shopping as a substitute for riding =/
Rewind to the beginning of last week. I've been out of work for about a month, but it looks like a company I like is about to make me an offer. At the same time, this is the last week of my aunt's sabbatical from her high-power executive-type job. I credit my aunt with getting me into mountain biking, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our schedules to match up, so ....
As soon as I get the phone call that they'd like to make me an offer, I start packing for Park City. I email the company and tell them to send the offer to my aunt's house. I call my aunt -- "How do you feel about me visiting you for about a week so we can mountain bike?" "Great, when are you coming?" "I was thinking tomorrow ..."
Now, I looked at the forecast for PC, but I just couldn't believe it. 40s and 50s, rain ... that can't be right. I packed four sets of cycling clothes and a bunch of shorts and t-shirts; some pants and a zip-up hoodie for the evenings. Yeah, I'm dumb.
Leaving Boulder, I was comfortable with a tank top, shorts, and the A/C in my car cranking. When I got out of the car in Park City, it was 45 degrees with snow on the ground.
Frankly, the weather also did a number on us. We felt exhausted, which is extremely abnormal for my always-energetic aunt.
So what do you do when you can't go riding?
Well, I guess you shop. I'd been planning to get a couple of sleeveless jerseys to address my farmer's tan, so while my aunt talked to her favorite shop guy about her road bike's performance on her recent (and first!) century, I tried on every sleeveless jersey in the shop. Bought two. Also went through their ski season clearance racks and found a zip-up thermal shirt, fleece turtleneck, and warm pants for under my ski stuff. Yay!
Later that day, the rain started in earnest, so we decided to check out the Pearl Izumi outlet. My aunt managed to escape with some lime green trail shoes and a bright yellow jersey for my dad (who rides his local North Carolina neighborhood; we worry that people aren't used to seeing bikes on roads there); I got ... let's see ... a cycling rain jacket, a soft shell, and several pairs of adorable socks.
I also had the opportunity to go "shopping" in my aunt's closet; a lot of her stuff is too big for her. I got a Trek fleece jacket and two halter-top-type jerseys.
We did manage one ride during the entire week: the Round Valley network of trails in Park City. Mellow both technically and physically, but with lots of fun riding and beautiful flowers and vistas. Wish I'd brought a camera.
Today, as I said my goodbyes, the sky was a perfect blue, not a cloud to be seen. Grrr!
