iRide.2019.10.06

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NOURISHMENT v. PUNISHMENT
• The 8mph wind was back again today, along with increased 18mph gusts. The direction was more favorable than on my outing the day before yesterday, with mostly cross-head and cross-tail winds. Riding in the wind is quite pleasant if it's not a cold, chilling blast and there is sunshine. Only when the wind impedes progress significantly enough to make riding a chore does it become unpleasant. Defining the circumstances that qualify as a chore is difficult, but I certainly recognize it when it happens.

A couple or three stretches of my route qualified as tedious rather than unpleasant. Most of the way I was making fair progress. There was nothing exceptional happening: the roads were Sunday-quiet; the sun shone; I moved into that state of empty-minded reverie with awareness that makes bicycling so relaxing. This was to be my last ride before a couple or more days off after I have some medical tests done tomorrow. The consultant is a keen bicyclist, so I am not expecting dire warnings and over-cautious restrictions on my riding schedule.

I began musing on how to classify, succinctly describe, or quantify a cycle ride (or indeed any other form of recreational outing). Long, rambling text descriptions (like the one you are reading) are too banal for modern hipsters. Star ratings? Numerical scoring across several metrics? Too subjective and too anal-retentive; I would be an over-scorer.

A good start is the free Klimat.app by Strava member Scott F. That would be the conditions taken care of automatically. I liked the app so much that I paid the modest annual subscription. A few PRs (personal records) on Strava would probably look much less awesome if the conditions they were achieved under were made clear (or cloudy, as the case may be).

Another metric I am looking into for my own use is a way to declare the elevation gain: my ride today had an elevation ratio of 1 foot of elevation gain for every 190.1 feet of travel. A century (100 miles) with an elevation gain of 8,000 feet would have a ratio of 1 foot for every 66.0 feet. A ride of 18.03 miles with an elevation gain of 406 feet would have an 'elevation ratio' of 1:234.5 feet.The distance traveled per foot of height gained is easier to comprehend: it's a bit like measuring gear ratios rather than trying to compare 52x11 teeth with 28x32 teeth. Yes, the first is obviously a higher ratio than the second, but by how much? 1:4.727 and 1:0.875 if you are wondering. E&OE because I was sleepy as I wrote this paragraph and everything is subject to reconsideration.

The hour was beginning to grow late for what had already been planned as a late lunch. I reached Four Mile Junction and headed directly for home—straight into a block-head wind. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was harder, slower work when what I wanted to do was to spin home for something to eat. I had nourishment not punishment on my mind, but mostly we can only play the cards we are dealt. I enjoyed my ride. Would I recommend it to a friend? Absolutely!



STATS on the Strava website (login required):
https://www.strava.com/activities/2768757891

WEATHER report:
*START* 11:31, Clear, 67°F, Feels like 67°F, Cloud: 0%, Humidity 16%, Dewpoint 20°F, Wind 8mph from ↙ (16mph gusts), UV index 5.
*END* 14:15, Clear, 77°F, Feels like 77°F, Cloud: 0%, Humidity 12%, Dewpoint 20°F, Wind 7mph from ↙ (18mph gusts), UV index 6.
*RIDE* feel 72°F, avg. temp. 72°F, avg. feel temp. 72°F.

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