White Mound Lake Ride

More Rain

Goggles, balaclava, hat

Today is Sunday, March 10th, the day after the time changed. Spring should have been here by now. Last year, spring, or dare I say summer, was here in March! Last year, this week began in the 60's and ended in the 80's. Today, I woke up and the temperature was 40 but then dropped into the 30's by the time I left for my bike ride. I didn't leave with the goggles and face mask on. When I left, there was no rain and I rode with the wind as I turned south at Lime Ridge. 

Treacherous ice along the North side of a hill

I decided to ride down to the lake today. White Mound Lake is about 11 miles south. I can ride there and back in 22 miles, or more when I choose longer routes. Today, I chose one of the longer routes through Sandusky down to Croal Hollow Road before heading east to the boat landing on the north side of White Mound Lake. Along the way, I came across this ice covered section of road that ran on the north side of hill. It was glare ice and wet. I found gravel when possible regardless of which side of the road I was on, but for much of the way I just road gingerly across the ice. Only one car came by while I was on this stretch so the most danger came from me dumping the bike, but I was able to avoid that.

White Mound Lake is melting

Finally, I arrived at White Mound. There was only one person out on the ice fishing that I could see and one pick-up truck sitting in the parking lot with someone sitting in it. I imagined that the person in the truck was the wife of the idiot out on the lake! Ha!

Old concrete bridge covered with moss

As I left the boat landing area, it began to rain. I already expected to have to ride into a fairly strong northeast headwind on my way home, and now I would be facing cold rain as well. I was about 5 miles from finishing the 24 mile ride when I had to put on the balaclava and goggles. After that, I no longer had my glasses-mirror to see behind me, and I really didn't care much as I was on some secluded back roads. Behind the goggles and beneath the other head-gear I wore, I retreated into my own cozy world as I put one foot down and then the other. I was surprised that the lens of the goggles didn't fog up at all the way my glasses had done. The rain beaded up and blew away so I could see pretty good.

I got home, striped, and threw everything into the washer. What wasn't wet from the inside from sweat was wet from the outside from rain. All told, my wet clothing weighed about 15 pounds! oh! for spring to come. Better days and better rides...

When I finished, I completed a 24 mile ride. It was raining and the temperature was in the 30's. My blood sugar had dropped to 114 or so, still too high! This is my forth day of getting in good bike rides but not getting the sugar readings that I want. Maybe tomorrow?

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