Lexington Not Quite

Long Short? I intended to ride from home to Masterson Station Park in Lexington, KY for Z's soccer game at 3.00. I left quite early and met up with PJ close to his home, along our route to Shelbyville where he would turn around for a 50-mile day. Instead, what I found on the 9 miles out to meet him was steady headwind exactly in my day-long direction, and not just a headwind, but a cold, cutting headwind. While we've broken through to Spring-like temps, this morning started out in the upper 30s and it was just cold. And I was pretty miserable.

We briefly stopped at a gas station so I could buy an extra pair of jersey gloves and then followed our tour through Anchorage. Aside the wind and cold I just had *nothing* in the legs. Empty. On the far side at LaGrange Rd., not quite 15 miles from the house, I pulled the plug on the full 80-mile route. What was to be on a free Sunday morning was cooking up a pot o' whoop-ass and was making for an anxiety-ridden death march. Why bother? We extended down Aiken Rd. and turned left at Ash Rd. to make a loop back into Anchorage where we ate- for the second weekend in a row- at The Anchorage Cafe, where a cup (or two) and an egg sandwich seemed to lift the spirits and the legs. I dropped PJ in his neighborhood and then found that headwind from the morning, this time blissfully at my back, propelling down Westport. I raised the tempo and felt good enough, whether be wind or eggs, to turn towards the river and do a second spirit spin down River Rd. before turning back up the Beargrass Trail.

  

If you read this blog enough you know of my occasional sightings of 'Ol Blue. You would think that repeated sightings would make me tired of it, but in ways I like it even more. At the time I should have been prowling somewhere between Shelbyville and Frankfort, instead I was taking a pic of the bird before rolling through Cherokee for home.  SeaFoam gave me a very favorable ride, but in the future it needs some road-ish tires instead of the 2" touring behemoths it has presently.

I was disappointed for a while with my abandon; it seems to reflect a questionable and weak character. Only later did I come to appreciate the 50-mile effort in the cold and breezy. It was certainly more invigorating than a morning on the couch.


NENARY

Comments

amidnightrider saidā€¦
There will be other day's to ride. I agree with you that sometimes it's better to cut a ride short than to beat ourselves up just to say we did it. Of course there are also times we beat ourselves up just to do it.

It's also comforting to see wildlife continuing to live among us. They become our friends and we enjoy telling others about them.
DerrickP saidā€¦
Lexington certainly missed your yesterday, for sure. I went out for a 50 miler that turned into a 32 miler for the same exact reasons yesterday. Don't feel bad. You're in good company.
bikeolounger saidā€¦
Sightings of Ol' Blue can't get old. Great Blue Herons are neat birds, and I share your enjoyment in seeing them about.

I have friends who dislike seeing them feed in their ponds, however. Koi make for expensive Heron food.

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