woodysroad

I do not make reservations for camping or motels, which can be good or bad, but if something deters me during the day (wind) I don't have to make it to a destination. I try not to fight the wind and drop my gears, significantly if the wind is really strong. I check the predicted wind strength on my phone (hourly schedule) to sort of mentally prepare. I get on the road by 5 as it seems to me that the wind doesn't tend to pick up until around 9 AM. I try to get off the road by 12 to 1 to avoid heat and wind. I try not to look at things that are visual indicators of wind strength such as flags standing straight out, tall grass leaning over to the ground, trees whipping in the wind, etc. For me maybe the most frustrating thing about wind is the constant roar in my ears, so I try a little cotton to soften the sound. I stop for rest breaks (only a minute or two) more frequently, maybe every five miles if it is really strong. I stop every 12-15 for a short break even if there is no wind. And, I ride on my drop bars (which I tend to do at all times anyway). Enjoy the moment and don't have your mind on your destination for the day. If your mind is on "there" instead of "here", the wind can be mentally brutal as you will find yourself thinking "it's so far away" and "with this wind I'm never going to make it". My rule of thumb is a lesson I learned while working a summer construction job many years ago while in college. I would start out the day working really fast and energetically and an old guy told me "slow down son, you've got to make it to the end of the day, just find yourself a good rhythm and work it all day".