts of the Brechin and Beaverton Loops so that there was a coffee shop mid-ride just in case I needed to warm up.
I did 90 km on some of the smoothest and most scenic roads in the area. I continued south of Beaverton on a beach front road I discovered that wound for 10 km servicing old-wealth, recreational properties. Properties that have been in families for several generations. Large lakefront properties on the east shore of Lake Simcoe. Properties that bath in unobstructed views of exquisite sunsets. This is prime real estate. There are few, if any, for sale signs on this road. The properties are preserved for the next generation.
I didn’t know this road existed. It is flat and smooth. Perfect for a sprint. And yet my pace slowed. I wasn’t in a rush. I wanted to experience each of the properties. Observe who was there, what they were doing and the views they enjoyed. It was the slowest 10 km of the whole day.
I also came across Beaverton’s Fall Fair. It seems all of the small Ontario farming towns celebrate the Fall harvest with a fair. There were antique cars on display, a ferris wheel, horses, cattle, a midway and live entertainment. It was a small affair. The weather doesn’t help. Few turned out. At least not when I cycled by.
I have not been able to cycle as much as I had planned. The weather has not cooperated. Rain is forecast again for tomorrow and then sun and warmer weather is supposed to return. We’ll see. I don’t have a lot confidence in weather forecasting. In spite of the rain, I have cycled more than 400 km since arriving. Today, I felt strong, maintained a fast pace without a lot of effort and, never really tired. I could have easily gone farther. I faced a headwind for the last 10 km. That always seems to happen. But instead of getting discouraged and struggling to finish the ride, I geared down, drop on the bars and, enjoy the way in.
I feel stronger and am pedalling more efficiently. These past 2 weeks have benefited both my form and conditioning. The Bolsover Training Camp is helping me focus on cycling without distractions. No TV. No work. A lot of rest. And, good food. This camp may become an annual event. Next time, I will consider bringing other road cyclists with me.
PedalWORKS 