SaiKaiTai

We just had some "stuff" come through here yesterday from the Gulf of Alaska... pretty common stormtrack hereabouts. The rains have gone, leaving in their wake some nice, chilly 12-14 mph northwinds. I don't much care for riding into a headwind -who does, I guess- but there I was. I figure more than half my ride was uphill (some quite by choice; the only way to get better at climbing...) and into the wind. Nice. That'll take your 15-19 mph pace and knock it down to 6 or 7 mph in a hurry. I figure I put 19 miles of effort into an 11 mile ride tonight. Had to get out, though, even though... I made an appointment with the vet for Friday to say goodbye to our "little girl". That cold wind felt pretty good.

Floyd

Wind is natural for most of us...I was thinking, here in Kansas, but... most everywhere. It is something you have to get used to or you don't ride. Of course the moving air comes and goes and when you are going against it the speed drops ...........on the other hand as you say it builds muscle.

John E

I remember my first bicycle encounter with northern California headwinds. I was doing my first century (actually, a metric double) with my cousin, from Los Altos to Santa Cruz, then up the coast to San Gregorio, then back over the ridge through Palo Alto to return to our starting point. The entire ordeal took 12 hours, almost as long as my Double Century the next year, partly because I had to grind in a 45-inch gear against a headwind all the way up the coast. (We probably should have made the loop anticlockwise, instead. ) Even worse, the third member of our group, one of my college pals, took advantage of his grannie gearing to get ahead of us on the climb out of San Gregorio, but he turned left on Skyline and headed up the peninsula. Each of us slept for a good 12 hours after that adventure.

ollo_ollo

We've been getting some of that same "stuff" tracking in off the Gulf, but even in the worst weather, a ride helps restore my soul to handle life's hard times. Sorry to hear about your pet friend. Been nursing our "puppy girl" yellow lab through kidney failure for going on two years now. Starting at Thanksgiving time, the old girl began needing help up into the rear of my wagon so I will likely face that same hard decision soon. Don

SaiKaiTai

That truly sucks, Don, I'm sorry to hear that.

jppe

Sorry to hear about the pets.

Also sorry to hear about the winds...they'll probably be here on the East Coast just in time for the weekend riding.

John E

Those of us who are smallish and light would rather fight gravity than a headwind any time.

Beverly

They're in Ohio today It's a beautiful sunny day with temps in the low 40's and winds to match
They've issued a wind advisory for the area - 20-30 mph winds with gusts up to 50. Don't think the bike will be leaving the garage today.

Tom Bombadil

SaiKaiTai, you are certainly pounding away at it. Deciding to have a go at riding uphill & into a strong wind is certainly a testament to your dedication to achieving a higher fitness level. And it sounds like you are capable of making much more difficult rides than you were a few months ago.

BlazingPedals

I can get out of the wind. I can't get out of gravity.

SaiKaiTai

Back when I was riding regularly 20 years ago, I got to where I not only didn't shy away from hills, I looked for them. That was a goal of mine coming back to it... not to be afraid of tackling a climb. Hard? Yeah, they're hard but there I am making sure I get some in with every ride. I really have come a long way.

As a side note, Abbey is gone now. She is, once again, a 6 year old dog running on the beach. There was and never will be a finer freind than she. If there is a God in heaven, surely he has blessed her. Amen.

Beverly

Sorry to hear about Abbey. I had to go through the same thing late last year with my 16 year old cat, D.C.

Tom Bombadil

Over the past 30+ years, our family has lost many pets. For some, there was much grief. About 4 years back, we lost a 15 yr old cat that my wife and daughter saved from a tomcat attack when it was 4 weeks old, suffering some permanent damage. That cat became the most faithful companion to my wife that I've ever seen in a cat. When she worked out in our garden, the cat would follow her through the yard and sit or sleep nearby, until she came back up with the cat right behind her. Today the cat is buried next to the garden, with a special stone over the grave. I know my wife talks to him everyday she works in the garden.

And I think it is going to be worse whenever our 3 year old golden retriever goes. Those two are inseparable.

BluesDawg

Sorry to hear about Abbey. Something tells me there has been or will soon be some very soulful blues being picked on a dobro in Pacifica. I think I may just have to grab a harp and walk back to a quiet spot in the woods behind the house and bend a few notes for Nalley (my long departed but never forgotten Golden).

Terrierman

You'll see her again some day.

SaiKaiTai

Thanks all... much truth spoken here. One does get attached. Dammit.
But it's nice to know she'll be waiting. Meanwhile, there's some pain and some joyous memories.
Today was also my wife's birthday. We went out to dinner tonight and celebrated the life we had with our little girl. She was a sweetie. I wondered, if George Foreman can have 6 Georges, why can't we have a second Abbey? She's not going for it.

Blues? In many forms. Before we left, I played "It's Too Late" on the stereo.
I came home and pulled out my little Gibby and played an old Fleetwood Mac song, "Jumpin' at Shadows". There is some deep, deep feeling in that song.

But, really, I want to write one for her. She deserves a song. Somewhere inside of me, I have one.

Tomorrow, I ride.