Sunday's Bike: Does Lightening Really Strike Twice?

This afternoon, for the first time ever, I was seriously scared during a thunderstorm. Course, being 5 miles from home, alone, on a bike, on a country road in the middle of cornfields and the highest object for a half-mile in any direction may have had something to do with it. Suddenly all those boom-booms way off to the northwest...weren't way off to the northwest any more. They were right over my head. One of the risks of spending too much time in the aero position, looking down at the road, I guess.

Setting the stage: I needed to get a 2:30 bike in today. With temps in the mid-90's, heat indexes over 100 and a still-sore back to contend with, I planned 2X1:15 out-and-back loops, thinking I'd do one loop, stop by home to stretch out the back and load up on fresh, cool Gatorade, then head out for loop #2. Those clouds were a long way off as loop #2 commenced, but I guess that's why I'm not a TV Weather Geek. Apparently they were much closer than they looked.

On a good note though, the legs felt OK after yesterday's race and the mid-ride stretch helped in the back department. The ride totalled 1:42 and 29 miles so it wasn't a total washout. And now I'm home, grateful that lightening didn't buzz my fuzz and cursing my sloth that kept me off the bike until mid-afternoon. Get up early once, why dontcha?