Under Control

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
Mario Andretti

I saw the above quote this morning in Kenny D's "Multisport Report" e-mail and thought how well it describes riding in a Criterium. That is so absolutely true about a fast criterium. Usually, the second you think things have finally settled down to something you can handle, somebody else attacks and all hell breaks loose again and you're careening around the inside of a corner with the curb on one side and some bug guy leaning on you on the other side, trying not to panic because somebody three bikes ahead is letting a gap open. There is something about being at the limit of control that seems to appeal to certain people. You know the type. They're the ones whose wheels you're hanging onto thinking "we can't possibly make it through this wet corner at this speed." But you do it and come out smiling. Turns out you're probably one too!

I was missing that feeling on this morning's ride, though. I guess it had something to do with the cooler weather. It was the first day so far that I've put on two jerseys. First that ragged old team jersey that you wouldn't normally wear in public, and then a nicer one over it. One of my favorite things about winter is that I get to use all those worn-out riding clothes as base layers. Like those shorts you always liked where the chamois is still in good shape but the elastic in the lycra has deteriorated around the chamois so that they're practically transparent.

Anyway, there were about 20 people on the ride this morning, and ordinarily that would mean that it would get pretty fast, but for some reason everyone seemed content to ride along in a double paceline at an easy 21-23 mph almost the whole way. I was feeling a little more frisky this morning, but I controlled myself and went with the flow so as not to seem too anti-social.

The best thing about a double paceline is that you get to actually carry on a conversation with whoever is riding alongside you. This morning it was Danny, who works in a lab here at Tulane and was a swimmer back in college. So we talked about swimming and Tulane's new women's swimming team, and how the girls nowadays swim faster times - in meters - than we used to swim - in yards.

The cool weather got me thinking about winter riding clothes. I go through this debate with myself every year. If I lived in Michigan, it would be simple, but here it's possible to basically fake it all winter with just the bare essentials. A pair of long tights, arm-warmers, a vest and gloves can be teamed up with multiple layers of summer jerseys and you can handle 95% of the winter weather. You might be a little cold now and then, but it only lasts about three months. So the debate is always whether it is worth investing in that warm Pearlizumi Kodiak winter jersey or one of those fine winter jackets, or just suffer for a while and save the money for tires and other bike stuff that might actually make you go faster. I usually end up buying nothing but a new pair of gloves or something like that, knowing that by the end of February I'll be wishing I had bought a pair of those fancy new tires for my racing wheels or that new headset I've been needing (ever try "indexed steering?).

So right now everything seems to be under control.

I should be worried.