Wind and Water

This week's training rides, except for today's, were all about the wind.  When I went out Wednesday morning I knew immediately it would be rough.  Up on the levee there was just a handful. I guess the smart ones stayed home.  After the first few miles, Donald got on the front (There were just three or four of us) and pulled all the way out to the turnaround at the parish line. Every time we'd come out from behind the protection of the batture trees, the wind would slam us hard and we'd have to lean noticiably into it.  I really wanted to take a photo showing how much we were leaning, but there was no way I could have taken one hand off the handlebars and survived!  Up north in Mississippi and Alabama they were having much worse problems with severe weather and killer tornados, so I really can't complain. Kenny was holding his first training Time Trial out at the lakefront in the evening, but by the time I got home from work it was already a little too late, and if I needed another excuse, well there was the wind.  Thursday morning wasn't much better as far as the wind was concerned, except that it was coming from the opposite direction and the air was much cooler.  There was a bigger group, of course, but once we got into the first long crosswind section it predictably shattered and I ended up with the front group of five or six riders.  Tim and Woody and Matt were pushing pretty hard, and I figured they were planning on turning back early, which they did when we got to the "little dip."  There was no way I was going to continue on in that wind without a group, so I turned back with them and never regretted it.  I don't think anyone kept going, actually. This morning, finally, the wind was nearly gone as a big high pressure area had moved right on top of us.  We had a nice smooth paceline ride.  It was one of those rides that's so smooth it makes your crotch hurt because you never change your position. Hard ride - happy crotch.  Easy ride - unhappy crotch.  Life is a compromise.

I'll be heading over to Lake Charles on Sunday for the LAMBRA criterium championship.  It'll be a 3:30 am wake-up and 4 am start for the 3-hour drive in order to get there in time to help out with the officiating of the Cat. 5 race that starts at 8:00. Should be fun.