weather window

As cyclists we are always watching the weather. Checking weather websites constantly. Planning our weekly rides. Planning the best time to ride in a given day.

If one website tells us “rain”, we'll check another one. Always go with the best forecast!

“My mobile says 70%”
“Nah! Mine says only 40!”.

It rained all day yesterday. Rain forecast today too. However, I found a little weather window 4:30 to 6:30AM!

Last night, after an afternoon of LSD (long slow drinking), I put Luke to bet at 7:30. As sometimes happens, that was good night for me too. Next thing I know it's midnight and the whole house is dark.

Up at 4:30. Check the weather. Dry on the ground, looking dodgy above. On the bike at 4:40.

Out to Takayanagi. Feeling good. Look down at the watch occasionally, 100 cadence. Rollers do that for you.

Isonobe. Today's plan? 170 HR keep. Not difficult to do on Isonobe.

150HR up to the river. The road picks up. 155, 160, 165. Right hairpin. Road eases off. Paris~Roubaix like road surface. 160 HR. Left hairpin. Steep all the way from here. 170 HR by the next hairpin. Find the rhythm. 170 all the way through the village. The road levels. Into the big ring. The valley opens into the basin. A headwind now. The road rises again. But this is easy compared to what came before. It takes discipline to keep going hard now. Tempting to ease off. This is where your computer is important. 160,161,162.... 170 again. Goal.

Back to Kashiwazaki. Need to be back by 6:45. Nice pace. Pass Enosan's place. The rain starts. Mt. Yoneyama is lost in the clouds. It's really raining now. Not long to go. The bypass. The turn. The river. The bridge. Home.

Shower, breakfast, off to work....

Monday's asaren: Isonobe x 1 (58 km, 500 m climbing, 29 kmph)