Grabbing blind isn’t always the best idea. Who knows what  you might get?

When I’m on the road bike, however, I need to pull out my water bottle, and put it back into its cage; and without looking. I\’m certainly grabbing blind then!

Getting the bottle out is rarely a problem; but putting it back is another story. Sometimes I have no trouble. Other times I’m wavering all over the bike path; I can\’t seem to control the bike; and I can’t find the right spot to put that bottle. I don’t know why it happens; but I wish this skill were more reliable!

I\’m not comfortable with looking down to find the bottle cage. I need to keep my eyes focused on what\’s ahead of me, especially if it\’s dark. Often enough I\’ve complained about path users who are hard to see in the dark; and I think I\’m afraid that, if I do look down to find the bottle cage, I\’ll be upon such a person without time to stop.

Shopping online can be blind grabbing, too; especially where clothing is concerned. I don\’t want to order a pair of shorts from a web site; and have them not fit. Even if it\’s the same brand and size that I\’ve used for the past decade, sizing can change. Personally, I\’d rather try on those shorts at a bike shop.

Scheduling an important event, whether an organized one or a just-to-do-it one, is yet another form of the blind grab. Nobody can know months in advance what the weather will be like on any particular day; and that\’s one of the aspects of planning a century that makes me nervous.

Still Thinking About It

I\’m still thinking about doing a 100-miler; but I don\’t think I\’m ready to do it before this month is over. By next month our nasty Winter weather is likely to be here; but at the same time, it can get quite warm in December.

So, will it be clear; or rainy? Cold; or will it get into the 80s? Will I be blessed with a wind still day; or must I battle headwinds half the time?

In way, a big ride is easier when I KNOW it will be hot all day. I don\’t have to layer up, and then either get too hot; or try to stash all those things into my Camel-Bak.

I\’ll see how things go for the next few weeks. But if I do the big ride before New Year\’s, whatever day I plan it, I\’ll be grabbing blind.