I rode 17 miles last night. Got a very late start, around 9:40 pm. I was talking to someone at work for a while and then had to sign and fax a bunch of documents to refinance my mortgage before leaving the office. But the more I ride late in the evening the more convinced I am that it's safer because there are so few cars on the road. Of course it helps that the neighborhoods I ride through have low crime rates and the ride start/finish is next to a court house and police station so I expect there are security cameras there. I always look around when I get back to my car just to make sure there's no one around other than the occasional police officer in a patrol car.

It seemed cold when I started even though the temperature was in the 60s. I think the real issue was that it's been so warm and humid lately that there hasn't been a chance to gradually adjust to dropping temps. So I overdressed a bit. Long-sleeved lightweight wool under a short-sleeved jersey and arm warmers, with a Gore windstopper jacket on top. Plus full-fingered unlined gloves, midweight fleece tights, neoprene booties and my wool cap. After a few miles I stopped to take the cap off, unzip the jersey and lower the zipper on the jacket a couple of inches. I could have taken off the arm warmers too but it didn't seem worth the effort. I was on the line between overdressed and comfortable for the rest of the ride, but didn't really work up a sweat.

I think this might have been my first time wearing the midweight tights. I bought them at REI last spring, on sale. They are the REI brand. Good reflective stripes down the sides of both legs and around the left calf. Comfy yoga waistband, perhaps a bit too comfy as I noticed when I got home that tights were drooping and the waistband had slipped down a couple of inches. But so many other tights seem to have a too-tight elastic waistband, I'm willing to put up with one that needs to be hiked up from time to time.

Several of my friends will be down in Staunton, VA this weekend for a fall foliage ride. However I steadfastly refuse to accept that summer is over, and have planned a ride on Saturday with views of the Chesapeake Bay.