Adventure Friday: Bicycle fever and indoor cycling

What's that feeling in the air? That intoxicating scent?

It's bicycle fever.

It's that time of year when even the slightest hint of rhythm conjures vivid daydreams of pedal strokes. Percussive Latin beats suddenly give way to hallucinations of a sprint down a long flat road. Slow bass-driven songs inspire deep longings for tough uphill climbs. Footsteps suddenly seem much too slow.

It's that time of year when 40 degrees feels balmy, and when the quiet trickling sounds of snow melt are mistaken for the arrival of spring.

As a (wimpy?) three-season cyclist, I get bad cases of bicycle fever every winter. This year, skiing and snowshoeing helped stave off the fever for quite some time. This week, finally, it hit me.

Andy has a set of rollers, so we set them up for my road bike. Thursday was my first time ever using rollers, believe it or not! He claims that that the front roller drum is a pain to adjust, so I'm only using the front fork stabilizer right now. Still, it felt like heaven. Once my legs started pedaling, it was hard to stop.

When I was a gym member in New York City, spin classes gave me my cycling fix. Now, I think I like rollers better. Feeling my own familiar bike underneath me—handlebars, seat, pedals, fit, and all—is ten times better than the hit-or-miss quality of gym spin machines.

Survival Monday: 5 outdoor gear items for every day use

In a comment on a previous post, a fellow blogger shared this short article about loving your stuff. Materialism is only bad, the writer argues, when we constantly dispose of old items and seek better ones. Stuff isn't bad when you really use it, you really love it, and you really make it last the test of time.

This is true for most of the outdoor gear that I own. I love that gear, and I use it well. Here are 5 gear items that I use on a daily basis, just because they're that good.

1. Kleen Kanteen 12 oz Insulated Mug - I love this mug so much that I've already dedicated an entire blog post to it. Almost one year later, the love affair is still going strong. 

2. Light My Fire Spork - Light My Fire is a Swedish company that sells an eclectic mix of camping gear, best recognized for its bright colors. Of the entire product line, this spork is the lay woman's winner. I use my spork for lunches at work and snacks on the go. The curved shape is comfy in the hand, and both the spoon and fork sides function beautifully.

3. Turtle Fur Neck Warmer - I have always had a weakness for scarves, but now I've done one better: fleece neck warmers. This Turtle Fur neck warmer not only keeps me warm while skiing and hiking,  but also proves to be a toasty accessory for around-the-town use. Plus, this particular fuzzy is made with Polartec Repreve fleece, a textile made from recycled materials. How cool is that?

4. Merino wool socks - I know what you're thinking: "Wool socks? Ugh. How boring." What could be better than toasty toes on a frigid day? Many merino wool yarns are now heavenly soft, and warm socks can be found for almost any sporting adventure. Best of all, it takes days of wear to make these merino wool stink, and these socks can really take a beating before holes appear. My favorites are Chrome no-show socks for warm weather walking and cycling, Darn Tough for hiking, and Fits for every day coziness.

5. KEEN Targhee Mid II hiking boots - Andy and I are both on our second pair of Keen boots, but not because they're made poorly. On the contrary, we both loved and used our Keen Targhees so much that we wore our first pairs right into the ground. Sure, these boots are waterproof and sturdy, but the real attraction lies in how wonderfully easy it is to break them in. No blisters, no stiffness—KEENs are ready for rain, snow, and shine; trail, park, and sidewalk.

What gear gets you through the daily grind? What things do you absolutely love?

Survival Monday: In love with long johns

Life took a tough turn for my family this weekend. I've been trying to write about it, but it's still too soon for the words to come. The words will come eventually. In the meantime, simple routines provide a semblance of comfort.

The posts appearing on my blog this week, including the little blurb below, were written and placed in my blog's "publish" queue days ago. I'll let them continue to be published as originally scheduled, because they reflect some of my favorite small pleasures that help keep life bright.

Old school long johns

I could not have survived my first January in Salt Lake City without long johns. OK, well, technically thermals. I own two sets of Terramar Helix tops and bottoms, and if I could, I would wear them every hour of every winter day.

