>>> The great thing about riding a bicycle for 40 minutes when it’s 9 degrees below zero is that it feels downright tropical when you go for a 40-minute walk/run when it’s 2 below. Yay, Wisconsin!
>>> The balaclava is a key piece of clothing for outdoor exercise sessions, whether biking, running, skiing or shoveling the driveway. The word is fun, but can be tricky to say. I always have difficulty with the spelling, so I’ve got to look it up in the dictionary whenever I use it. Which leads to … Fun balaclava fact: It’s named for a seaport in the Crimea, now part of Sevastapol, probably because it was worn by soldiers in the Crimean War.
The balaclava is not to be confused with baklava, which is a terrific Greek/Middle Eastern dessert made with honey and a flaky pastry. Baklava is great no matter what the season.
>>> Cyclists yearning to form a peloton should seriously consider the Woodson YMCA’s Pedal It Forward fundraising event. It’ll be held from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March 3 in the Wausau branch’s South Gym. It’s an indoor ride in which participants get pledges for their effort. People can use Y spin bikes, bring in their own bikes and indoor trainers or bring their own bikes and borrow a trainer provided by Sprocketz bike shop.
Entry fee is $25 for an individual if registered before Feb. 24. The money is used to pay for memberships, camps or other activities for families in need. Find out more at www.woodsonymca.com or call 715-845-2177.
