Cycling in the summer

So -- summer continues and the temps rise. Hitting the high 90s here later in the week. We do have AC in the house, although I rarely use the one in my room. But with those temps, I may have to give in.

My bicycling escapades also continue. Been upping the time by 15 minutes per trip. Or, at least that's been my intention. Yesterday I was planning to up it to 1 hour, from the previous 45 minutes, but ended up doing 1 hour 11 minutes. Rode out 30 minutes, turned around and rode home. That method generally will give me the overall time I want, but not this time. Turns out I had a tailwind going out (thought I was just getting stronger when it was so easy!), didn't realize it until I turned around and had a headwind to battle all the way back home. Slowed me down a good bit -- taking tired legs into consideration. Funny how the headwind/tailwind effect doesn't always work the other way around. I've ridden out in to headwinds countless times, thinking I'd have an easier ride home with the tailwind, only to find that by the time I turned around the wind had shifted and I had yet another headwind to ride into. That somehow happens more often than not.

But that's ok. My legs are getting stronger and will continue to do so as I continue to get out there. It's all in conditioning. Tomorrow I plan to complete a 10+ mile loop I've found. Was close to halfway through it yesterday before I turned around, so don't have any fears I can't make it. I've edged up to it gradually -- scoped it out from the other direction on Saturday, but didn't get to the halfway mark, certainly. And really, I was probably only 4.5 miles at the most into it yesterday, but that's close enough to know I can do it.  So early tomorrow, off I'll go.

Not much else happening. Just life.