You see, after work I had to scoot up to Reno and pick up some Enduralytes before the ride, so
that made me a few minutes late what with traffic and all. The reason I had to go to Reno is that
it is still cheaper to drive 60 miles round trip than spend the extra money the local bike shop
wants for this stuff. I mean I'm all for shopping local but sometimes it's just so ridiculous.
So, anyway, back to the story; I'm headin' outta town and I notice it's windy. Real windy. Somewhat typical wind 'round these parts...it's just been awhile since we've had winds like this.
So, going into Washoe Valley they have the signs up in real nice Nevada-style lights "Caution:
wind area ahead, Campers and Trailers PROHIBITED." Now, you would think I would clue in to
something like that but we're used to riding in wind and it's not always windy in one valley when
it is in another.
Well, after steering the car left for 30 miles and then right for 30 miles I headed out to the start
spot for the Monday junior ride. I was about 5 to 10 minutes late but I knew they would be at
the local crit course doing a couple of laps while the slackers made their way out to meet up with
everybody. I couldn't wait to ride yesterday. I knew I would be a bit late so I think, "Well, let's
get prepared to be ready when you get there." meaning: Let's change in the car! While driving!
While driving @ 70 mph in a nasty wind storm. With lots of traffic that can easily see into my
dinky little Honda Civic while I'm trying to loose the pants and pull on bibs. Not to mention leg
warmers and jersey. Oops...forgot the HRM, has to go on UNDER the jersey AND bib straps.
Did I mention the Honda has a stick shift?
Driving and using the clutch whilst wearing cycling shoes is really overated.
Man, it sure is blowing out here.
Lots of people in a hurry out here.
Lots of people in a hurry to slow down out here.
Did I mention that the bike bag takes up the entire passenger seat? There were clothes all over
the place...civies coming off, cycling going on... what a loon I've become.
What's that? I failed to mention that I'm also a ham radio operator? And like any good ham, there are at least two radios in the car. Did I mention that radios take up space? Especially in dinky little Honda cars.
Now I finally make it to the meeting spot, jump out of the car and hop onto the bike and I'm off.
Off into a tail wind that has me thinking that it's normal to warm up in a massive gear cause I'm
cruising @ 30 mph and spinning @ 100+ rpm and this is good...until the right hand turn. Ouch!
Like I said, we have wind around here. But yesterday it was REALLY windy. My front tire was
almost swept out from under me on many occasions and more than once I had to stop to keep
from being blown over. A mile or so of this and another turn, this time to the left. OMG! I'm
Flying down the road with NO resistance and all of a sudden there are tumbleweeds passing me.
And sand, real fine sand, the kind that gets into everything, even with protection, is all over the
place, getting into everything. Even everything that has protection.
The crit course...one lap backwards and NO ONE is here. Ya think they canceled? This group?
Naw, not them. It turns out they didn't. Only one junior, being mine, showed up so he and coach went straight to the hill repeat spot we use. And people think I'm nutz.
Now the fun...mashing into a headwind that has me in something like a 39 x 21 and doing all of
7 mph with a heart rate red lining, not to mention the sand REALLY getting into everything now.
Mariah. They call the wind... I hate that song. I used to have to play it constantly when it came
out and I didn't like it then.
She was out in full force. It was like in the movies where they have a big fan just out of camera
range blowing sand on the actors and you can barely see anything. I could barely see anything.
The kind of wind that makes you hear a 747 or some huge jet airplane above you but when you
look there's nothing there. That's because there isn't.
More tumbleweeds. Only now they are coming from the left to the right, as is the dust and sand
and other blowing stuff. And the bike SO wants to lay down and rest, it doesn't understand the
need to get back to the car at all costs because now, off to the west, the snow is a headin' our way. Finally I make it back and all is well, sort of.
I didn't know junior and coach were still out there. I just figured it was too insane to be doing
hill repeats in this weather so he must of ridden home, although I didn't see him on the way there. Took a back road, I'm sure.
Get home and sure enough, Junior's not there. Good news - Coach calls to let me know Micah has just left the building and will have and awesome tail wind. Should take him about 15 minutes
to travel the 10 miles he has to ride to get home. Bad news - The wind has shifted about 5 miles
into the trek home and it's not only raining now,it's beginning to snow. Poor kid showes up drenched, freezing and looking rather Belgian. But that Disco kit he's wearing DOES look cool!
I guess he really is a "hard core biker dude" afterall.
Got a fire going and dried him off, all the while humming to myself: "Away out here they have a
name for rain and wind and fire"...
No comments:
Post a Comment