Escaped the rain showers by the skin of my teeth

After we got back from our Rigi trip, I wanted to go out for a bike ride.  The skies were full of rainclouds but it wasn't actually raining, so I thought I would try my luck.  The distance I had in mind was 50 miles.  This is more or less the minimum daily distance I will be doing each day of the Vuelta Sudamericana.  It is much easier cycling on a racing bike on paved roads than it is to cycle on a mountain bike on unpaved roads, but at the same time I wont be planning on going so fast as I was today.  In the Vuelta Sudamerica I will have all day to do the distance, and the only issue will be keeping it up day after day.  For this, having a solid fitness base is the most important factor.  If your muscles and ligaments and tendons are all strong then the rest of you can cope.

I headed out towards Steinmaur and the surroundings.  This is the route that I always used to do with the informal UBS cycling club a few years back.  I decided to do it in reverse this time though, as that meant I was heading towards the rainclouds at the start of the ride and would be coming back under clearer skies.  My hope was that the rain would wait till I had passed under the clouds before unleashing itself.  The rain gods got their laughs yesterday after all, soaking Anny, Negrita and I from head to toe on the Rigi.  I was indeed lucky as the only rain drops I felt were on the last couple of kilometres, coming back into Zurich.  The route that we used to do with the cycling club was only 40 miles long, so I added an extra section out towards Niderhasli and back at the end of the ride.

All in all it was a very pleasant ride, and I did it at a decent pace.  My plan for tomorrow is to run to work, and depending on the weather forecast either to go for a bike ride or to go to the gym and use the stationary bike.  It might be a good idea for me to start doing a few weight bearing exercises like squats, as the extra strength would sure come in handy over the coming months on my various escapades.  I used to be a gym freak, but I have gone off that now, as I prefer to be outdoors taking in the sunshine and views.