Dark Side
Does everything have its dark side? It sure seems like it sometimes; and it even includes bicycle touring!
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, I’ve been cycling for over twelve years; and cycling means dealing with headwinds; cold; rain; and so on. It isn’t all fun and games, no matter how much I love to ride.
Of the Big Four mentioned in the video, wind is the one I deal with the most. I sure had it on the way home from the salvage store this morning; and I was relieved that I didn’t have the trailer. Sometimes the wind blew from the side; and a pair of loaded panniers didn’t make the bicycle any easier to control. Other times I had a headwind; and it was up to 16 mph before I got back home.
Naturally I looked for ride food! I’m always on the lookout for new ride foods! I found a few bars that I haven’t tried before; and I’m always pleased at a prospective addition to my on-bike menu.
The dark side to my trip to the store wasn’t only the wind on the way home. I bought a few more canned goods! Every time I use up a few cans, I just buy more; and so I’m really spinning my wheels there. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly left its mark on me: stock up whenever I can, in case something keeps me indoors for a long time.
Witch of the East?
It looks like tomorrow will be windy, too; and of course it will be an easterly wind. The dark side of my Sunday long ride! I’ll try the Dang bar as ride food; but of course one bar won’t last me 40-50 miles. I have some other bars, too, e.g. Gatorade bars. The store seems to be running out of the Gatorade bars, so I have to be on the lookout for something else; but over the last few months I laid in a good supply of them!
Afternoon temperatures are now in the low 80s; and soon it will be warm enough in the mornings for short sleeves. Can you imagine that?
Of course short sleeves and no leg warmers mean I’ll need to use a lot more sunblock! That’s the dark side of not having to bundle up.