Cross-Country Skiing and Bicycling in Fargo, North Dakota: Day 1 of 30 Days of Biking

Although it is still below freezing, and we still have plenty of snow, I chose to bike instead of skiing because #30daysofbiking begins today. I dragged my fat tire bike out of the basement, pumped up the tires, put on a helmet, and set out. Little did I know I was about to play a little "April Fools" joke on myself.

It was nice to have that blank canvas experience with the bike--I was really surprised that no biker, let alone pedestrian, had been on the sidewalk leading up to the water treatment plant. I rode over and followed the bike path to the bridge that connects Lindenwood Park (in Fargo) with Gooseberry Park (in Moorhead). From there, I had access to the single track trails in the woods by the river. The new snow from our two consecutive snowstorms made me glad I was on a fat tire bike, but was not too challenging.

Nevertheless, I noticed that my balance was not the greatest. This could be because 1) I was never a very good technical rider, even when I used to race 2) I have not been on a bike in a long while, and/or 3) This fat tire bike handles differently than the Bridgestone MB-zip that I've spent more time on. Little did I know that it was actually #4 (which I didn't figure out until I had headed home). Anyway, I had fun rediscovering how to ride on snow and not grip the handlebars so tightly. Although some dog walkers had widened the trail, there were a few sections with just the bike tires to follow. I felt wobbly, but did OK following them, until I just spun out, lost control of my bike, and almost hit a tree.

Oops!

I decided to turn back at that point, also because I knew I would have a very sore rear end tomorrow anyway. As I was riding home, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten to put in my contacts after my nap and left my glasses by my bed. I was so excited to wear my sunglasses that I forgot that they are not a prescription pair, so basically, I had been doing this whole ride without being able to see well (#4). Nice little April Fools joke on myself. Getting older comes with free entertainment.