Salsa Cycles Fargo Page

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Hazy Daze

Screen grab from local KWWL weather video Monday.
 I've made note of the hazy skies in some of my "Country Views" posts of late. Those wildfires out West have really had a big effect upon our weather here as well as in many other places across the USA. 

I noted it with my riding a couple weeks ago when some stuff with me flared up. It coincided with the hazy air, and it hasn't gotten better either. Air quality around here has suffered as a result. That in turn has affected my riding. 

I notice it in my throat. It feels rougher and like it does after I've been around a campfire for a few hours. My nasal passages have been plugged up at different times and at other times my nose runs, like my body is trying to rid itself of this smoke. Otherwise I feel okay, but this haziness has me concerned.

In fact, I limit my going outside now. I just don't want to do more big efforts outside, especially when it gets really hot out, which seems to exacerbate things with regard to the smoke. When cooler weather prevails and the wind comes out of the North, it's better, and I try to plan rides around that if I can. If I cannot get the weather I feel is safer, I just do a quick paced walk and get in a couple miles and call that good for the day, and I've been doing that a lot of late. It's getting old.....

Hopefully I am ready for Gravel Worlds, but I am not going to roach my lungs on this cheese-grater air just to do a silly gravel ride. Dealing with this year's excessive gravel dust has been bad enough as it is without that.

3 comments:

  1. You rode very well on Saturday, so I would think like anything, effort = fatigue level.

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  2. Hah! Nature's warning are getting a lot less subtle. And one region's issue affects a larger area.
    It might not be too late to take action.
    Ride from home when you can.
    Electric vehicles powered by wind and solar work great; we've been able to travel, with and without bikes, with less guilt.
    Smoke season is a real thing now out West. Ugh.
    ~Steve

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  3. Here in Southern Oregon, I've had to wear N95 masks on my commute for the whole summer! I just slow down and try not to breath too hard, you kinda get used to it.
    -Gary

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