The weather in Central Texas has been unusual lately. Hot temperatures — much higher than normal for this time of year — and for the last week the winds have been strong and without letup. They’ve been averaging in the high teens continuously, but gusts in the 40s have been reported all over the area.
When I get home from work in late afternoon, it’s been too hot for bicycling to be inviting. So I haven’t ridden since the Real Ale Ride on Saturday. That’s my longest layoff since March. But today, the temperature was only 91° when I got home, so I decided it was time to go for a ride.
Three or four times during a one hour ride the wind nearly knocked me and the bike on our sides. I sure got a hill workout in today, even though I rode my flattest route. Traveling south against the wind on a stretch where I typically average about 20 mph, I was only doing 16 or 17.
The upside of that is that the northbound part of the ride was nearly effortless. The wind pushed me along like a dandelion seed. Despite the rough going southbound, my average speed for the ride was the same as it usually is — it all evened out.
I really needed that ride. My body has been telling me it needed some activity, and five days has been too long to go without. But today will be it for awhile. We’re taking off for a golf weekend Friday afternoon. That’ll be a lot of fun, and we’ll stay at a nice hotel, but riding in a golf cart is not exercise. So I suppose my body will be talking to me again Sunday afternoon when we get home, complaining about too little exertion and too much food and adult beverages.
It will have been one ride in eight days. And that’s assuming I’ll be able to get out Sunday afternoon. If it’s not 97. And/or blowing 45. Being off the bike sucks.
Amen, brother. I’m so used to riding consistently that if I’m off for more than 3 days, I get ancy. Does this mean we’re addicts?
I’d like to say I can quit whenever I want to, but we both know that isn’t true. 🙂
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It was “only” 91? Yikes! Round these parts (Albany, NY) we only break 90 less than 10 times a summer. I tip my hat to you.
That’s the price we pay for being able to bike year around. I lived in Minnesota for 21 years — loved it there, but I’ll put up with the warmer weather here.