switching gears

it's 34 degrees outside, cold, feels like below freezing, drizzling, wet and slippery road - perfect condition to test my desire to do winter road biking. one more look outside, and yeah - i donned my winter gear. time to go out and ride. when i opened the garage and prep my bike, the rain was getting heavier, so i went back inside and put on the kirkland rainwear shell that i just bought from costco. it was cold indeed, especially when cruising past 16mph (slow eh) with the wind and drizzle hitting my face, the only part of body that is exposed. i did my routine ~25 miler loop in the area, and by the time i got home, my hands were numb. but it was a satisfying ride, as always.

• head: fleece balaclava - warm, but not windproof
• body: undershirt baselayer + gore thermal + gore winter/weatherproof jacket + kirkland rainwear jacket - felt too warm after 3 miles so i opened the rainwear's underarm zipper for ventilation
• legs: nike compression tights + gore winter bib + kirkland rainwear pants - just ok
• socks: liner + gator icelandic winter socks
• hands: p.i. lobster gloves with hand warmers inside - fingers still felt numb, will try the bar mitts when it arrives.

we've been doing winter mtb rides, but winter road biking is a different game. mtb is more relaxed, more fun; road is focused, colder, more fingers-and-toes-numbing. however, it brings the same feeling during and after the ride - self-satisfaction, and that's all that matters.