Today was my first bike commute since Monday's big 64 year/64-mile birthday ride. I didn't ride Tuesday as we had a video shoot at a hotel and I didn't want to chance having any issues with stamina. The 3-hour shoot ended up being 5.5 hours with lots of different locations within the hotel, so lots of schlepping equipment. Wednesday was my usual improv practice night up north so I usually drive.

So this morning I grabbed my main commuter and headed off to work. Clear dawn skies and 28F. The 700x35 Charge Plug commuter felt so comfortable and luxurious after the lightweight 700x25 Felt carbon/aluminum. The Felt is stiff, kinda harsh, responsive and darty. The Plug exhibited the qualities I chose it for...relaxed, and composed, but swift. The current Blackburn tires from Walmart are a little heavier than the lightweight tires I usually get, but they are a little more comfortable.

I felt good, and strong until I got to the first significant uphill where my legs felt less potent than usual. Odd, because I had been hustling up and down the stairs at work Tuesday and Wednesday. I had intended to take the shortest route to work which takes me over the little green bridge at Middle Shooks Run Park. But I could see the sidewalk leading away from the other side was still encased in snow and ice, so I passed by it and took the next street.

Despite the "weak" legs I felt fine at work and was schlepping equipment across the parking lot and running up and down the stairs just fine.

On the way home after night fell I realized that since I replaced the original Shimano shifters with the Microshift 8's the cabling doesn't interfere with the headlight beam, as it did before. It only took two months of night commuting to notice that.