Excuses excuses

[chatnoire]

I'm cranky as all get out this evening, because the weather was predicting rain and thunder and hail and tornadoes. So, instead of going out and riding, we walked the dogs and came back in. It TOTALLY would have been a lovely night for a ride until about 7:30, which is way later than the ride would have been.

Anyway. What are your excuses for not getting out, and what do you do to conquer them?

(I'm going out tomorrow, I PROMISE. Hill Drills at Chatfield!)

[Anelia]

No excuses If it doesn't rain/hail/storm at the moment, I go out and don't go far in case of stormy weather.
Yesterday I dressed up and the moment I did, it started to rain. I watched a movie, waited for it to stop and went out. The wind was awful but here on TE I read this clever thing: "Hills make you stron, wind makes you mean" and I liked it very much.
Some motivation of not quitting is making an appointment with a group or friend and the thought of letting them down makes you pack your stuff and go out. And even if the weather becomes sh***y, sharing the storm and rain with another person is not so bad as being alone in the rain. I've experienced this and when the conditions are not great, you're more likely to quit when you are alone.
But still, don't feel guilty, if the weather is bad, find something that you also enjoy, like you did with the walk and the dogs.

[Owlie]

Schoolwork--I just had a killer exam yesterday, and have been way too stressed/tired/underfed (happens when I'm stressed and tired) to do anything. Usually it's a matter of forcing myself to get out if I'm feeling okay about my progress. If not, I just have to weather the storm and go back out when I'm better nourished and rested.

The weather's the other one. I'm not heat tolerant, and I have an abdominal muscle injury from November that likes to flare up again if I push too hard, including riding when it's windy. I'm okay with getting caught in a sudden shower, but if it looks like it's going to rain, I won't go out. (Of course, once I've decided against going out, it clears up.)

[Kathi]

My excuse tomorrow will be napping.

Have 8:15 am Dr. appointment tomorrow but tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings, hail and heavy rain are keeping me awake. The street and yard is covered with hail. Garden and flowers are probably gone as well as the roof.

A nighttime storm is unusual here. Just a reminder of living in Cincinnati.

[Catrin]

I don't mess with thunderstorm warnings. Period. Sure, they are wrong sometimes, but it isn't worth my life to get caught on country roads out in the cornfields in a Midwestern thunderstorm where there is typically no place to take shelter.

Windy days will change WHERE I ride, but it has to be pretty windy to keep me from riding at all. 23-25 mph crosswinds will, and has, blown me over to the other side of the ride so I won't ride when there it is that windy. I've been fortunate enough that there was no cars on the road when this has happened I am always amazed when I read ride reports from other parts of the country where they deal with stronger winds on a regular basis.

Outside of those two reasons, I just try to listen to my legs. When my legs ask for a break they get it, whether I want to listen or not. I've too many over-use injuries from not listening in the past

[nuliajuk]

I don't mind getting wet, but I draw the line at electrical storms. In a car you're protected by the Faraday cage effect of the body around you (I wonder if that applies to convertibles?), on a bike you are at risk.

[shootingstar]

Right now the river water levels are high with record snowfall packs melting from the Rockies and flowing into the river in our area. So excuses..is the pleasant routes I want to take get blocked off, with some squirrely detours.

A hassle for a work commute. This will go on for next few wks. Some of my fitness rides following such routes since other areas of city are not as pleasant for cycling.

After living 'n cycling in Vancouver, I find I was more accustomed riding in drizzling/moderate rain here than I realized.

But lightning and thunder, no.

And have become accustomed to being happy cycling in very cold temp. as long as there is no ice/snow. Meaning -20 degrees C.