Wind is an asshole. I have no patience left for it. It has all of it been used up, gone, finished. It is the only force that I’m aware of (with the possible exception of gravity) that is more stubborn and less willing to listen to reason than I myself am. It blows me around on my bike, it embezzles speed from my Magnificent Stroke. No matter how emphatically I lose my temper with it, no matter the unprintable curses and insults I hurl in its direction, it just keeps on blowing like a big stupid blowing thing.
The weather systems that move in and out of the Puget Sound Convergence Zone are accompanied by a gale and, and as every Cyclist knows, gales blow exclusively against the direction of travel. With the changing seasons come the frequent storm systems and the unreliability of the meteorologists is amplified by the complexity of the weather patterns. Taking Bike Number One is a gamble during any of these times, but sometimes living dangerously feels better than it is sensible. Every now and then, taking #1 when you really shouldn’t can offer a bit of much-needed redemption.
Fall winds steel us for the arrival of colder, darker days. Winter around here comes with less wind, but with annoyances of its own. Our friends in more harsh climates than mine will agree: we have had a dark Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. Seattle is a mild place to live, but even here the damp, cold, short days have taken their toll. The sun is down when I arrive at work, and it is down when I leave for home. With vitamin D in short supply, our moods sour, the chickens stop laying their eggs (there is no creature more entitled than a clucking chicken who refuses to lay an egg), and alcohol, food, and sloth start looking like viable plans of remediation.
But as Winter makes its slow exit, the winds begin to blow once again and Spring starts to dot hints that she is about to make her entrance. The redbud trees are in blossom, and the Earth is letting loose the green stalks of tulips and crocuses. The work we did over the winter was supposed to make us feel strong and fast; instead, trees bow to our arrival as the wind pushes against our face and robs us of the free flight that a Cyclist in form works so hard to achieve.
Nevertheless, this weekend I rode with bare legs, the strong headwind filling my senses with the fresh smell of damp, life-giving earth and budding blossoms. Rebirth is infectious and like the trees and plants around me, so too have I been reborn.
Wind might well be an asshole, but when it signals warmer, brighter days it somehow seems more tolerable. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
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Against the wind, Tuscany, Saturday 8th March 2014.
@the Engine ...............other than finding that if you turn the pads through 90 degrees they sometimes start working again.
I'm trying to get my brain around which plane you are talking about. As most disc pads (ie every pad I've ever come across) cannot actually be turned in the vertical plane due to locating lugs/pin this leaves me with the vision of jamming the pads through the holes in the rotor blades. Granted that would stop you but does seem to be a sort of one off application followed by a Milligan-esque "fortunately my fall was broken by the ground". This could of course account for the bent discs........
@PeakInTwoYears like I keep saying, "planes are easy"
Its been a matter Id rathet be riding than fixing. After I get #1 road and #1 CX ready to go, I'll take a look at it.
The downside to all this rebirth talk is when you're sitting at work, looking out of the window at beautiful spring sunshine. I know what I'd rather be doing.
@cyclebrarian
Would anyone but a cyclist do this? Would anyone else but a cyclist understand doing this?
Do tri-hards have rules too? (Rule 1: be annoying, Rule 2: ride your bike like shit, Rule 3: sleeveless jerseys and arm warmers together are ok, please make sure they don't match...)
@The Oracle hello to my northern neighbors feom MKE. Question for midwesterners....what does cold and rainy mean to you? Me...that means more effing snow
@Mike_P
Well fortunately I'm WFH so will sneak out later.
@tweed we had some flurries in my area this morning. Looks like tonights gonna be the last real cold snap for the winter.
@tweed Are you referring to weather predictions? Because if you are, then "cold and rainy" forecasts in March roughly translate to: "we have no fucking idea what's gonna happen."
@RedRanger
One would think that another WI cogal should be in the offing. @wiscot, I'm looking in your general direction ...