I'm back for real -- almost. Sigh.

[pooks]

We got back from Colorado and somehow I didn't get back on my bike last week. I don't know why. I mean, it was because it was hot and I was lazy, but I'm always lazy, and I was riding in the heat before we went to Colorado.

Today was the day! I filled my new camelbak with ice and water, put on my riding shorts and jersey and went out to the car to get something and came back and --

Had locked myself out of the house.

All I could do was drive (barefoot, without purse, license, cell phone, etc.) toward my husband's job until I found a pay phone. I called him, told him what was going on, and by the time I got there he was outside waiting for me to give me a key to get back in the house.

Long story short --

I'm now all dressed up and (maybe) no place to go. It's midday, sun overhead, 100 degrees, and all my plans to ride seem like maybe not so good an idea.

So, do I ride a short distance even though it's midday?

Or just consider this a dry run for tomorrow morning?

I need encouragement!

[velogirl]

Yes! Get back out there and ride, even if it's just a short spin to get the bike back in your legs. Don't wait until tomorrow. Every day is a missed opportunity. Go have fun!

[RoadRaven]

pooks... sorry it didn't work out today, but I'd not be heading out in that temperature if I could avoid it...

can you go later in the day when the heat is not so harsh?

[pooks]

velogirl and roadraven --

Together, you gave me EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED.

I figured out a long time ago that when most of us ask for advice, we're usually really asking someone to confirm that what we want to do is okay. (When we took our first trip to the UK we wanted to rent a car and drive but everybody told us how foolish that would be, how there was no reason to leave London at all, how harrowing the driving would be and we wouldn't enjoy the trip, etc., etc., etc. One woman responded on a message board that we would LOVE it, and gave a bit of advice -- and that's all it took! Somebody telling us, "yes I've done it and it was great." We drove, and we've driven every trip since. Um, once we get there, of course. We do cross the Atlantic in a jet. Ahem.)

Anyway, after that digression --

When I read velo's response, I got excited. Of course I should ride, just a short ride! When I read raven's, I was disappointed but thought, she's right, I know that.

So, what I want is to get out there and ride, but I know the temp is problematical. So I'll go, just so I can say I did, even though I won't ride far or long.

Then tomorrow, it won''t be the first time in over two weeks. It will be the first time since "yesterday."

Thanks!

[Cassandra_Cain]

So pooks...

Now that you told us you were going to go riding - well, how was it????

Call me crazy or your favorite expletive, but I relish riding in the hot weather. I can deal with sweat, heat, thirst, etc a heck of a lot better than sub-50 degree temps, plus having to pile on layer after layer. Then you get hot, but what do you do with all the extra clothes? Not to mention, every time I step out of the house to ride and it is cold, my head screams, GO BACK TO BED it is too damn cold!!!

End of cold-weather rant.

Hope you had a nice ride!

[CorsairMac]

I say ride! But...........once I get dressed, I need to do whatever it was I got dressed for....which is why Sats are always hard, I get up, put on bum-around clothes and then don't want to change clothes again to Do anything! lol

[pooks]

Corsair -- exactly. I need to put on my cycling togs as soon as I wake up, then I'm in the mood. But I haven't been able to find my favorite biking shorts and that frustrated me and gave me an excuse to put off riding.

Today I hunted until I found them.

And the ride -- was fun! HOT (only 98.6, not 100, but I'm still soaked in sweat after a short ride) but fun.

I rode to the post office, parked my bike inside where I could keep my eye on it and stood in line. Mailed my stuff (LIVESTRONG wristbands to people who are supporting my ride in October) then headed back home --

To get caught up in after school traffic. I live 1 1/2 blocks from an elementary school and this is the third day of school. Parents haven't worked out the kinks, yet.

And neither have I!

To make the left turn I needed to make, I should have stayed in my lane and held my place so I could do it but I was hugging the curb. I could tell the cars weren't sure what I was doing -- the first one turned left but the next on hesitated, waiting for me to indicate what I wanted to do -- I just waved them on and kept riding.

I made the block (AWAY from the school and my house) and managed to make the approach from a 4-way stop. Much easier. I just waited my turn. The moms in cars were watching me carefully so I indicated with a nod of the helmet when I was waiting for them to go, and they took their turn.

It was interesting, but I think I'll avoid school traffic!

It was fun. It was hot. And I think the 3 or so miles was plenty, even though I felt like I could keep going. Once I got in the house I was a tad shaky, even though I'd been drinking cool water from my camelbak while I was riding.

I do NOT handle heat well. I actually am susceptible to heat issues, so 50 degree weather sounds HEAVENLY to me!

[mimitabby]

yes, 50 degree weather is what we had this morning MY EARS WERE COLD!!

Glad you went for a ride.
I can't imagine having to negotiate all those moms in SUV's and kids and that heat too!! you will probably avoid going out that time of day next time :D

[MomOnBike]

Pooks, if it weren't for the slight issues of geography, I'd ride with you any time. We seem to be built for the same weather.

Right now I can't wait for the temps to get down into the 50s and below. That's my idea of riding heaven.

I don't deal with heat well, either, I just don't seem to be able to cool off as well as I did when I was skinny (physics is a hard master...).

Right now, I'm waiting for the day to cool off a bit so I can get out, but not overheat. But I WILL ride.

[pooks]

You'd think a 5th generation Texan would have adapted to the heat, wouldn't you? But my dad didn't handle heat well, either, and he was 4th generation, so clearly evolution takes longer than that!

On the other hand, my husband and I both had 4 wisdom teeth and one of our sons only had 3. I circled him and studied him carefully. "Evolution," I said, "right before our eyes!"

[Dogmama]

Not to mention, every time I step out of the house to ride and it is cold, my head screams, GO BACK TO BED it is too damn cold!!!

End of cold-weather rant.

Hope you had a nice ride!

Oh yeah. I have to talk to myself for the first few miles of a cold ride. I like what I read in an L.A. book, where he would call his friends during bad weather and say "Are you riding or are you hiding?"

Oh cold = anything below 50 degrees. I'm a desert rat of 45 years...

[pooks]

I haven't ridden in the cold yet, and of course the "breeze" I appreciate so much right now may be a bit more problematical when it gets cold!

For several years I walked two miles early every morning with a friend. We didn't mind walking when it got cold, and this was even in the 30s before dawn. We'd get on some layers and start walking and before long were peeling off the top layers because we were too hot.

I'm just much more tolerant of cold than heat.

[li10up]

When reading back through my log from this year there was an entry early in the year that said 50 degrees, perfect riding weather. It hard to imagine 50 degrees now since I've been riding in the upper 90's / lower 100's for months. Can't wait for the cooler weather!!!

Pooks - glad you're back on the saddle.

[pooks]

Well, I have a sick dog and by the time I got her all settled this morning I didn't have time to ride before being where I had to be at 9:00. I'm now in the same sitch I was in this time yesterday, wondering whether to go ahead and ride now in the heat of the day, or wait until late this evening.

Of course the reason I couldn't ride late yesterday was the fact that we had thunderstorms rolling through, and even though we didn't actually get a drop in our neighborhood, the thunder was close enough and loud enough to make me NOT want to be out riding!

But the real difference today is that today I am chomping at the bit to get out there on my bike, whereas yesterday I was having to force myself.

What a difference a day makes!

I'm going to check the weather reports and decide what to do.