iRide.2019.09.28

WINDS OF CHANGE

• My mother was fond of Kathleen Ferrier singing 'Blow the Winds Southerly'. Overnight, my weather-forecast application suddenly announced that there would be strong winds from the south. A wind advisory was issued by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for 25-35mph winds with gusts up to 45mph in the afternoon and evening. Sailors and singers may like winds, but as a bicyclist I am not so keen.

I complained over my first cup of coffee about the short notice for this previously unheralded change in the forecast. I complain often, which is probably why I am so often ignored. I had awoken with knots in my left bicep and quadricep. I was lying on my right side, so no explanation there, unless you support some kind of reverse physiology hypothesis. I was also snuffly and grumpy. If you have read 'Diseases from Space' by Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe you may believe that the snuffles came from an extraterrestrial source via Southern California, brought here yesterday by my nearest and dearest after passing through an equally unheralded rainstorm. My grumpiness is endemic rather than epidemic.

I recalled a dissertation claiming that discipline was more reliable than motivation for getting us to fulfill goals to which we have committed, and also that habit was the most powerful of the regular influences on our actions. Looking outside I could see the trees waving in all directions. After I had finished drinking coffee and complaining, I decided to go for a ride anyway.

Pedaling into the headwind was slow, but surprisingly pleasant. At 69°F (20.6°C) there was not much windchill. A light bicycling-jacket was ample and there were frequent bursts of sunshine to keep me comfortable. Ominous black clouds were gathering to the north, but I expected the prevailing winds from the SE and SW to take care of that potential issue. The knotted thigh muscle responded to a half-inch increase in saddle height that caused an increase in my leg extensions. Nobody was around to listen to my complaining, so I tried to ignore the other knotted muscle in my arm.

It became obvious that no speed- or distance-PRs (personal records on Strava) were going to be achieved by me on this day. The meaningful effort was uphill into a headwind. I arrived at a stately pace on the crest of the Sand Hollow Top southbound climb with one cog to spare. Higher gears were feasible, but constantly changing gears in response to gusting winds does interrupt the soothing rhythm of a well-paced ride.

I opted for ’serenity now’ and sustainable gear ratios. Then it was a turnaround with a reverse of gradient and wind effect. Only a braggadocious clown—you may know someone like that, but not me—would claim that a couple of miles at almost 30 mph downhill with a tail wind was any sort of achievement other than managing to stay upright. Even that seems to becoming less likely as the season progresses and the winds of a winter of discontent begin to swirl.

I have been seeing little green men on my rides. I saw four of them today, although three of them had been toppled over by the wind. I think that perhaps they are being used to caution motorists that there are small children living at particular houses. I hope they are an effective way to alert drivers, but if the idea becomes popular then the effectiveness will diminish.

Yesterday I saw a large blue heron at the horse ponds, but I didn’t have a camera (other than my iPhone). Today, I took my old Canon G2 and only saw a roadrunner that popped out of the growing sorghum crop. The bird scampered ahead of me and darted into some bushes. I was able to shoot from the hip, but the photo is not worth showing: however, like the little green men photos, it does mean that I will be able to defend my reputation if my reporting accuracy and reliability are ever called into question. Now, about that young blonde woman in a black Mercedes-Benz sports hardtop who waves at me as every time she goes by…



WEATHER report:

*START* 09:18, Partly Cloudy, 69°F, Feels like 69°F, Cloud: 21%, Humidity 55%, Dewpoint 52°F, Wind 4mph from ↖ (7mph gusts), UV index 1.

*END* 12:18, Partly Cloudy, 78°F, Feels like 78°F, Cloud: 40%, Humidity 37%, Dewpoint 50°F, Wind 11mph from ↗ (18mph gusts), UV index 6.

*RIDE* feel 73°F, avg. temp. 73°F, avg. feel temp. 73°F.