Peace

You know what 61 degrees feels like? No? I do, it's summarized with: Good. Dang good. It feels like gliding, laughter, hammering, and singing out loud "Yellow Submarine" whilst blazing a path down the multi-use path.

Sometimes I don't even have any idea - myself - that I have seasonal depression until I realize that I do. Dat be proper english. You get the idea.

Stepped on the scale yesterday - cringing - and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I haven't lost a pound since before the moving fiesta, nor have I gained a pound. I hugged the scale. Repeatedly. My wife was right, thankfully, I might not have been cycling but my constant running around moving helped keep me from turning into a gigantic beer and chinese food filled balloon.

Back to the cycling. Yesterday I left work and didn't really know where I wanted to go. It was 61 out, so I could go anywhere (!!!) and not worry about frostbite, ice, snow, etc etc. In the end I opted to head north to the shop, the rear der has been skipping a bit lately and I wanted to look at shoes. Man, am I glad I did. Here's why:

So yeah get this - Bontrager (Trek) makes shoes. I know, I know! But also, get this - they feel good. First pair I tried (a 48cm/13.5 US) didn't, my toes were cramped and I went "eh, I'll pass". I have big feet, gigantic feet, I wear a 13 or 14 US and they run a little wide (shocking, I know!), so finding shoes for me is always a challenge, and finding ones that fit me well nearly impossible. Looked at Shimanos and Pearl Izumis, neither floated my boat.

Right before I left I said "oh what the hell" and tried the size 14.5. I stood talking to my favorite mechanic there about the LHT, and kept thinking "dang, these feel good, really good". Standing up being different than cycling, of course, but it gives you a good idea how they'll feel regardless. Stiff sole, comfy fit.. wow. I passed at the moment thinking "jeez lousie, next thing you do, you'll be going clipless and walking around sounding like a mix between a horse and a hooker as the cleats click on the floor".

Riding home in my trusty North Face hiker/tennies, I couldn't help but constantly think about how good those felt. The North Faces have felt good, great, for three years of cycling and exercise at the gym, but now they felt weird. Small. Odd. Foreign almost. Thousands of miles, several centuries, but now they just didn't feel right. Kind of how the Trek FX felt after the first time I rode a LHT.

And, you know, that was good. That change was one of the best I ever did for cycling. So baby steps, goona go pick 'em up and try them out with the platforms and just enjoy a sturdier pedaling platform, and comfier fit. The writing, however, is on the wall.

"Thou shalt sound like a tramp whilst walking, and smile as thy feet are clipped sturdily to thy pedals whilst riding."

Or, you know, something like that.