The first set is about three years old, and it's still in great shape: not too saggy or baggy and no pilling or thinning. Silky soft, wonderfully warm, and incredibly fast drying, I use them for hiking, cycling, and skiing. On particularly cold weekday mornings, I snuggle into them and add extra layers on top for my commute to work. Once at work, I change into my professional clothes -- happily dry and warm.

Whether waiting for a bus, riding on a ski lift, or crawling out of a sleeping bag, I am so happy to rely on this soft, warm layer. And sometimes, there's nothing better than lounging on the couch with just long johns, wool socks, and beer.

Adventure Friday: Becoming a Gear Head

I've been learning how to ski this winter, mostly at Andy's insistant persuasion. First thing in the morning, before we get to the mountain, I'm pretty poor company. A typical Sara monologue sounds like this:

"It's too early. Can't we sleep in?"
"I never get to sleep in."
"Why do I always have to get up first?"
"I don't feel good."
"Why do I always have to make the coffee?"
"Wait, I need coffee."
"We never go snowshoeing. When can we go snowshoeing?"
"I miss hiking. When can we go hiking?"

Once I'm on the mountain, my competitive side takes over and I start having fun. Sunshine and pine trees help, too. Skiing just isn't something I typically suggest of my own will.

Until recently.

Sunshine helps

Andy surprised me with a pair of my own skis this week, and suddenly all I can think about is skiing. I can't wait to try them. I'm excited to see how they feel, and I'm excited to challenge myself. They're longer than the rentals I've been learning on, and I'm anxious to see whether I can finally break the habit of leaning back. (Or the habit may break me.)

Skis!

Sometimes I forget how much of a gear head I really am. After all, I only have two bicycles, three backpacks, four types of technical fleece, four different hydration systems, one camping hammock, and one pair of snowshoes. That's not a lot, right? Ugh.

The key to most outdoor adventures is minimalism. Whether you're carrying a week of supplies in a backpack or pedaling up a steep incline, less is often more. So why is it so easy to accumulate (and fall in love with) gear?

Or, really, why do outdoor hobbies multiply and expand?

Saddle discomfort in women's cycling

I am not someone who puts form before function.

In New York City, surrounded by women who can expertly walk for miles in high-heeled shoes, I pound the sidewalk with every part of my feet planted firmly on the ground. (With arch support, please.)

In New York City, surrounded by female cyclists who ride in dresses without breaking a sweat, I don sports clothes and pack a change of outfit. (I really like riding fast.)

And in New York City, where vintage road bikes and Brooks saddles are all the rage, I recently put my coolest-looking bike under the knife. (It isn't pretty.)

Meet Quickbeam, so named for his "woodgrain" paint job and my nerdy love for Tolkien:

Quickbeam is my cheap city bike: single speed, steel frame, few valuable parts to steal. Still, he's a handsome gent.

 To match the woodgrain pattern, Quickbeam came with a beautiful saddle.

Although the saddle isn't actually made from wood, it's pretty darn uncomfortable on lady parts. And unless you're experiencing muscle burn from a tough workout or the initial saddle sores of a long trip, there is absolutely no reason to feel pain while riding a bicycle.

No reason.

After two years of putting up with saddle discomfort (an unusually long period of time for me), I finally decided that the beautiful seat just had to go.

This thin road bike saddle—meant for an aggressive, forward-leaning posture—boasts a cutout for the female anatomy. Quickbeam may look a little awkward now, but the new saddle is so much kinder. I'm already dreaming of long, comfortable rides that won't do damage to my womanhood.

That's how it should be, ladies.

Not all female cycling problems are the same. For an in-depth discussion of women and saddle discomfort, and how to find the right solution for your ride, check out this post by Lovely Bicycle.

Survival Mondays: Learning to love the rain

Sure, I've ridden my bicycle in the rain. Once.

Two summers ago, I signed up for the Discover Hudson Valley Ride sponsored by Bike New York.* After what seemed like an entire summer of brilliantly sunny weekends, it poured all day long during the 2010 Hudson Valley ride. We had paid good money to register for that tour, so we rode despite the rain. In fact, once we resigned ourselves to the reality of being absolutely soaked to the bone, we stopped caring. It was fun to speed through puddles and feel the rain on our faces. (Although, that was a day when I sincerely wished I owned contact lenses. Or windshield wipers for my glasses.)

