T.S. Eliot needed a fat bike

 T.S. Eliot wrote, "April is the cruellest month." 

(Yes, I had to look it up to be sure.) 

T.S. Eliot was wrong. It's February. 

If you ride bikes in South Dakota, it's always February. The bikes are hanging in the garage or sitting on the trainer. The trainer simply mocks your insolence. 

March offers some hope with occassional rideable days. 

April is still a dream. 

Damn you T.S. Eliot. 

Three things to check before the family ski trip

We’re coming into the prime ski trip season.

A lot of families use Spring Break, President’s Day weekend and other school holidays to make a quick trip to Colorado or similar ski meccas.  

In the chaos of daily life – not to mention prepping for a trip – the state of your gear can get stuffed into the background. Taking a minute now can save you a load of aggravation and money on the mountain. 

Peter Oien, manager and all-round gear guru at our Minnesota Avenue store, has some advice. 

There are three areas to consider. The gear. The travel. The body.

Pain and suffering are not the same thing

Suffering is part of cycling.

Pain is not. 

Which is not to say that there aren't painful moments. There are inherent dangers that we don't need to go into, experiences that we've all had. 

But you should never be in pain on the bike. At least ideally. Most pain we experience - in the saddle, knees, shoulders, hands, back, neck, feet - is evidence of something that can be fixed or made better. 

It's your body saying there's something not right about how it is lined up with bike. It's your body asking for help. 

The reality is that you're taking an incredibly complex, beautiful and malleable being and hooking it to a beautifully simple but un-malleable machine. You can get on about any bike and make it go. Your body will adapt to that moment.

But if the points on the bike - the pedals, saddle and handlebars - aren't where they are supposed to be, it might hurt, especially if you do it long enough. That's where pain comes in. Your body is asking you to stop.

That possibility of pain is minimized by a professional bike fit. Thankfully, you can get that at Spoke-n-Sport. We're the only ReTul certified fitter in the area. You can learn more about that here. 

Suffering is a different deal.

That's your brain demanding that you stop.

Not everybody who gets on a bike suffers. Nor should they. There is nothing better than a casual family bike ride through the park or to the coffee shop. 

But if you start riding for any distance or purpose, there will come a time, well.... you're going to suffer.

That's mental, and for a different day. 

There's a phrase in bike racing, affectionately known as Rule No. 5. It's not for everybody. There are plenty of people who will say it's stupid racing stuff. Fair point. But if you want to learn more, you can visit the Velominati. Consider yourself warned.

Our snowboarding ambassador Melissa MC

It seems unsophisticated to qualify Melissa MC's snowboarding mission as focused just on women.

To be truthful, she's an ambassador for everyone. 

But she does have some gender-specific insight whether you're headed out to Great Bear for an afternoon with friends or planning a Colorado vacation. 

First off, her last name isn't MC, that would be weird. It's a nickname, short for McCauley and she's a Spoke-n-Sport ambassador. 

You can find her at Great Bear every Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. for Ladies Night. Stop by to get some tips on gear or moves or just to say howdy. 

And if you happen to be female, Melissa can hook you up with the 605 Lady Shredders, an informal tag for the circle of cool kids she hangs with. 

Not do belabor this gender thing, but Melissa does have some tips when it comes to gear for women.

What works for a petite woman may not work for a tall woman, for example.

"But when items are designed for women, you can immediately tell because you are more comfortable," she says. 

Which is not to say that women can't wear men's gear. It all depends on your body. 

"Gear is there to make you feel comfortable and confident so you want to go skiing or snowboarding."

Spoke-n-Sport has a wide variety of women's clothing, skis, snowboards, boots and bindings in stock. Our expert staff can help you find exactly what works best.

Ladies Night at Great Bear is a great chance to get out whether you're new to the sport or fully confident in your abilities, Melissa says.

"The biggest thing to take away from Ladies Night is that it's meant to be fun," she says. "We want all levels and positive attitudes."