Warning signs are all around us, every day. \”Construction Zone\”, for example. Or, \”Slippery When Wet\”.

There are warning signs our bodies send us, and which we, as cyclists, must learn to heed. In his Cyclist\’s Training Bible, Joe Friel discusses this. According to his writing, your body \”whispers\” to you what it can tolerate when you first wake up in the morning. Among the signs to examine are your stress level and how well you\’ve slept. From these indicators, you can learn how to determine how hard you can train that day.

For me, tingling upper incisors are a warning sign that my allergies are acting up. There\’s not too much I can do about it, except to take an OTC to relieve some of the symptoms.

We all know about sirens: for police, ambulance, fire engine, tornado. The first three mean, GET OUT OF THE WAY!! The fourth? I guess all you can do is to find the best shelter you can, as fast as possible. Tornadoes, so I\’ve read, typically do not dawdle.

What warning signs must we watch for while out for a long bicycle ride? What can Nature tell us? I\’m sure reading up on the subject is a big help; but a lot of it comes from experience.

What kinds of clouds warn of rain? Is a certain wind direction more likely to bring rain than another? How do you deal with wildlife encounters, especially large animals? What other signs does Nature give of possible trouble?

I know this one, anyway: \”Red sky at morning, sailor take warning\”. Maybe \”biker take warning\”, too.