I DID it! Clipless revisited

[Catrin]

Catrin, never feel wimpy about cutting a ride short due to wind conditions. Cycle smart. Move a little more out into the traffic lane so that you don't get blown onto the rough part of the shoulder by a wind gust or a passing semi.

Whenever you start a ride, think about how you can loop back and cut the ride short in case the wind does get real strong.

I did ride a little further into the road than I usually do - thankfully I am typically out on back country roads so, generally, the largest trucks I see are dump trucks. Well, there are also those massive farm vehicles that cover the entire road, but I stop and let them go by I do have a mirror so I keep a close watch behind me when I do this.

Unless I am on an organized ride I typically route something in loops so that I am never more than 30 miles from my car. I always make sure there is at least one shortcut back to my car in case I get overly tired. Never thought about the wind making that necessary - but the wind just hasn't been a problem since I was able to start riding consistently. I do know the roads well though, and that helps a great deal.

Last year I was blown off my bike by a side gust and ended up spending the weekend in the trauma center, with a fractured rib cage, a punctured deflated right lung, and a concussion. It was a freaky gust that got me, that was more to do with the contours of the land at that point, than the strength of the overall wind.

So cycle smart, because the wind can be dangerous. Cycling with strong wind conditions also zaps the energy levels, and that creates another concern to the cyclist who is out on a long ride.

I am sorry to read this, glad you recovered and were able to return to cycling. Yesterday I had fewer problems with side gusts rather than headwinds - but there were probably a dozen times when I could feel the gusts hit my wheels and I wondered the odds of getting blown over. I WAS clipped in at the time though, which did make me feel more secure, and I just kept on pedaling.

I am more sore this morning than I have been in quite some time, and only rode 50 miles yesterday! Just goes to show that 50 miles in a strong wind is a rather different thing than 75 in calm conditions. I would like to go for a short spin with my shiny new clipless pedals this afternoon but one of my calves is talking to me this morning...we will see what it feels like this afternoon