As I stepped out the door with my bike I suspected at some point in my ride I might regret not staying in bed.....came pretty close.
The wind was out of the west so very little of my ride should have been into the wind. The first 10 miles were on and off headwind but not bad. It wasn't until I turned for home by way of a good climb that I got hammered.
The climb had not even started and I was in trouble, middle chainring, largest cog on the cassette. How did that happen I usually clear this climb with a gear or two to spare. Sure I had the "granny ring" but this was just a short ride so grind on in the 42x26. Once inside of better tree cover I grabbed a couple gears back, lost them again before the top and descended back across the wind.
Since my route was out and back with the now completed loop at the furthest point I hoped to be back to more moderate winds like on the way out. The constant wind that I headed into now was alright it was the gusts that I could have done without. A few gusts hit as cars approached making me appear even slower than normal. At 6'3" and 200 pounds I only get so aero, but I've heard drafting off me is nice.
Anyway I made it back home with a slower than hoped for average speed but looking forward to the next ride.
