It's still freakin' cold (30's and 40's, with more ice and snow in the forecast for tonight). Really it's too cold for any kind of long rides... but for a couple hours around town with my full winter kit on, I figured I could manage it.
Anyway, with "that much" asphalt finally showing through the snow and ice-covered roadways around here, I decided to make it the first riding day of 2018. The riding is fine, just have to be careful. There are a bunch of meltwater puddles that are really quite deep, some obscuring a thin layer of ice still underneath. The potholes are out of control, though not as bad as some years. Also a lot of the shady spots (behind buildings/garages and under big trees) are still sporting a thin veneer of glare ice.
Everywhere I go, big piles of snow still dominate the neighborhoods around Minneapolis, but what the hell, I'm out and it's an awesome first day of riding... Everything I remember about riding my first year came back to me in a flash. Having low-sided in November due to too cold tires and a total lack of awareness about tire temps, I am riding and being especially careful about keeping my tire temps up with extra maneuvers and engine braking, and also making sure that I take every corner less aggressively and with smooth control of power.
A couple of rides through unavoidable "snow patches" here and there gave me a pretty good test of my confidence as a new rider, but I kept the bike upright and fishtailed my way through them without incident.
I just love riding - glad to be back.
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