i rode to work this morning as a start to the new year’s training regime. it was a 17 mile stretched commute with a couple of horrible hills. i felt a bit tired, and the headwind was quite stiff, but generally i survived the experience. strangely i forgot my helmet. this was because i put my merino skullcap on, then my bag, and forgot my helmet. i guess i looked like some sort of medieval monk. i was listening to the bike show, a PBP special (listen here) hearing brave tales of epic derring do by crazed audaxers riding a billion miles in 60 hours made me feel slightly ashamed.
anyway, enough. i was planning to ride home slightly further as well, but it was too much, the wind was way too strong and i felt pretty unsafe. it was as strong and hectic as the wind has been for some time. i cut it short and headed home, hands on the widest bit of the drops. i was also getting a bit knocky, having cut down (read: stopped eating at christmas levels) on scran.
here’s hoping it’s calmer tomorrow. this belgian weather is good for belgians.
snap……we both braved the elements that ride home was something else dropped it down to 50 x 19 on the mtb and kept revving…..with the occassional scary switch to stop me from heading into the somerset levels water ways! Tomoz looks equally fun but a 28mph tailwind is always welcomed at 6.30am! keep up the good work and keep it steady ….
indeed my ride home was a bit bonkers – the wind riding past the Filton airfield was insane, had to proper hunker down on the drops to minimise it – coupled with the rain which was being thrown at me so hard it felt like hail made for pretty tough progress.
What was amazing was on the short parts with a tail wind, I would occasionally match the exact windspeed and the wind totally dissapears, as if riding in a bubble with a tempest going on around you
rain in the face so hard it hurts. love it.
and then the sudden silence. when you really notice how noisy the drivetrain has become.