I don’t know if it’s my new tires, a new sense of purpose in preparing for the Triple Bypass, a persistent tailwind (ha!) or just me getting stronger, but for my long evening commute on Wednesday, and my typical morning commute today, I did not once leave the big ring. For the morning commute with it’s standard hills, that’s not unheard of, and I think the smooth Conti T&Cs make a big difference. For the longer commute from Wednesday, with it’s leg busting crank bending hills, I’m proud of the fact that I stuck it out on the big ring, city slicks notwithstanding. Those are some tough hills, and I was determined to stay the course. I really wasn’t that winded or tired when I got home, either. A damn fine ride no matter how you look at it.

The weather today is looking evil, so the verdict is out on whether I take the long road or the short road home. I don’t really have to decide until I’m 8 miles or so into the ride, so I have plenty of time.

I really like what Noah has been doing on his blog. His pictures are great. I would love to add more pictures to my posts, but without a camera yet, my options are limited. I can see missing a lot of photo ops, though… when I’m riding, I’m generally pretty focused on riding.