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03-04-07, 05:52 AM
Jppe posted yesterday about the problems of riding in Wind. I think most of us agreed with him in that hills are preferred to a headwind. He has it right of course in that when you go out for a ride, you want it to be enjoyable, and wind can be one of those factors to spoil a ride.
The weather forecast for us today was a 12mph wind and rain. When we left at 9am- there was no sign of the rain. Wind was there a bit but not too bad, so it was decided that we would go offroad. Only a couple of hills- 12% and 15% and each one about a mile long.It has been raining this week so the trails would be a bit sticky but we are used to those conditions this winter.
6 miles by track to the hills and the weather was almost perfect. Could have done with a bit of sun to improve it but nice riding weather. Base of the hills and a puncture occured. This seemed to be the sign for the weather to change and a bit of a breeze breeze sprung up and the rain started. Couple of minutes later we were out of our sheltered spot and the wind was up to around 15mph and it was chucking it down. A very quick decision was made by all of us. We don't mind the hills and if the rain was there we were going to get wet, But that wind at 15mph at the base of the hill was going to be nearer 25 on the exposed bits at the top. We could not stop the rain and there was nothing we could do about the Wind- so we cut the hill.
Yes I wimped out and I am proud of it. It shows that in my dotage I have retained some of the sanity that I appear to have lost in previous years. We went straight down for a breakfast. For some reason the cafe was not crowded. No walkers about- no mountain bikers and none of the regular morning visitors who just go to the cafe for coffee. The few who were in there looked at us as though we were a bit demented, and a few comments were passed between us. 30 minutes later and we had to brave the elements again. We still wimped out and although we were going to take the forest route out- we were going to stay on the trails and not take in the Single track and the hills. We stayed on the trails and quite enjoyed slithering down the slopes and fighting for grip in the muddy bits. Pic attached is of the other two on the trail and shows the Tameness of the trails but does not show the rain or the wind unfortunately.
Got home eventually and by the end- the extremities were beginning to go numb. I was not wearing my waterproof socks so my feet froze and The hands had no feeling whatsoever. Funny how something that has no feeling- can hurt so much as it comes back to life.
May not have been the planned ride and it may have been done in not the nicest of weather- but at least I got a ride in today. Just remind me not to do it again in future.
The weather forecast for us today was a 12mph wind and rain. When we left at 9am- there was no sign of the rain. Wind was there a bit but not too bad, so it was decided that we would go offroad. Only a couple of hills- 12% and 15% and each one about a mile long.It has been raining this week so the trails would be a bit sticky but we are used to those conditions this winter.
6 miles by track to the hills and the weather was almost perfect. Could have done with a bit of sun to improve it but nice riding weather. Base of the hills and a puncture occured. This seemed to be the sign for the weather to change and a bit of a breeze breeze sprung up and the rain started. Couple of minutes later we were out of our sheltered spot and the wind was up to around 15mph and it was chucking it down. A very quick decision was made by all of us. We don't mind the hills and if the rain was there we were going to get wet, But that wind at 15mph at the base of the hill was going to be nearer 25 on the exposed bits at the top. We could not stop the rain and there was nothing we could do about the Wind- so we cut the hill.
Yes I wimped out and I am proud of it. It shows that in my dotage I have retained some of the sanity that I appear to have lost in previous years. We went straight down for a breakfast. For some reason the cafe was not crowded. No walkers about- no mountain bikers and none of the regular morning visitors who just go to the cafe for coffee. The few who were in there looked at us as though we were a bit demented, and a few comments were passed between us. 30 minutes later and we had to brave the elements again. We still wimped out and although we were going to take the forest route out- we were going to stay on the trails and not take in the Single track and the hills. We stayed on the trails and quite enjoyed slithering down the slopes and fighting for grip in the muddy bits. Pic attached is of the other two on the trail and shows the Tameness of the trails but does not show the rain or the wind unfortunately.
Got home eventually and by the end- the extremities were beginning to go numb. I was not wearing my waterproof socks so my feet froze and The hands had no feeling whatsoever. Funny how something that has no feeling- can hurt so much as it comes back to life.
May not have been the planned ride and it may have been done in not the nicest of weather- but at least I got a ride in today. Just remind me not to do it again in future.