The gravel drive.
Date: 11 March 2006
Today's Mileage: 10.2
Weather: 37° F. Rain
Mileage for March: 73.9
Average: 11.1
Welcome to Arizona. When there is weather here, it can be interesting. There's snow on the hills out the front window glass. It's cold and it's raining. I think my toes are suffering from a bit of exposure. They were cold and very numb when I got in; now they are engorged and extremely warm. Is it possible to get frostbitten at temps above freezing? I think I need a waterproof riding boot. The snow level is now about 2000 feet and the weather wizards expect 3-6 inches tonight at that level. Mesa is at 1200-1300 ft. It's imaginable that we may see snow on the floor of the Valley of the Sun before dawn. I saw snow falling here today.
There was water in a lot of the washes running across the roads and the gravel edges were pretty boggy. From my place the first mile is a swamp of washes and all gravel, so that was a bit of a challenge, with me at times in the sand up to my
It was fairly warm in the rain gear and although I haven't been able to find a rain cover for my helmet, it was reasonably ok. I was supposed to try thirty miles or so tomorrow, but I won't be doing that in this weather. It is fascinating to see the desert take a well needed drink. One can literally see the plants changing color as they restore themselves. It's amazing.
All images and content © Shawn Kielty 2006. All rights reserved. I am quite serious.
2 comments:
Geez, you're having Minnesota weather! It was about 40 here today with threats of showers. And yes, it is possible to get frostbite when it's above freezing. Check out Annie's post about it here.
Thanks, Gilby, for the link, and pointing out the obvious truth of it. I have to admit that I am thoroughly enjoying it (the weather, not the frostbite). My frozen toes satisfy Annie's description fairly well (waxy and hard, although still a bit pink) so I guess I am a real Minnesotan, no, Arizonian, now. Damn. I didn't cry though -- it wasn't like that. The 20 mph head wind could easily push the temp down below freezing, and then add my miserable 9 mph flat tire headway. Anyway -- they remind me of my toes just now, a couple of hours later. So hopefully there won't be any gangrene.
Having had a touch of frostbite will make for very insufferable stories for all the youngun's later.
I'll need to dress more thoughtfully (as Jill (or that 50k Little Su winner perhaps) would say) in the future. I was wearing my Keen™ river shoes and wool socks which sucked. This was bad decision making, mostly motivated by the thought that my Merrell™ Wilderness boots would never fit into my cages. Four seconds into the ride my feet were soaked. I was out for just under an hour.
Thank god I didn't set out to do twenty miles. I just rode into town for some milk.
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