Finally got in some decent riding this weekend. Yesterday was a great day. Not too cold and the wind was very manageable. Felt great for the entire 2.5 hour ride. So decided I would go for another ride today. Temperatures were about the same so I decided to do my 3 hour loop. Everything started well and I had a slight tailwind and felt good. About halfway through I was getting a little tired and made my turnaround. Right into the wind. I knew it wasn't going to be fun but wasn't too worried. I got off the dirt roads I was on and would be on pavement the rest of the way home. Unfortunately the wind picked up....a lot. I was getting a little cold, but not too bad. But I was suffering big time. The wind was unrelentless and more than once a gust of wind blew me off the road and on to the gravel shoulder. Then my iPod died. So now I didn't even have music to take my mind off the misery. At some points I was barely making forward progress the wind was so strong. I thought about calling my wife, then started thinking I should flag down a pickup truck, throw my bike in the back and beg for a ride at least close to home. But I finished the ride under my own power. The planned 3 hour ride took almost 4 hours. And it turns out the wind was about 45km/h with 55km/h gusts. I sure am tired now. But 6.5 hrs of riding this weekend is good and hopefully get me on track for more good training.

My new Industry Nine (www.industrynine.net) wheels should be here in another week or two. I'm really looking forward to getting them. I'm going to put the Kenda (www.kendausa.com) Small Block 8's on which should make them fast. Planning to head to the Toronto Bicycle Show next week and hopefully pick up the rest of the stuff I need. If not I'll be ordering from one of the shops in the U.S. I need a bunch of stuff like bottom bracket, chainring set, chain, cables. Plus a few things I'd like to get like new waterproof booties, a new helmet etc. But might hold off on those things.

Last week was 24 hours in the old pueblo....I sure did miss going down there. I'm going next year for sure. Even though I'm never in good shape, it is always fun to just go down for some riding with my brother. Also thinking off going down to Arizona for about a week and a half next year to get some really good riding in on a daily basis (maybe a few weeks after Old Pueblo).