On January 16th, I went down and rode some gravel roads in the middle of Missouri. We saw all the scenic things you expect in the hilly farmland: small homes, burned down cabins/trailers, and the proliferation of “No Trespassing” signs. The ride featured some great climbing, which was also difficult after a 3 hour road ride the day before, but a great workout. I spent most of the climbs working on sitted climbing/power.

I have really started to get a good winter set of gear so far. The prize has been my new GORE Tool jacket: a little pricy, but everything about the jacket works perfectly. In 25ºF+, I tend to only need it and a long sleeve base for core warmth. For colder days or road riding, I also add a windproof vest.

December proved to be a difficult month for training and I ended up missing most of my hours due to illness. So January I’ve jumped right into it, getting my first 2+ hour rides since October and logging over 7 hours of singeltrack/gravel time so far (plus trainer and road riding). The one goal I’ve been lax on so far is commuting to work at least once per week.

Stats from today: ~26 miles, 2,200+ feet of climbing, high temp of 30ºF.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rballou/sets/72157625840112734/