I Get All the News I Need On the Weather Report

So why isn't the forecast accurate? I've never been someone who paid attention to weather predictions, but now that I'm trying to cycle nearly every day, The Weather Channel is a regularly used app.

I checked out the hour by hour forecast last night before I went to bed, and there was nothing but sunshine in the forecast for the morning. I woke up to cloudiness and checked the forecast again, and this time it was nothing but rain. It wasn't raining then, despite all the drops falling from my iPad, so I decided to chance it. I don't really mind the rain, but I wouldn't want a thunderstorm to start when I'm miles from home.

I got about a mile from home and it started sprinkling. I thought I was in for it, but that was it, not another drop. Living right!

I started out the ride with a goal of doing it in an hour. My fastest so far had been an hour and 2 minutes, and usually I was doing it in an hour 5 to 8 minutes. It really helped that a cyclist passed me going up a short hill, because as was able to keep pave with him going downhill, and kept him in my sights for a few miles. It's much easier to go fast when I'm chasing someone. Once I lost him (or he lost me) I was able to keep my pace up. I got back to our driveway, pulled out my iPhone, and I just missed it--1 hour and 37 seconds. I'll get it next time. I went 11.2 mph. I'd like to go up to 12 mph on a hilly route like that.

By the way, I've developed my complete rating system for cyclists, based on how people dress:

1. Top level: rides in a peloton, everyone wearing the same team uniform with sponsors
2. Second level: rides in a peloton, everyone wears bike clothes, not matching, not sponsors
3. Third level: rides alone wearing bike clothes
4. Fourth level: rides alone or with others wearing athletic clothes (T-shirts, shorts)--this is the level Liz and I are on
5. Bottom level: rides alone or with others wearing street clothes, sometimes without a helmet

I give myself no credit for passing people at level 5, but if I can keep pace with someone in levels 1-3, I'm psyched. The guy today was in level 3. It made me very happy to keep pace with him for a while.

But what brings me true joy is flying down a hill. I do love speed! It's well worth climbing hills to get the downhills.




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