Tuesday, May 25, 2010

...riding in the wind

This past Sunday was the annual Scott's to Scott's ride. I have no pictures to share this year because...it really wasn't a picture-taking kind of day.

Since I was the only not-so-fast person to show up, I spent a lot of time riding solo. Lots of time to think. (This blog was written in my head about ten different ways by the end of the day.) I thought about the weather this spring--how cold, wet, and windy it's been. How I obsessively check the weather forecast days before a big ride, then stare out the window the morning of, before deciding. Ride? Or not? It kills me to whimp out, only to hear later "it really wasn't too bad!"

That would not have been said about Sunday's ride. The best part was flying down a hill {after a loooong climb} at 47 mph. After that...plain old hard work.

The wind really wasn't too bad on the way over, and it really wasn't too bad on the long slow climb back out of the hole that Kennewick sits in. But it was REALLY bad up on top. The gusts were so strong that I didn't dare take my hands off the bars even to get a drink. Sexy snot bubbles were flying out of my nose--and there was not a thing I could do about it. (I know, TMI. Good thing I was alone, right?)

Even though the weather was horrid, there's something satisfying about finishing a hard ride. When I got back to the shop Scott asked, "Who brought you in?" What?? "These two legs did!"

(Then I went home and collapsed.)

3 comments:

Leslie Morgan said...

I can’t believe you posted Tuesday and I just picked it up on my radar! Most unlike me. I almost wonder if you wrote it over a couple of days, but no matter – here I am.

I find it ironic how much attention I pay to the weather. I feel like that makes me an old biddy, but weather and forecasts are important. They affect me because I’m outside on foot for miles every day. And this spring has been atrocious! Your post is so similar to some of the Badger’s ride posts. And yet, I keep hearing on the news that this spring is no different from any others in the past decade. I do not agree. I’m observant. I keep journals. This spring has been hideous.

My version of your sexy snot bubbles is the streaming eyes and nose as I chug uphill hard into a headwind. I must be the most attractive woman of all in the dark mean streets at 3:00 a.m. Oh, wait! I’m the only woman in the dark mean streets at 3:00 a.m. And, Doozy, I know a little something about cycling. Speed ain’t everything.

WV - somash. Sounds like some locale in Washington state!

The Old Bag said...

Those are the types of rides that one endures in order to have a story to tell later!

Doozyanner said...

Limes, I never paid much attention to the weather until I started riding. Now it's a compulsion. But wait--you walk at 3:00 a.m.??? Yikes.
OB, I've gotten lots of story telling mileage out of this ride!