Sandblasted
 

OK, it was great weather in southwest Iowa yesterday. I took the bike off of the rollers and headed out for a 40 mile ride. At about 10 miles out I decided to turn around as I was tired of getting hit with the salt and sand from the passing vehicles. I usually wait until we have had a good hard rain, but the weather was nice. I think I know what it feels like to be sand blasted. Actually some of them were small rocks, but nothing enough to draw blood.

It was great to be outside riding though!!!!

Day two of the sandblasting. Nothing major, but I hope we actually get the rain storm they are predicting. I had 4 semi trucks back to back to back to back today, and it was brutal. But, riding on the roads in Iowa is great compared to the rollers in the basement. Are all the other midwesterners back outside?

I know the feeling....earlier this spring I got antsy and went out for ride. Since then I have vowed to try and wait until most of the crap is off the road. My poor bike was just coated in sand. Makes me squirm to think about what that's doing to my drivetrain.

lotta junk on the roads here too but screw it, its been a long cold winter so I've been riding. we had a thunderstorm a week ago and washed everything to plug the storm sewer grates.

Our rain didn't come, but I am going to head out again today after work. It is better than riding on rollers any day. I just don't want to be nailed in the forehead by a rock coming off of one of the tires. The small sandblasting is bad enough.

After getting a couple of sruprise sandblastings I wear leg cover when it's windy. 40 mph winds never stop me from riding, just a little smarter now!:D Have gotten taken by surprise ona couple of organized desert rides. Ouchie!:D

I rode outside a couple of times already, but I have some low traffic streets I can utilize. So truck traffic and heavy car traffic is not a problem on my 42 mile loop. It's a loop with about 12 miles of MUP and the rest back streets.
But the weather is really getting to a point now where I can start putting my winter cloth and balaclava away.