For crying out loud!

I suppose that when your life is so nice that all you have to talk about when you're using that "complaining" tone is the weather, than you should consider yourself a blessed soul indeed, right? Well, it isn't cold anymore. Nope. Like I mentioned before, the wind has shifted from the North to the South. But boy did it shift!!! Gusts @38MPH! (But it's a "warm" wind!) You can barely ride in the cross-winds when it's blowing this hard. ("Would you like a little cheese with that whine, Joni?") Enough about the weather.

It's days like these where you need to know the farm roads you ride on and where the dogs are because if you are passing them while riding into a head wind, they will catch you. The other day, when we were motor-pacing passed the house where the dog that bit me lived, the "biting dogs" buddy was lounging in a field and every time we'd pass, he'd get up and chase Mike. But he was not able to keep up. In fact, after the 5th or 6th time, he just gave up trying to chase, and would let out a bark while he lounged around in the dirt and watched us speed by. I however can't ride at "Taylor-speed", so I need to know where to watch for the loose farm dogs or risk being a farm dog's snack!

Today it was actually not too bad. Just a wind workout. I hadn't planned on doing as long as ride as I did, I was just gonna tool around and take some pictures, but then I kept thinking about the awesome tailwind I'd have going home if I rode out Camden way and then out on the county road detours back into Marshall---so plugged away into the wind for an hour or so longer than planned, and then got home just in time to eat and take a shower before I had to go to work.

While I was at work, the wind shifted again and a huge thunder and lightening storm blew in. (Just in time for Taylor to get caught in the weather-mess after he got off of work and was on his ride.) By the time the shop closed (we stay open until 8pm on Thursdays), the sun performed a little color and light show as it gently set in the West, the wind had died down to nothing, and I enjoyed a peaceful ride back home in the warmish evening air. Weird weather from my "it's always nice out in California" perspective. In one day you had wind, sunshine, warm weather, sleet, thunder, lightening and pouring rain, etc...I guess this is what you call a "mixed bag".

So, I guess we're racing tomorrow. Still not sure, but the race is near St. John's where Mike went to College. I've never been there---the town is (ding dong!) Avon (calling!), Minnesota---and if the weather holds, I'll have a race to report on as opposed to all these "Exploring Southwest Minnesota stories, Joni-style"

Happy Friday!