Just me checking in again. I'm on schedule, I think, but it sure didn't look like it yesterday. I've spent the last few days swearing at my rear derailleur. It's really ancient (as in, it was on the bike when my dh bought it used at a police auction 8? years ago and is maybe the only thing that hasn't been replaced on that bike, and has seen a LOT of use) and I think the spring is just getting weak.

So I took my bike in at work yesterday (I LOVE my workplace, I can do stuff like leaving a snowed down bike to drip and draggle all over the floor), thawed and dried it thoroughly, than spent an hour trying to clean, lube and adjust all the appropriate points. Only to find out that it was the front cogs that are the problem, the middle one is worn out and is like touching a mouthful of sharp puppy teeth.

So. Spent an hour and a half biking home with a skipping middle cog, thoroughly discouraged and freezing cold. Turned out it was 10-12 F, and dropped to 5 F that evening. My dh tried to convince me that biking in this morning would be a complete waste of time, but I decided to switch the studded tires over to my other mtb and give it a try if it wasn't too cold. Lo and behold: 16 F this morning, vaseline on my face, homemade face mask (Buff with a hole cut in it ;-), closed my slightly too snug neoprene booties UNDER my tights rather than over, and I had a BRILLIANT ride in. Almost too warm! With a bike I could PEDAL on! Still floating in the adrenaline glow

Long story short - I'm back on track for my mileage, 89 miles to go and should make it fine unless something breaks on this bike too.