Most of the people that work and race bicycles serious can hardly wait for today, the first day of daylight savings time.  So many riders can’t juggle their lives to allow anytime during the daylight hours to ride before the time switch.  Now that it is going to be close to 8 pm before it is dark.  That is a game changer for many.

Here in Topeka, daylight saving time is the start of the “club rides” or evening rides. The rides initially start at 5:30 pm, but eventually rotate closer to 6 pm during the summer. It gives everyone a chance to get from their job to the ride. 3X a week, the ride starts at our house. I guess that it is because it is centrally located and there are tools, etc., here. It is kind of strange how many times a year someone shows up for a ride with a pretty major mechanical. That is the one downside to meeting at a coffeeshop or any other non-bikeshop business.

It is a strange time of the year.  You get to see who has paid their dues throughout the winter and who hasn’t.  Here in Topeka, the training rides are civil.  We do our best to keep the group a group.  I know a lot of you wouldn’t think, but Eastern Kansas is mildly hilly.  Hilly enough to split a group of riders with differing fitness levels.  One of the best aspects of our sport is you can get up to “group speed” relatively fast.  It normally takes less than a month of group rides before everyone is comfortable and content.

Personally, I love daylight savings time.  I like doing things later in the day and the “extra hour” of lights allows that.

It has been spring here in Eastern Kansas for the past few weeks.  I don’t think I’ve ridden with knee warmers for the past three weeks.  It is really strange.  Our temperatures have been closer to late April and February, early March.  And the extended forecast shows the same.  Highs in the 60’s everyday for the next two weeks.

I raced yesterday and am riding to a local road race later this morning.  There is a chance of thunderstorms all afternoon.  I’m hoping we miss those.  I’m having trouble getting rid of a chest thing so riding around in the rain isn’t the best.  It is supposed to be 65 once again, so that is great.

So many of us rely so much on the time we spend on our bikes to complete the life circle.  It gives us the benefit of exercise, the time to work through problems life throws at us, plus the camaraderie of the cycling friends.

Okay, hope today’s time shift is what gives you the flexibility to get some weekday rides in.

Tucker has some pretty crazy sitting positions.