Today we had a very pleasant group ride covering a portion of the Crow Wing Trail, starting at Crystal Springs Colony, and following the trail (mostly) to a few miles northeast of Niverville, then returned, about a 50 km round trip. Pete, Robert, Tony and Jim did the ride, with Pete on his newly self built recumbent fatbike, Jim on his “bought” fat bike, Robert and Tony on their studded tire mountain bikes. Pete, Robert and Jim are in the middle of preparing for the “Actif Epica” on Feb. 18, which will follow the Crow Wing Trail from St. Malo to St. Boniface. If conditions for the race are going to be anything like today, it’ll be “a walk in the park”. But, who knows?
I highly recommend winter riding, especially on a fat bike. Trails, frozen rivers and creeks, dirt and gravel roads are all accessible. The more I ride my “mukluk”, the better I like it. I’m also really impressed with Pete’s recumbent fat bike—-he’s quite a craftsman.
If we can get more local riders interested, it might be a good idea to have weekly or perhaps semi-monthly group rides all through the winter.

Jim wins, before he even races, and Pete models his new ride – check it out here!  Andrea models that latest in sub-zero cycling fashion and commuter gear – check it out here (just recall the words of Derek Zoolander as you endure the pitying glances of motorists, in all your fleece layered glory, during your daily commute – “Have you ever wondered if there was more to life, other than being really, really, ridiculously good looking?”).

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) rides magnificently to tie-up with Simon Gerrans (GreenEDGE) for the GC at stage 5 of the Tour Down Under.

Yeah, I know, the blues is hardly spin-worthy music.   But if you’re as tired of the typical work-out crap as I am, you might want to change it up at bit with some of these tunes (or better yet, pour yourself a draft, get out your latest cycling mag, set-up the playlist and chill).  And, in honour of Etta James (passed today), start with “At Last”. As an alternative, stream JazzRadio.com – blues (my happy place).

Blues artist’s names are just the coolest.  If we gave all the MIT Roadies a blues artist name, what would it be?  Jimmy “The Fatman” Go-nad?  Rob “The Hurler”?  ”Gelpack” Shorty? “Studly” rj (editor’s priviledges…)?