Goring Details

I upgraded/replaced some of my winter/foul weather gear recently.  On a whim, I added something to the cart that I had never bothered considering before...

a Gore-Tex cap.

I've got tiny caps for days.  Cotton, wool, and tech-type fabrics.  When it's raining as I'm about to walk out the door, I'll just put a cap on under my helmet.  If it's gonna be raining all day long, I'll bring a few extras to refresh as the day goes by.  If it's super dumping outside and cold AF, I'll put one of those ugly, water-resistant helmet covers on for the commute into town.  I won't leave it on all day long, because it blocks the helmet vents where I stick my glasses...

and it looks dumb.  But mostly, glasses.

Anyways, the Gore-Tex cap was cheap enough and since I was placing an order already, I threw one in the cart.

I wished I woulda got one some time ago.  I've already got more than a few all day soakers worth of time with this between my thinning hair and my helmet.

Gold.

My timing in sharing this information is incredible.  Not only is it sold out in the 30th Anniversary colorway that I linked above, it is also sold out in the standard, non-celebratory version.  If you do some googling though, you can find some places that still have some in stock.

This November/December has been pretty mild so far as far as weather goes, but at least I'm prepared.  Last year's single digit temps really had me wishing to up my game a bit, but I was mostly just too lazy to do anything about it.  I've done my best to not get caught with my short pants down this winter, and I got some fleecy Windstopper goodness, a decent pair of Windstopper gloves, and some rain shorts to keep my ass dry when it's too cold to run around with swamp ass all day long.

I almost have a fine enough collection of hardy gear to consider The Snake Gap Time Trial Series a slam dunk.  I don't think any amount of rain or cold could kill me over four or so hours.

Yeth, just four hours.  If I felt inclined to do The Snake, the new fifty mile format does not appeal to me near as much as the classic thirty four mile option.  What can I say?  It's January and February.  I have a hard enough of a time convincing myself to race short track or the Icycle XC race.  I'm fat and out of shape and very happy to be that way.  My hats off to all those people who have the wherewithal to attempt fifty miles in the Georgia mountains... in the middle of winter... in January... when there's so many other things they could be doing...

Like sleeping and eating and drinking and repeating the cycle over and over and over.

And watching CX Nats in Asheville, which is a "once in a lifetime" thing.  There will always be Snake.

And, for what it's worth, last night was my last night sleeping with this little guy:

Long story short, he was found in the streets with a mangled back leg.  He had a microchip.  When he was scanned, the owners were contacted, but they didn't want him anymore.

The Humane Society of Charlotte removed his back leg, we fostered him for the last two weeks, and it looks like he will be adopted today by the same couple that adopted one of our other tripod fosters, Gretchen.

How's that for sharing something good and fuzzy feeling around the holidays?

I'll miss him, since The Pie and I have had to sleep separately for the past few weeks until we kick this coughing habit we've formed.  He's been my bed/couch buddy, and he's quite an excellent cuddler.

I mention all this in order to perhaps soften your hearts and loosen your purse strings.  Please consider donating to the CHS... they're ready to TAKE YOUR MONEY right now.