Don't need a weatherman

So, just like that, the Old Pueblo has entered the other of its two seasons. Whereas last Monday afternoon it reached a sweat-inducing 88°, it bottomed out at a visible-breath 40° last night. We even fired up the furnace for the first time in months.

I know it'll get colder yet as the season progresses. I also understand that there are far, far more frigid places to live and ride but remember, I am a desert native and I don't like being cold. Winter weather is hard for me. Why yes, I would absolutely love some cheese with that whine.

At any rate, since I can't or won't adapt to cooler temperatures, it's time to drag out what passes for winter gear in southern Arizona and spend a few extra minutes prior to my morning bike commutes layering up. The bummer part is having to schlep all of the extra clothes - fleeced, windproof, wool - back up the hill in the afternoon, when heavy-duty insulation is no longer needed.

Of course, my complaints about reduced, yet well-above-freezing temperatures ring hollow for my friends who live at higher latitudes and/or altitudes and for whom short-day riding is an exercise in sheer willpower. I almost feel guilty that my cold-weather clothing yesterday consisted of bib shorts, a short-sleeved jersey, toe warmers on my shoes, and lightweight, full-fingered gloves. If it was any cooler, I might have wanted some thin wool socks. To be fair, I did zip the jersey all the way up a couple of times.

Oh, but dig this. For what seemed like the first time in years of cycling, yesterday's strong southeast winds were aligned along my afternoon road loop such that I descended into headwinds and climbed with tailwinds. Uneffingbelievable. If there's a riding condition I enjoy as little as the cold, it's wind.

Cold-weather intolerance notwithstanding, I'm going to try to refocus myself on cycling in the coming months. I have 3 weeks of vacation on tap for December (the "benefit" of having been unable to take any time off all year) during which I'll replace my bike commuting and, to some extent, my weight lifting, with some real rides. My man Veelz is on record saying he's going to Han Solo the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, so perhaps there'll be an opportunity to do some training rides with him. How this will happen since he and his family unit recently moved damn near halfway to Phoenix is beyond me.

That's it for now - the warming sun is calling me to the front porch.