Cycling-No Matter What

First of all, I apologize for the not blogging for a while. I have been getting in my rides. It’s just that my work has really kept me pretty busy these last couple of weeks.

Today I had to do the last 10 miles of my training ride in the rain. Quite frankly, I kind of liked it. There's an odd sense of quiet when I ride in the rain and my tires make a kind of hissing noise as they cut through the water that I kind of like. It’s a very peaceful calming feeling.

Of course, there are a few safety things that you should keep in mind when riding in the rain. One, you need to pump your breaks and allow yourself a longer amount of time to stop. Two, be aware of cars for the same reason – they can’t stop as easily either. Three, you are more susceptible to flats in the rain since rubber rolling over broken glass punctures more easily when it's wet than when dry.

Additionally, I like the fact that riding in the rain makes me feel serious. I know I am really committed to reaching my goal when I do it. I get home, dry off and feel exhilarated for having done something that most people regard as a horrible undertaking. So there's a bit of headstrong glee in it.

Let’s face it; we bicyclists are a strange lot. We are outdoorsy, healthy and hearty. At the same time we are intensely independent. Yes, we sometimes ride in packs; but we are still riding on our bike alone. It’s that feeling of “me against me” that we all enjoy.

This weekend I am going for 70 miles on the “Is this the Last Hill?” ride through the Texas hill country. God, I hope we get a little rain!