Gravé

Got a little time off work after doing a couple of weeks of long days. Had a nice recovery ride along the Hudson River yesterday and I attempted to explore going up the East River (there's supposedly a new bike path, according to the map) but I was stymied by the ever present construction. With little elevation gain to speak of, it was an easy and leg clearing spin. Today was much, much different. Temperatures were sweltering, the wind felt like a hair dryer. After threading my way across the GWB I took River Road again, hitting all the hills hard trying to improve my times from the last round. The heat cracked me on the last one waaaaay before the top and I had to grind my way up, nothing too unusual I guess. To my elation I discovered two sectors of strade bianche/ gravé in a state park--a happy ending to a wrong turn--and it caused me to reflect on this point of the season. Thing is, I miss the spring classics. Pretty badly (surprise, surprise). I miss the one day battles against the elements and the roads. It doesn't help that this year's Tour GC is a regular snoozefest. I've already come to the conclusion that this year's TdF is more interesting as a series of one day races. It may seem that Sky are lazy in the low and medium mountain stages but I'm enjoying all the interesting breakaways this year. And at least the French will be happy for once considering all the stage wins they've picked up. I guess it made me a little sentimental for Scotland and northern European riding. I certainly don't miss my bike, and while it looks like a replacement is farther and farther away as the days go by, I find myself still wanting to tackle tough, winding, narrow roads; nasty wind; mud at every corner; lashing rain. Like my favorite PRO Spartacus believes, each and every race is battle, it's a fight and I guess I connect to that. But on the other hand, I now have an awesome ironed-on bib tan. Back to reality, more searing blacktop, and more hills for the way home. At this point I was just trying to get home, I stopped to refill my big bottles twice, and I must admit, the argyle strip on Garmin-Sharp's Cervélo's is probably one of the nicest touches on any PRO bike (at the other end of the spectrum don't get me started on Sagan's "Tourminator." He's 22, he can get away with that now but soon it's gonna look childish and make him look like a sore winner).