Country Views: Switch Flipped

Escape Route: Is this Mullen or Western? I can't tell.

Wednesday was the day. The day the heat wave ended and Fall started. Oh sure......Summer will make a brief return, but this break in the weather is just the nose of fall coming through the doorway. 

When you go from 100°F on Sunday to 65°F during my ride Wednesday, well, it is as if someone turned on the air conditioner outdoors. It felt 100% different. 

The wind was out of the Northwest and it was a pretty stiff breeze. I decided to use my "Exit via Cedar Falls" route and come back across on Mt. Vernon Road to Moline Road and back home. That worked out pretty well as I only had three miles of exposure to the direct Northwest wind going out. See, when you get old, you ride smarter. Ha!

I also decided I needed a change up in bicycles. I have been dedicated to the Twin Six since that bike is fitted with the Enduro Bearing stuff I am testing. But I drug out the Noble GX5 for this ride. It's been a while since I have had that bike out. I wore bibs, base layer, and a Twin Six wool Summer weight jersey. Stayed just right as far as comfort during the entire ride.

On the way out I go part way around Big Woods Lake.

Very Fall-like out!

A series of bike paths, alleys, and side streets gets me out of town and on Northward on Big Woods Road and Symons Road. Fortunately I didn't have to buck the wind too much. Once headed East on Mt. Vernon Road things were a lot easier. 

It looks like a line of giraffes are about to attack that cornfield.

With the 3/4's tailwind I had fun coasting down this half mile descent.

I actually had some bouts with mist on the ride. It was so much different than Sunday's ride it was almost hard to believe. Heck, there was even clear lines on the road and the gravel was finer in many places as well. Why do I ride Southern Black Hawk County? The Northern part is almost always smoother these days. 

While it was grey and gloomy, it was a lot more comfortable than it has been outside, and so I went on to bag a two and a half hour ride. It felt great, and the forecast bodes well for more temperate weather in the coming days. That's a good sign.

Welcome, Fall, it's been good to see you! Summer kind of over-did things this year. Let's have a nice fall season of riding, shall we?