Bike Noob

Because I'm Always Learning Something New

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Partners

When Biking Isn’t Fun

12.05.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 9 Comments

I was looking forward to this morning’s club ride, even though the temperature was on the chilly side — 42ºF (5ºC) — with a bit of a wind.  But the ride organizer had picked a route that I probably would have taken anyway, even if I hadn’t been riding with the club.  So I checked my cool weather clothing guide, geared up accordingly, and headed for the local Starbucks.

We had a pretty good turnout for an overcast, blowy morning.  Abut 13 riders showed up, and we headed out in good spirits.

It wasn’t long before I had assumed my customary place in the pack: off the back. No matter, because there were plenty of stoplights on this part of the route, and I could always catch up to the others.  The northwest wind was stronger out on the road than it was in my protected neighborhood enclave, but since we were headed southeast, it was at our backs.  It pushed us along nicely.  I felt good about my clothing selection, although it occurred to me that even with two pairs of socks (one wool) and toe covers, my feet were frozen.

We crossed over the Interstate highway and rode the shoulder of a major farm-to-market road.  The wind was hitting us from the left, with enough force to knock the bike around a bit if you weren’t careful.  I was well behind the group when we reached the crossroads town of Creedmoor, and was glad to see everyone stopped in the lot at the little country store.

Turns out they were just waiting for a few of us laggards. As soon as we caught up to them, they were off.  These folks don’t stop much during rides — they just keep going.

The route turned west, and now we could feel the full force of the wind, because for the first time on the ride, we were into it.  We had probably done about 22 miles by now (I had forgotten to zero my computer), and my constant efforts to keep the pack in sight were starting to tell on me.

The ride organizer and his wife are both coming back from injury, so they were off the back, too.  But when they passed a turnoff to a road I knew would take us back toward home, I decided I had had enough.  I told them so, and went back to the turnoff.

Now I knew I’d be fighting the wind the rest of the way home, and I wasn’t looking forward to it.  My speed was down to 10-11 mph, and I was spinning in a low gear.  And the cold was getting to me.  What warmed me comfortably going out wasn’t enough on the return leg.  I realized there was no way I would make it home (well, I could have — I just didn’t have the spirit to do it). I pulled over to the side of the road, called home, and asked my wife for a ride.  We agreed to meet at a gas station a few miles from where I was.  My dependable sag driver arrived at the spot about three minutes after I did.

Yes, I know — the cardinal rule of ride planning is to go into the wind on the way out, so it’s at your back on the way home.  The ride organizer is pretty good about this, but today wanted to do this particular ride.  It turned out he and his wife were pretty done in by the ride, too.

It was a hard slog out there today.  Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the good weather we’ve had through the summer, and the lack of strong wind.  But I think I’ll be reverting to Zone 2 rides, probably on my own, while the winter cold settles over Texas.  I want to keep biking fun.  Rides like today’s aren’t.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Categories // Cold weather, Rides Tags // cold

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7

Get Email Updates

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 259 other subscribers

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Bike fit
  • Bikes
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • clubs
  • Cold weather
  • Community
  • Commuting
  • Components
  • crash
  • cycling
  • Equipment
  • Favorite rides
  • fitness
  • food
  • guest post
  • Heat
  • Injury
  • logs
  • Maintenance
  • Mental
  • Nutrition
  • Odds 'n ends
  • People
  • Poll
  • Racing
  • Records & stats
  • Review
  • Rides
  • running
  • Safety
  • soreness
  • Specialized
  • Technique
  • Technology
  • Tips
  • tires
  • training
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • Getting Back on the Bike: Road Cycling Tips for Older Cyclists
  • Are BCAAs and EAAs Good for Cycling?
  • How to Fix Numb Toes When Cycling
  • How to Find and Vet a Bike Club
  • Celebrate Pearl Izumi with Big Savings in the Memorial Day Sale

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Bike fit
  • Bikes
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • clubs
  • Cold weather
  • Community
  • Commuting
  • Components
  • crash
  • cycling
  • Equipment
  • Favorite rides
  • fitness
  • food
  • guest post
  • Heat
  • Injury
  • logs
  • Maintenance
  • Mental
  • Nutrition
  • Odds 'n ends
  • People
  • Poll
  • Racing
  • Records & stats
  • Review
  • Rides
  • running
  • Safety
  • soreness
  • Specialized
  • Technique
  • Technology
  • Tips
  • tires
  • training
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized

Archives

  • May 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • March 2022
  • October 2020
  • November 2018
  • May 2018
  • September 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • January 2016
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008

Copyright © 2026 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Go to mobile version
%d