Wear Your Sunscreen...

Sea Otter got the best of my spirit. All the grains of sand and mud crushed me. I am still finding piles of sand in random bags and mud stains on clothing that I swore I washed three times. My poor bike needs hours of work to get in racing shape for next weekend. And still it rains so I tried something new this week. Starting on Monday, I decided winter was done with me. On my training rides I will no longer wear all those extra clothes, the wetsuit gloves, plastic rain jackets, the winter shorts, the heavy duty leg warmers, the neoprene shoe covers and the cumbersome fenders. In fact, my new bike came in and it does not have room for fenders, so by default, Winter is over. I am in control of the weather and I did not even know it. Part of my defiance of winter included the liberal application of Sunscreen. Instead of the warm clothing to cover up every square inch of exposed skin, I was trying reverse psychology, and it worked. To accentuate my sheer defiance, I busted out my new Smith glasses and did not select the standard clear lenses I have been riding in all winter with Rain-X on them. Nope, I decided to rock the lenses that most resembled something you would wear on a bright sunny beach in Mexico (the lenses, not the glasses as they only look good under a helmet).

Without even checking the weather, I decided to run with it. I would ride as long as I could take it, but I was NOT going back to winter in my mind. I was ready for summer riding, sunscreen, summer clothes and all.

With the roads still covered in water from the rainstorm early that morning, I was questioning how long my ride might actually be. I was not totally foolish, I did wear some arm warmers and knee warmers as well as a vest (standard early morning attire even in the middle of summer). As I headed down the driveway, I got a whiff of the sunscreen as I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be clear skies and I couldn't help but smile. My plan worked. It's amazing what a little sunscreen can do for your attitude as well as the weather.

It's been warm, clear and sunny ever since. Farewell to my good friend Winter. See you soon enough. Bring on Summer!!!