back on the bike again

After a two month hiatus from riding on the road because of heat and humidity, we are in for a few days of cooer temperatures and low humidity. Maybe the summer heat has finally broken. I don't really believe this is the fact but one can dream.

Today's temperatures were in the low 80's with a 46% humidity and some 10-20 mile an hour head and tail winds, with the sun broken by some cloud cover, in short perfect riding weather.

Before I went out riding, I braved the grocery store to see if I could supplement our post hurricane diet with some fresh fruit and vegetables. There was about a 45 minute line to get in to the grocery store as they were only letting someone in as someone came out but once I got inside, since almost everything except the meats and freezers had been restocked and most of the clerks were busy frantically restocking. I stocked up on apples, carrots, salad makings and a few other amenities like milk and yogurt, enough to get us through to the weekend and left. By the time I left, the early crowds had started to thin and they were more or less letting the crowds self regulate. The worst part was getting out of the parking lot as there were lines at every gas pump snaking through the aisles of the parking area and it was hard to get anyone to move enough to let those who wanted to leave, exit.

It is so nice that the weather is cooler, especially for those who have lost power after the hurricane. One of the sites without power is the gym, which means that I can now cross train on the bike to supplement the cross training I was doing at the gym.

Most of the traffic lights on major roads seem to be functioning which makes it easier and safer to ride, and eveywhere there are signs of clean up and of power being restored to the area.

It was also nice to see that the cross training is paying off in helping me maintain the strength that I cam off the long ride with. My average speed hasn't declined all that much, and the endurance is still there.

All in all it was a very pleasant way to start riding again after a pause.

Whoo Hoo!

Today's stats.

36.32 miles at 16.2