marni
03-19-2013, 02:55 PM
In the past two days the morning high at ride start time has gone from 46 to 66 with the daytime high yesterday of 87. Iam sure this is a false spring but I will enjoy it anyway.
Today in spite of gusty winds in the 15 -20 mph category I rode in what felt very much like being indecently exposed. Instead of wool underlayer, long sleeved jersey, wind jacket, Buff, long fingered gloves, thermal tights and wool socks, I wore a simple mesh underlayer, a short sleeved jersey, shorts, normal socks and normal fingerless gloves without a head layer under the helmet. I felt nude and remarkably thinner and lighter although it didn't seem to help much on the overall speed.
Signs of spring from the road include acacia trees blooming, willows greening, redbud out full, ashford pears are nearly out full, Hawthorne is starting to bloom, evening primrose and purple vetch and alfalfa are in quantity along the hedgerows and the first of the prickly poppies and indian paintbrush are there as well. Didn't see any bluebonnets and would be surprised if we see many this year because of the severe drought for the past three years, but one can hope.
So on the way home, somehow, by the grace of the biking spirits, I actually had a tail wind for about 7 miles. It would have been more like 9 miles of tailwind had I actually realized it was a tail wind and gotten out of trudge agaist the wind aero position and sat up to catch it.
Sigh.....
Today in spite of gusty winds in the 15 -20 mph category I rode in what felt very much like being indecently exposed. Instead of wool underlayer, long sleeved jersey, wind jacket, Buff, long fingered gloves, thermal tights and wool socks, I wore a simple mesh underlayer, a short sleeved jersey, shorts, normal socks and normal fingerless gloves without a head layer under the helmet. I felt nude and remarkably thinner and lighter although it didn't seem to help much on the overall speed.
Signs of spring from the road include acacia trees blooming, willows greening, redbud out full, ashford pears are nearly out full, Hawthorne is starting to bloom, evening primrose and purple vetch and alfalfa are in quantity along the hedgerows and the first of the prickly poppies and indian paintbrush are there as well. Didn't see any bluebonnets and would be surprised if we see many this year because of the severe drought for the past three years, but one can hope.
So on the way home, somehow, by the grace of the biking spirits, I actually had a tail wind for about 7 miles. It would have been more like 9 miles of tailwind had I actually realized it was a tail wind and gotten out of trudge agaist the wind aero position and sat up to catch it.
Sigh.....