Just a little damp.

When it comes to my commute to work, however, I haven't sucked up the courage to bike in the rain. My cat-like reaction to a few raindrops stems from a combination of many small annoyances: wet clothes, wet hair, no contacts. The biggest deterrent? I carry a laptop and cell phone when I commute.

Now that I've signed up for the National Bike Challenge—a free program that aims to get 50,000 people to bike a total of 10 million miles by August 31—I feel a little more pressure to take my cycling commute seriously. I rode my bike to work this morning under sunny skies, and I took my bike home on the subway under the threat of evening showers. All the way home, I found myself dreaming about waterproof commuting gear.

For small items, like a wallet or cellphone, a Ziplock bag should keep things dry. Cheap and easy rain protection!

For my laptop, and maybe even clothes, I have some research to do. Some potential options for waterproofing gear:

• SealLine computer sleeve looks professional and reliable, but perhaps too bulky (and expensive!) for my needs.
• ExPed or Sea to Summit dry bags work well for my camping gear. Why not for cycling, too?
• This website suggests getting creative and making your own weatherproof case out of a Tyvek envelope.

Do you bike in the rain? What do you do to protect your gear from getting wet? Leave a comment!

*Tip: If the 5 Boro Bike Tour isn't your thing, try the Hudson Valley Ride. It's beautiful, fun, and a lot less crowded than its New York City counterpart.

Back to Reality: How to cope when you return from a trip

Sometimes, surprising things happen in life. No, I don't mean the type of surprising things that involve getting a bee down your shirt on a difficult 10-mile day hike, or spilling DEET bug spray all over your plastic water bottles immediately afterward.

DEET eats through plastic like I eat through boxes of ice cream.

I mean the good kind of surprises. Thanks to a dear friend who is teaching English at a bilingual school in Central America, I had the opportunity to head to Guatemala for some difficult hiking, Spanish practice, and semana santa celebrations.

The colors were just as brilliant in real life.

Typically, when I return from a trip—whether traveling for work or pleasure—I put pressure on myself to dive back into my long list of responsibilities. Flying back from Guatemala was no exception. After getting food poisoning en route to New York, arriving at my apartment at midnight, working a full day at the office, and pitching two stories to a publication (all within 48 hours), I was feeling pretty delirious.

This is not a smart way to return from a trip. Though I may not always follow my own rules, I know there are three important things I should always do to ease myself back into a routine:

1. Unpack the bag. Whether you got caught in a rainstorm on a camping trip or you showered at your hostel before your red-eye flight, there's bound to be something damp in that bag. Unpack everything as soon as you can. Air out your tent, sleeping bag, and other storable items for a few hours to prevent nasty mildew and mold.
2. Take time to rest. As a coworker said to me last week, everyone underestimates how exhausted she'll be after a trip. Plan to carve out a few extra hours of sleep for yourself. Be realistic about the tasks you put on your to-do list. It's OK to go to bed early those first few nights when you get back! You'll perform much better in work, school, and life once you're well-rested.
3. Drink plenty of hydrating fluids. This is especially true for those of us who have just stepped off a plane, but it's also good advice for outdoor adventurers who tend to feast on salty foods. Dehydration can contribute to feelings of fatigue after a trip, and it may even worsen those back-to-reality blues.
4. Plan the next adventure — even if it's just a bike ride, a day hike, or a stroll through the park. Give yourself something to look forward to!

Bottom line? Take care of your brain, your body, and your gear.

Survival Monday: My travel mug got me through Daylight Saving Time

When it comes to outdoor sports, an insulated mug isn't necessarily a key survival item. In the urban jungle, however, it's an entirely different story.

While I enjoyed every last drop of evening sunshine yesterday, the first Monday of Daylight Saving Time is no joke. My slothful reaction to my morning alarm ("It's really 4:30 a.m., you can't fool me!") meant that I didn't have time to make my usual pot of home-brewed coffee. Even worse, I really needed that coffee.

No big deal. Just grab a cup on the way to work, right?

Well, somewhere along the line, the great outdoors gave me a little bit of a green conscience. Or, perhaps, I've simply stopped isolating my life on the trail from my life in the city.

