Fog - My Kryptonite

When will I learn that you can’t post a blog that makes it seem like you’re immune to the effects of Mother Nature?  Every time I do it just makes her up her game and of course, she always wins.  In my last post - Baby It’s Cold Outside - I talked about how much I love riding in the cold and called out a few of team mates for being a bit wimpy.

I may have also inadvertently given Mother Nature the impression that I was impervious to her attempts to keep me off the bike.  And, like always, she responded with a big dose of my kryptonite - fog!!! 

I’ve written about fog before  - Fog!!! (enough said) - so this is nothing new.  While I think fog can be quite beautiful that doesn’t mean I like riding in it.  The chill from a wet fog seems to impact my very soul and while it may not reduce my strength it absolutely destroys my motivation.

Photo by Jonathan Lee (who was

riding in the fog)

So, after riding in 30 degree weather the previous weekend, I am sipping coffee while I look out the front windows at very thick fog.  While I struggle to make out the house across the street I try to convince myself that it won’t be that bad.  After all, the temperature is around 50 degrees so it’s not that cold.  As I finish my last sip I think about my two options - pour another cup and get on the bike and deal with the fog.  The coffee won!

When the fog did burn off later that day I headed out on the bike.  However, the lack of mojo created by the fog is still there.  It’s as if my motivation is in a fog even if the skies have cleared.  I start out on a 40 mile ride that will climb a few moderate hills.  That never happened.

About 7 miles into the ride I was cruising through Oakmont when I kind of gave up on the idea of riding.  I decided that I didn’t have it in me that day so I’ll just finish the big loop and head home.  Then, I remembered the the VJB Winery & Market in Kenwood has espresso.  After a little bit of self talk, I convinced myself to go get a double espresso.

As I sat there sipping even more coffee, I realized that coming to VJB added about 5 miles to the ride.  I can’t believe I tricked myself into a few more miles just to have an espresso.  Hell, I have espresso at home so there was no need to ride any further.  What’s even worse is that I fell for my own trick!  

As I head back home I decide that I’ll make up for today’s puny little ride with a good ride on Sunday.  That didn’t happen either.

Of course, on Sunday the fog was just as thick and I once again waited for it to burn off.  As I rode I quickly realized that this would be another short ride as I was once again lacking in motivation.  I stopped in Sebastopol for a cappuccino where I ran into cycling friend I hadn’t seen in while.  Chatting with him while sipping my coffee was the ultimate cure for bringing me out of my motivational fog and the ride home was fabulous.

So, lesson learned right?  If I write a post about being a bad ass on the bike I need to make damn sure that Mother Nature doesn’t think I’m challenging her.  Because, like I said earlier, she always wins.

Ciao!