I'm sorry you missed the oddly warm spot of weather we had. I know what you mean on the gears, though. I don't have a cadence meter, I just have what feels right, and if it starts "skipping" at the top of a stroke, then I just click my little lever and everything's good again. I did a lot of that on my ride today.

I sort of want to print this thread out and show it to my BF. He's convinced I should put the toe cages back on, because that's the way he did it, and clearly that's the only way to do it. I'm going to the LBS before I leave (ie, tomorrow or on the 2nd) and asking about clipless. Then I just need to save up a bit of cash...