I’ve just ridden home and it was really really windy. The ground level wind map website says 26mph gusting to 35.
It was a somewhat sketchy ride, despite being on the road. At one point I was bang in the middle of a massive junction (Hammersmith Roundabout for anyone who knows it), when I got blown so hard I was slowed right to a stop. Going across the bridge over the Thames was interesting too, there was a real wind tunnel thing going along the river, so I had a huge side wind, I had to constantly turn and lean into the wind to stop the unicycle riding itself towards the kerb.
The few times when I was going directly with the wind were great though, super fast, I was actually putting back pressure on the pedals to stop myself going too fast. Kind of like going downhill, but different.
Riding in windy conditions is fun. You should try it while holding an umbrella.
We had a little wind storm in Seattle a couple weeks ago. Wind gusts were around 35 mph. I took the opportunity to go to Gas Works Park which is right on Lake Union. The wind was blowing right off the lake and right into the park. Wheeee!
There is a hill in the park with a large sun dial on it. I was trying to ride one footed around the sun dial (much harder when it’s that windy). Riding down the hill directly into the wind was a blast. The best fun was trying to hold a still stand in the wind. Open your arms and chest up as much as possible and lean forwards into the wind as far as you can without falling off. It’s almost like flying (for a few seconds at least). If only I could hold a still stand longer.
There is a virtual tour of Gas Works Park here: VR Seattle - Gas Works Park
The first VR movie is at the top of the hill where I was playing around. Sun Dial Hill
Wind is fun, especially when there is no rain along with it.
It was great riding muni on saturday, all the trees had lost all their leaves at once. I was like riding for miles through six inch deep leaves. I had loads of comedy crashes because I couldn’t see roots or drops or anything.
A loose rocky downhill covered in leaves was pretty mental too, every couple of seconds a rock moved and traction totally disappeared, but you couldn’t see the rocks to tell when.
