First Road Ride In 2011
Photo 2After interviews for two pretty awesome jobs, one Monday, the other Tuesday morning, I had a free Tuesday afternoon, which in my opinion was best spent on the bike out in the fresh air. When I got home it was drizzling a bit and when I left the house on two wheels the first rain drops hit. I could have chosen an easy ride and climb up to the Bözingenberg. But I wouldn’t be me taking the easy way. Instead, I had Cortébert in mind with a climb up to the Anabaptist Bridge and the steep descent into Corgémont from where I’d return to Biel shooting through the tunnels. That’s not the way I’d generally chose, but I figured that there’d be too much snow on the fire roads to climb across the mountain to reach Orvin. When I got into the St. Imier valley the rain fell harder and a stiff head wind tried its best to slow me down. I didn’t care much as I was too deeply sunken in thought. My head was spinning at a thousand RPM and my legs were trying hardest to catch up. Sure, it was cold and my body’s signals of pain probably banged on the door. My head though, was somewhere else. As I reached Cortébert and rode by the train station to start the climb, the rain had ceased.
Climbing felt good, my feet seemed to start drying and my mind was once in a while focusing on what the motor was doing. When I reached the first switchback, it started snowing all of a sudden. Just a few flakes, nothing to worry. Sure! I continued to climb only to reach a small snow storm blowing almost horizontally across the road. Just a centimeter covering the road, just two, just three. Silly to turn around, so I continued. The last five hundred meters to the Anabaptist Bridge were almost impossible to ride, but I knew that beyond that point things would get better. And sure enough, the other side got less snow, but snow nonetheless. Riding a road bike, I wasn’t taking any risks on white roads. I dove into the descent with a tight grip around both brake levers. The way down into Corgémont at low speed seemed almost as long as going the opposite, and it was brutally cold. Once the road was clear I gave the brakes a rest and hurried into the valley. Back on the main road, I was hauling ass. “You can unload all your buckets of rain, snow and what not - but you ain’t stopping me”, I yelled. I got out of the saddle, sprinting and shooting through deep water puddles - having fun in awful weather. Made it home, showered and planning to go out for Sushi. Life is good!
| Distance: | 48km (30 miles) |
| Total Climb: | 1370m (4490 feet) |
| GPS Track: | GPSies.com |
