A poem inspired by the wind.

Sometimes a person entertains themself in weird ways while they run or bike. The wind was fairly fierce, well most of the last week... So I didn't imagine that it'd matter if I had an mp3 player along for a ride last week. Usually I don't bring tunes so that I can hear traffic behind me. On windy days anything to dull the roar is welcome, I often can't hear cars when I'm heading into the wind. It took me better than a half hour to go 5 miles into the wind. Blah. The wind was 23-35 mph or something like that.

The battery in my mp3 player died after 30 minutes. So, I was coming up with lines of prose inspired by the ride. I decided to attempt a sonnet. I may send it to Garrison Keillor the next time he has a poem writing contest. :D While it's not Shakespeare, I think that it's fun.

I would've ridden more, but I was getting really hungry as I neared my house.

Here's the poem, I hope you like.

A Short Bicycle Ride.

Southeastern wind, you're a fairweather foe.

Though you're not as cold as a northern breeze,

the challenge posed you must certainly know.

Facing down wind, careful I aim a sneeze.



My lungs heave, ears are ringing and legs burn.

What doesn't kill me will make me stronger.

When, oh when will I reach that bloody turn?

I'm strong, I can last a little longer.



A nylon strap keeps whipping my right ear.

My halfway point is marked by a green sign

Despite stronger gusts it keeps drawing near.

Crosswinds make it tough to keep a straight line..



I get the last laugh, and won't take more flack.

Instead you will push me all the way back.

Good words! Not purely iambic iwth the accents, but hey, you could say you're gasping for breath...


I discovered a new hazard of leading a "beginners" ride... they don't know when to quit. we, too, had the 25+ (gusts over 30) mph winds. The fast riders took a quick "bike paths around town" ride. We, on the other hand, got started on the route to Tolono... and got spread out enough so I suspect the back guys didn't want to quit 'cause the front guys were keeping on... and the front guys figured if we were movng, then they shouldn't quit. Honestly, without a strong echelon I don't know of many people at all who'd have gone out there. The three of us at the back were going 4-6 mph for a full mile. (Yes, that would be about 12 minutes.) Dahons with fat 20 inch tires are ideal for blockin' wind for people.
I did drop enough hints so half the crew bailed at the halfway point... but 6 of us went all the way to Tolono (10 miles)... and fortunately the winds, if anything, picked up and some folks went 30 mph on the way back. (These are folks who average 12-14... and we do not have hills.)
Yea, I had fun :) Adn everybody's got a story! ... but I"m too tired to make it a sonnet. I'd already done 32 miles painting arrows for today's ride that a whole 9 people came to - sunny, hardly any wind, 50 degrees... go figger...

At least you guys had strength in numbers!

Another thing about wind... It makes a person nervous when they get chased by a dog, the cyclist doesn't have as much get up and go... But I've noticed that the dog doesn't either. Fortunately my neighbor's dog got a late start and was only half hearted in his pursuit.

I was a bit fuzzy on the logistics of a sonnet. I had to look up the rules online and gave myself a 5 minute refresher course. It's been awhile since Junior High English class. :D

Thanks for reading!

I have yet to decide which is worse, headwinds or cross winds. That particular day I was going south and the wind was SW enough that it kept trying to blow me in the ditch on my out trip... And was a decent tail wind coming back, though it seemed most beneficial when I was heading due east.

Tis the season, I suppose.