Now is the time to start getting nervous.
Just a month into the New Year but already prep time seems to be petering out with every new snowfall. Resolutions will surely be sullied by chicken wings and blue cheese dressing this Super Bowl Sunday and, although the brave winter sun had fought hard to melt some chosen local trials, there was snow again this week. And it's difficult to build up the desire to work off holiday turkey and beer and Super Bowl blue cheese by jumping rope in the kitchen - no matter how many silly rhymes you can come up with as you skip.
Yep, I'm getting nervous. The Test of Metal is looming and we haven't had that chance for a good long ride since before Christmas one that didn't involved icy curses anyway. Meanwhile, eagerness for the amazing race is brighter than ever as the first 200 local spots were snatched up within an hour.
But there're many different ways to keep fit and ready to pedal into 撸奶社区spring. Just show up a bit late for a World Cup ski jumping event in the Callaghan Valley and you'll get the chance to jog a couple kilometres from your roadside parking spot, which is perfect because surely everybody was undoubtedly feeling super lackadaisical from watching the ultra-fit cross-country skiers grind their bodies to exhaustion the previous weekend.
Or, since it's so hard to pedal up snowy trails to get to the really fun, partly-thawed descents, climb directly up the dry sections. But really, climb. Put your bike on your shoulder, tear into rock and grasp onto tree branches - it's a hell of a workout. Then enjoy the awesome plummet just like it was summer. Plural of Nemesis in the Garibaldi Highlands was pretty dry last week.
And if it's more technical training you're after, look no further than the nicely ploughed highway roads between downtown and Valleycliffe, for you never know what human-made obstacles and drops will require safe navigation or just plain survival. Body armour and a full face helmet are unfortunately recommended.
If you do take your steed on the roads make sure you give it a good bath afterward to wash off the road salt. A good oil undercoating might help, too.
But in any case, remember to refuel smartly. The latest salmonella outbreak has compromised some of our favourite trailside treats like Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch Clif Bars and Peanut Toffee Buzz Clif Bars. And not to dabble in brand discrimination: peanuts in general.
As an alternative, try some hot wings with blue cheese in a plastic Ziploc bag. Yum!