On hikes, Andy and I try to practice leave no trace (LNT). On its most basic level, LNT means carrying your garbage out of the woods and respecting the trails that everyone comes to enjoy. After numerous camping trips of lugging around our empty food wrappers, drink cans, and other unmentionables, we eventually started to think about reducing the amount of garbage we created in the first place.

I also took a fresh look at my city life. As much as New York can feel like a bubble, it's not. All those disposable products come from somewhere, and they go somewhere, too. What if we had to carry our garbage with us all the time, and not just on the trail? 

I'm trying really hard to eliminate my use of disposable items, like paper and plastic cups, but it can be difficult in a fast-paced lifestyle. That's where my favorite piece of Monday morning survival gear comes in: my insulated 12oz Klean Kanteen. Why do I love it so much?

1. It's insulated. The Klean Kanteen uses double-walled vacuum insulation. In normal words, this means that the insulating liner is nothing but an empty space with all the air sucked out of it. (Remember science class, air particles, and convection?) Regardless of how it works, this thing can keep coffee (or tea, or soup, or so on) hot for up to 6 hours. I tested this on a cold hike, and it works. Exactly six hours after I had put hot chili in my little Kanteen, it still served up a satisfyingly hot lunch. 
2. It's a canteen. With a well-fitting screw top, it won't leak when you throw it in your bag.
3. It's a mug. If you like your coffee on-the-go, I would recommend purchasing the Klean Kanteen café top. It's comfortable for drinking, it has proven relatively splash proof, and it snaps apart for easy cleaning. No more coffee gunk stuck in reusable lids!
4. It's 12 ounces. Some New York City cafés like to charge for a large coffee, even if you only fill your tall travel mug halfway. Why pay extra for doing the right thing? Eliminate any chance of dispute and save money with this standard-size small container.

I got my cheap coffee fix, and I still lived to see another Monday.

What mug helps you get through the day?

How to Choose the Right Backpack (via REI)

I love infographics. Well-made infographics are beautifully designed, easy to read, and quite useful! Today, REI released a new infographic on choosing and using a backpack.

(Click here to see the full chart.)

This chart includes everything from choosing your pack size and finding the right fit, to packing it correctly and deciding what to leave at home.

It's a pretty handy tool, but I would add one key piece of advice:

Unless you're a veteran backpacker who knows what she wants, always try on your pack in a store, with the help of an expert, before buying. Packs—and bodies—come in all shapes and sizes, and a too-loose belt or too-long torso can lead to a lot of pain on the trail.

Use this chart as a guide, but use your local outdoor store to make the final purchase.

Survival Mondays and Adventure Fridays

Yes, sometimes life can even get the best of an Outside City Girl. The final weeks of fall slipped away in tepid rain showers, but I still have big dreams for my boots and this blog.

In the coming weeks, you can expect to see a regular schedule of posts. For now, these quick little posts will fall into the following categories:

1. Survival Mondays: how-to guides, choosing gear, fun facts 
2. Local Wednesdays: events at NYC retail locations, bars, and nonprofits 
3. Adventure Fridays: weekend trip ideas or stories from previous adventures 

Please send me your questions and ideas! Need some inspiration for a local trip? Stumped by an overwhelming choice of brightly colored rain jackets? Still really nervous about that one thing that keeps you from forgoing the city for the woods? Let me know!

TONIGHT: Patagonia Tin Shed Opening Party

If you like free food, free gear, and good times, you may want to head to tonight's opening party for the Patagonia Tin Shed on the Upper West Side.

From the horse's mouth:

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of two new Patagonia concept stores open for the holiday season and early spring. We call them Tin Sheds, named after the blacksmith shop in Ventura, Calif., where Patagonia founder/owner Yvon Chouinard forged tools for rock and alpine climbing.

Where: 2625 Broadway at W. 100th
When: Tonight, Nov 11, 6:30 p.m.
Why: Live music, food, giveaways

And if you like movies with breathtaking nature shots and people doing awesome things that you'll never do, even more reason to go:

Exclusive preview of Sweetgrass Film's SOLITAIRE: A South American Ski Film, followed by a Q&A with Nick Waggoner, director of the film.

Or, just enjoy the sweet Jose Gonzalez soundtrack.

I heard about this event from @scienceb4brkfst. Thanks!