Wind, Rain and Hair

I biked on Monday and Tuesday of this week into ferocious westerly winds. The rain was intermittent, so I wasn't particularly wet or cold. But the wind was constant, and I really took a beating. I leaned into the wind with my aerobars and geared way down.

On Tuesday as I was getting ready for my bike ride, my daughter's friend knocked at the front door to offer Maya a ride with her mom to school. Outside it was windy and rainy. The kids' school is just one block away, and the roads running past the school on either side are choked with cars and buses. I couldn't imagine that getting a ride would save any time at all. Later I commented on the irony of her getting a one-block lift to school while her dad prepares for a 20-mile round-trip commute in the same howling wind. She agreed that it was rather silly but commented on how strong the wind was and what it would have done to her hair (She said this with a smile. As a swimmer, she is not averse to messy, damp hair). I replied that I knew very well how strong the wind was (I was biking into it), and that I could appreciate what it did to hair.

Thus, on my way into work, as I made slow progress against the strong winds along the Chipman Trail, I had more time than usual to reflect. Mostly, I was reflecting on how sucky it was to bike into strong wind. At that moment, I didn't care whether to call it a "westerly wind" or "ponent" or something more profane. It was just hard work and no fun at all. Nine months after starting this blog, I've written about, photographed and even video recorded my experiences. The goal has been to raise awareness of the joys of commuting by bike. I didn't feel much joy biking into the wind this week, and even my own daughter drove one block to school to avoid that same wind.

However, I still believe the experience is worth it for all the reasons I've detailed in my blog, and I hope that those who have checked out my blog will agree. On Saturday, I will bike to Pullman to participate in spring commencement. I drove in yesterday with my regalia and a change of clothes. I have many undergraduate and graduate students participating in the ceremony, so I look forward to witnessing the event. It may be rainy and windy that morning, but I'm prepared.