My friend the wind

Armand says I looked like an Ibex Johnny Cash

The wind is your friend. Sure it can be downright dangerous for riding in some places, but here is not usually one of them. There's nothing like a long solo ride in the cold wind, on unsheltered roads. This is how you learn to love riding. It's also the best way to develop good pedaling technique. You love the wind too, right?

Saturday I rode with my mates up in NH. It was not too windy, but it was cold. Normally I always wear my team kit to team rides. Then I get annoyed because somebody else either wore an outdated kit, or some Fred jacket they bought from Performance. If you're going to hog the road on a big group ride, the least you can do is look professional about it, and wear matching kits. A small percentage of the motoring public will afford you more respect if you do this. However, this weekend, I figured rather than get frustrated, I'd just wear my choice of clothing, which was my woolly kit. The temperature was predicted to start cold and then get warm, and wool is perfect for such conditions. I have Ibex leg warmers, arm warmers, knickers, and jersey. Underneath I had a wool base layer from weebike.com. Wool socks from Darn Tough (best ever). I had black booties, black hat, and black gloves. And I was on my black bike. With my black Fred Armisen glasses. Unfortunately I have not picked up a black helmet yet.

So of course on this day almost everyone else wore their matching team kits. Except Billy, a chronic fashion offender, who wore some generic red jacket, looking like a refugee from a century ride. But I was comfy. Too bad it was not that windy. Sunday though, I was in luck. Back down here in Mass the wind was nice and steady, the sky was overcast, it was still a little chilly, very fitting on Ghent-Wevelgem day. Since wool doesn't stink, and it was cold enough on Saturday that I didn't sweat anyway, my leggings and jersey were fine for re-use. I swapped into a clean pair of wool bibs and out the door I went to battle for 100k across the windswept bogs, all big ring, all the time. Johnny Cash playing in my head, no Ipod required. Thanks for reading.