Boy oh boy has it been tough since last time you've heard from me! If the title doesn't get through to you, check the weather for West Palm Beach Florida and all you will hear is talk about wind. Wind is something that particularly doesn't affect anybody's life, except if your a cyclist. Of course I chose to participate in one of the only physical activities in the world that is made more difficult by wind! Now when I'm riding, I enjoy reminiscing of the past when wind speed and direction never mattered.
I look back to when hearing the word "wind" didn't make a young man cringe. This feeling has only gotten worse, since I started this week off with an already immense challenge, a 70 mile ride. Not to mention it just so happened to be the Saturday that was the most gusty.
Ips and I didn't know what to expect when we got up that early Saturday morning and we both acknowledged the fact that we are definitely riding, and it's going to be most certainly windy. As soon as we arrived at Lake Worth bridge we set out with our fellow company of brave knights who dared battle the wind, Nick, and Johanna, as well as Alex, our usual crew members. Only dad and I had the big idea of riding 70 miles (wind can't stop our century training!), we did a 20 mile spin with gang before they retired from the fight. Dad and I then proceeded to keep making these same 20 mile loops from the Lake Worth bridge, to George Bush Blvd and back to ease the suffering some. 10 easy miles flying south and then crawling back north against a brick wall. I tallied each spin as a victory in our book, but it only got more and more difficult. I took advantage of my small ring to assist me with the fight, but what I really needed was a taxi home.
Well on the last and longest loop, I became getting more tired and frustrated too. Then just before our last turn around and the last 15 miles of misery back against the wind, things got from bad to worst.....
I take a spill! This insane gust shoot while biking in-between two tall apartment buildings, how can an invisible force knock a 150 pound beast in a bush in a split second ? This is when I really lost it!
The old folks walking gracefully on the side walk close to where I fell, asked me if I was ok while I stumbled back up. All I could I reply was a mix of gibberish and angry tones to them as I walked to retrieve the helmet I chucked at the ground out of pure anger at the wind after the accident.
After all, what was I going to say? They wouldn't understand that wind would cause me to fly from the road as if Mike Tyson ran up next to me and sucker punched me in the gut. From that moment on, this was personal. After I calmed down, I thanked God I didn't get hurt and even the bike survived with out a scratch.
Back on the saddle the rest of the miles crawled on, and we took little breaks in between so I wouldn't completely loose my sanity. suddenly, as a cherry on top of our torture, a nice heavy rain started beating us down too, I just love this hobby!
Thankfully the rain eased up and the last few miles where more manageable, dare I say even almost enjoyable.
Like dad always says during a long ride like this, no matter if you feel good or you feel bad it don't last long.....The mind will show its tricks when you are exhausted for sure.
I still would've looked like a deranged monkey pedaling against an invisible wall to a car driving by, but to a cyclist this was a sure sign of progress. Before you know it, it had been done, dad had pulled this Rolling Resistor to the finish line! 70 miles, 4 hours and 20 minutes in actual riding time under my belt is the greatest feeling ever, but it's a bitter taste of the difficulties that a century ride is going to pose for us as well!
Of course after that battle I had to take Sunday off, so we continued our week with our Monday ride, which yes was windy as well if you guessed. Not nearly as bad as the 70 miler, but it gave the gang and I a swell work out. Then on Tuesday I had full bike fit with Rudy as my lower back has been bothering me a little and I got a new saddle too. After two and half hours of adjustments and testing on the trainer we were done. Thursday I got to test the new set up and it was much more enjoyable, we even did some hill repeats in LW bridge to prepare to the hills in Gainesville area.
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