Wow, that was wind!

My ride to work today this morning was uneventful.  A little colder than I expected, but nonetheless, easier than last week.  I feel stronger.  This was only the fifth ride of the year and the fourth work commute of 2015.  Based on the forecast, this may be the last day for a while.  The cold weather is returning.  What is cold is that I am well below 30 in the morning, and I just find it hard to breathe in the colder weather.  I will need to see the physician as my shortness of breath is not improving.

After a busy day at the office, I packed up the bike to venture home.  Once outdoors, I was filled with immediate fear.  The wind was over 20 MPH, and the gusts were over 30 MPH. I would only have 9 miles into the wind or a side wind for a small portion.  On my commute home, I have a 1.5-mile downhill, where I usually reach a top speed of over 30 MPH.  Today, I worked hard, and I did not exceed 12 MPH.  That is how bad the wind was on that downhill segment, which was in a direct headwind.

I made this sound terrible because it was awful.  Although successful rides like these lift the spirit, I emotionally improved after showering and resting for the night.  Nothing cures negative thoughts and depressive feelings like conquering a significant challenge.  I know it is nothing compared to May, but for me, this was reaching Mount Everest peak in my current health and condition.  Baby steps and self-indulgence in my own rewards are beneficial.

On the photography side, now that the weather is better, I must get out and work on my photography skills.  I picked up a new tripod (I wanted a greater height to stand up straight).  I scoured the web and ultimately chose a tripod that several people recommended, the Oben CT-3561.  I purchased it through a link on the reviewer's website.  At $360, it was not an easy choice, but now that I have it, I am sure it will become a purchase I will not regret.  I am unsure if a reviewer gets anything for the review, but the review was thorough and convinced me to purchase.

I also took the plunge and purchased the Tamron 150-600.  It is a full-frame lens, and I finished my lens collection.  I wish it was a lower aperture (F5-6.3), but I could not afford it.  I am anxious to get out and try the extra reach.   I will post some work if I get it correct.

Until next time, carry on...