Tush training

Getting back into riding shape involves more than building up endurance in my legs and hands and arms and lungs. The part that's in contact with the saddle also gets soft with disuse and requires toughening up. Bag Balm* helps. A lot.

*Bag Balm: A thick, viscous ointment which comes in a square, green tin and whose primary ingredient is essentially Vaseline. It's manufactured by the Dairy Association Co., Inc. (since 1899!), in Lyndonville, Vt., to "help keep dairy cows from becoming chapped from the harsh Vermont environment." The instructions read, in part: "After each milking, apply thoroughly and allow coating to remain on surface." It's equally good as a tush protectant. Ask any long-distance cyclist.