Lesson of the Day, volume 2

And here’s another LOD:  Don’t trust the weather forecast.

Ok, I admit it—this is partly my fault.  Since Brenda has been riding so regularly when the temperature has been in the mid-40s, my sense of cold has been thrown all out of whack.  Last weekend the forecast was for the temperature to be in the mid-60s by ride start time.  That’s so far away from our new minimum my first impression was “Wow, that’s almost like summertime!”  So I went out with just a light, sleeveless base layer under a short-sleeved jersey.  As soon as we got out on the road it hit me: “Summertime, schmummertime—it’s dang cold out here!”  The mid-60 forecast had turned into a low-60 reality.  And that, coupled with the low sun angle, and the increased shade, and the wind, all meant that I didn’t warm up until we got to about the 20-mile mark—you know, that place where all the smart people started shedding their jackets.

Morning starts are tough to figure this time of year.  In the summer, everybody knows what to expect—low 70’s to start, high 80s by the end.  Wear as little as possible.  But this time of year you’ve usually got to put on at least a few extra layers to start, and then take them off as you go.  And that’s what makes it tricky—you want to wear enough to be comfortable at the start of the ride, but not so much that you end up needing a suitcase for your extra laundry by the end of the ride.  Sometimes you get it right, sometimes not so much. 

One of the keys to getting it right is to have a lot of choices.  Arm warmers are a good item—they allow you to go from long sleeves to short sleeves while you’re stopped at a red light, and you can easily stuff them into a jersey pocket.  Base layers are important.  There’s polyester (not your father’s polyester—I mean new, high-tech polyesters that are really comfortable.)  And now, more and more, you see the availability of wool base layers.  Again, I don’t mean the 20-years-ago wool which brings with it the “S” word (scratchy).  I mean wool that’s become really smart.  A high-tech wool base layer works great because it can be so light weight.  This translates to warmth when it’s cold out, but is still bearable after the sun comes up a little higher.

So whatever the weather is, you need a strategy.  But trust me, the main part of that strategy should be to take the weather forecast, and then be flexible… you know, just in case.