Cyclist

cy·clist /ˈsīkləst/ noun

1. a person who rides a bicycle.

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I'm going to disagree with this definition. In MY book, it takes more than just riding a bike to call yourself a cyclist. I believe you have to earn that title, and today, once again, I did.

I went out to the west today on what was my first venture out onto country roads this season, which don't look like the picture you see here quite yet!

The thinking was I would find it a bit warmer to the west if I got away from the lake effect wind near my house. So I took the old Manitowoc Rd. route west.

WIND! 20-25 mph today with nothing but open farm fields out there....nothing to block any of the wind. It was about 10 miles into a head wind of about 20+ on the way back in. These are the times you earn calling yourself a cyclist.

You don't just buy a bike and call yourself a cyclist.

You don't just go ride your bike and call yourself a cyclist.

You don't go buy some fancy riding gear and call yourself a cyclist.

You EARN that title. You earn it on occasions like today when I fought that wind, howling in my ears and making my wind jacket flap flap fap flap against my shoulders. The kind of wind where you hear the flagpole being slapped by the cable holding the flag that's straight out in the wind.

Bang, bang. bang.

Flap, flap, flap.

Howl, howl, howl.

The kind of wind where, if you are taking a drink from your bottle with only one hand on the bars you fear one strong gust will push you over into the ditch.

I earned the title of cyclist today. That was a gritty head-down and grind it out adventure into the wind all the way home.

When I got back to my neighborhood it was really cold near the lake. 55 and sun just ain't what it used to be I guess.

25 windy, chili miles in the book today from this CYCLIST! (and proud of it)

2021 OUTDOOR RIDE ROUTE-- Manitowoc Rd. rectangle + Neighborhood Crit, 1 lap MILES-- 25.0 AVE. SPEED-- 13.5 WEATHER-- WINDY! 20-25 mph, partly sunny, 55 TOTAL OUTDOOR MILES-- 152.0 ..................... 2021 INDOOR WORKOUT-- mph Carmichael MILES-- 10.5 TOTAL INDOOR MILES-- 271.5