The Ever Morphing Bicyclist

Ever noticed how much your body changed ever since you started cycling?  Line them up and cyclists are easy to spot.  Easier if naked.

The first step in change is skin tone, especially for whitey.  The worst suntans.  I have pale white feet (I like socks) supported by tan legs to mid thigh then pale white upper thighs and ass.  As far as my truck goes, my children said it best, "Dad has a white t-shirt."  Late summer I sport raccoon eyes from the skin that is protected by my sunglasses.

Physical changes occur as well.  Mary and I once met a man on a ride that had a gallon plastic water jug mounted on his handlebars.  A huge straw went up to his mouth.  He said it enables him to ride all day.  When he got off the bike his back was all hunched like he had been on the bike for 30 years non-stop.  Others sport the lump on a shoulder from a broken clavicle.  Novices often have scars from crashing because they could not unclip from their SPDs or EggBeaters. Many sport a greasy tattoo from a chainring.  Those that work on bikes often have filthy fingernails.

But I discovered a new mutation in the morphing of bicyclist.  Heating and cooling.  Today it was miserable hot, 99F, and miserably humid, up to 77% at times.  The a/c in the building that I work in cannot keep up.  So I found myself sweating profusely for no other reason than the a/c sucked.  But others were not as bad as me.  I started to worry.  Am I ill?  Is something wrong with me?  Am I dying?

When I left work it was 95F and 39% humidity.  Conditions that would normally melt me on the spot.  But no.  As soon as the bike was rolling I felt good.  the breeze from moving.  I've grown so accustomed to that breeze that my body cannot regulate heat without the movement of air.  I sleep underneath a ceiling fan even when the a/c is on.  When I ride I only get hot when I stop.  And at work, unless I find that a/c sweet spot or a fan, I sweat like I am having a heart attack.

Sure, this summer has not been that bad until this week.  But I reserve the right to bitch.  Looking forward to so colder weather.  I can dress for the 50s.  And I won't sweat!