Chasing Spring Miles

Dreaming about Spring -- clear trails, sunny skies and green landscapes -- Big Four Bridge/Ohio River Greenway

Spring is on the horizon… but you wouldn’t know it if you’re watching the weather reports out of the Sierra Nevada's, the Upper Midwest and the East Coast. Major snowstorms are still rolling through, and long-range forecasts are hinting that winter isn’t quite ready to loosen its grip.

Maybe Punxsutawney Phil was right after all.❄️❄️❄️

But here’s the thing about cyclists: we don’t wait for perfect conditions. We prepare for them.

Do You Have Your Next Riding Adventure Planned?

While snow may be piling up, the wind is rattling the windows or it's just a cloudy, dreary winter day, this is prime planning season. What’s your next riding adventure? A cross-country tour? A rail-trail getaway? A multi-day challenge with friends?

Putting a date on the calendar changes everything. It shifts winter from something you endure to something you train through.

Goals fuel motivation. Motivation fuels your miles.

How Are You Training?

Winter training doesn’t have to mean mindless spinning on the trainer in the basement.

There are dozens of cycling apps that make time on the trainer more engaging—structured workouts, virtual group rides, scenic routes, interval programs. A focused indoor session can build power, cadence efficiency, and mental toughness.

And then there’s cross-training:

• Strength training for stability and injury prevention

• Core work for endurance and posture

• Yoga or mobility sessions for recovery

• HIIT workouts for cardiovascular punch

  
  

But nothing quite compares to sneaking in outdoor miles when Mother Nature smiles. 🌬️

And if Mother Nature isn't smiling, there's still opportunities in the outdoors.

When the Wind Is Your Training Partner

Cold? Layer up.

Windy? Embrace it.

Headwinds are resistance training in disguise. They build strength and grit. Add in a few steady hill climbs and you’ve created a workout that no indoor session can fully replicate.

Outdoor miles—even short ones—restore your rhythm and remind you why you ride in the first place.

And when conditions aren’t ideal? Adjust expectations. Maybe it’s not a speed day. Maybe it’s a steady-effort day. Maybe it’s simply a “show up and spin” day.

All of it counts when you're training toward a goal.

Don’t Let Snow Slow You Down

Snow doesn’t have to mean inactivity.

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are phenomenal aerobic workouts. They engage different muscle groups, build endurance, and maintain cardiovascular fitness while giving your cycling muscles a slightly different stimulus.

Think of it as building your engine in a different gear.

A Word About Trails in Freeze–Thaw Season

If you’re lucky enough to have a trail nearby, patience matters this time of year.

Freeze–thaw cycles can soften the surface and cause lasting damage. If you leave tracks, turn back. Save it for another day. Protecting the trail now ensures it’s rideable all season long.

Spring will come. It always does.

Until then:

• Plan your adventure.

• Train with intention.

• Embrace the elements.

• Protect the trails.

  
  

Before long, the snowbanks will shrink, the daylight will stretch, and those winter workouts will pay off in strong, confident miles.

So… when the sun finally breaks through and the roads call your name, will you be ready?

America Bicycle Journeys

Based in Fulton, Missouri

Offering supported, long distance bicycle tours, trail services for the Katy Trail and Rock Island Trail, and shuttle services for Missouri's premier mountain bike parks.

573.220.0806