Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Wind - 1, Julie - 0

On today's agenda was a 4 hour ride: 2h10 one way, and then time trial back. The wind had other ideas. It was blowing HARD from the west (the normal way). I decided on a southerly route so I would have a monster cross wind both ways, and a head wind coming home.

CRAP.

I took 4 big Balls of Fury with me and ate them all before the 2 hour mark. I was working hard in the wind and I was starving. I made it to a gas station and ran in there and grabbed a Snickers and started eating it right then and there. The guy was outside filling gas and there was no way I was waiting for him to come back in -- I was ravenous. I threw down a $10 bill and just kept eating as the man finally came back inside, and went behind the counter. He asked me what I wanted to buy...

I still had my sunglasses on and was standing there at the counter wolfing down the Snickers -- I held up the half-eaten Snickers bar and kept chomping away. Hahahahahahaha!!!

The rest of the ride was just as brutal -- even more so, when I had to pedal past my house as I still had time to make up the 4 hours. But WHOOIIEEE when I turned around and had the wind at my back -- YEEHAWWWW!!! :) :) The ride was more like grind in your easiest gear for 3 hours and 50 minutes, and FLY for 10 minutes.

And no, I will never tire of telling everyone just how windy it is here. In fact, "windy" isn't even the right word. "Wind" gives the impression of something soft, wispy, airy, breezy. What happens in the Crowsnest Pass is something out of a horror film -- violent surging gusts --- you want to know what a speed wobble feels like? You don't even have to cycle fast to get blasted every which way.

The "wind" is like a screaming, raging banshee. We don't own patio furniture in the Crowsnest Pass - no nice little lanterns or garden wind chimes, or any of those other nice outdoor paraphernalia. Because they will literally blow away. BLAST away. Even parts of my fence have blown down....

This is why I get such a kick out of hearing other people's stories of "wind" while cycling. A typical day in the Pass: When you try to open your car door, you struggle as though you are lifting an elephant. Then, it takes all of your strength to hang onto the door (now the elephant is jerking about) and not have it ripped out of your hands. Now THAT's a wind, my friends.

LMAO!!!!!!

OOH yeah -- and the fun part is when a big semi truck comes by and the "wind" is just right and it feels like a brick wall of air hits your whole body and bike. This happened once today. I closed my eyes involuntarily -- like I knew it was the end. Hahahahahahaah!!

Had a 15 min. brick afterward which went surprisingly well -- even into the wind. But, as soon as I got inside the house, I started eating again. And continued to eat for the last couple of hours. Hahahahahaha!!

And of course now, the wind has died down: Wind - 1, Me - 0. Until next time....

:) :)

11 comments:

KK said...

Okay, I won't complain about the wind again. :)

Holy Crap girl-you are one tough cookie-I mean Snickers bar! Halfway into a ride is not the time you want to be ravenous-I'm impressed that you finished. I would have waived a white flag in front of the potato chip aisle. You are a machine!

Keith said...

I'd say it's more of a draw. The wind keeps blowing, and Julie keeps going out in it. Getting stronger every day. The winds of Kona will be a piece of cake by the time she gets there.

Amber Dawn said...

I think the score is wind0- Julie 3
Just sayin.

Keith said...

hmmm, blogger seems to be eating comments. There was 1 comment showing, but when I commented that 1 didn't show up. Now there are 3, but only KK's showed up.

rb said...

Excellent description of the wind. And yup, you don't see alot of patio umbrellas around here.

Big Daddy Diesel said...

I would reverse that and make it Julie 1 Wind 0. You could have easily packed in and went home and finished it on the trainer. Which you didnt, you didnt let the wind defeat you, and that my friend is winning the battle, this will only make you stronger on the bike and as a bonus it adds mental toughness training, which alot of people forget to work on while training.

Last training ride, one of my team mates said, "the wind is your training partner, you dont like this training partner, but it is one of the best training partners you will ever have"

Julie said...

Big Daddy -- I LOVE what your team mate says about the wind!! I am installing this in my repetoire of mantras.....Thanks!! :) :)

Amy said...

Man, I thought the wind in Colorado was bad but now I know we can't complain. Great job getting it done!

Julie said...

KK -- I am not a machine, just stubborn. Hahahahaha!!

Amy -- You most certainly can complain about the Colorado wind!! Hey, if I can whine and complain -- you can too!!! Hee-hee!! :) :)

Keith said...

Jenna must be busy if she hasn't left the comment that we're expecting her to leave by now.

Stubborn? Yeah, I'd say so. She could sell stubborn by the case load I'm sure.

Julie said...

Keith -- it's funny...I dated this guy once who asked me what my worst quality was.

I replied, "I'm overly patient."

He paused only a moment and said, "Isn't that the same thing as being stubborn?"

Hahahahahahahaahah!!!