2011 Streak 37/365: Walk - 3.19 miles, Time - 1hr, Weather - still grey, still windy
The past few days have been very windy and I have been thinking about how to convey it in a photo. One way would be a long exposure showing the fuzzy pattern of a tree blowing back and forth - but I do not carry a tripod on my expeditions and so any long exposure would be more camera shake than wind. Another would be a picture of fencing panels lying flat on the ground, but in all honesty that is very dull. I'm not sure what I have chosen is much better as it lacks some sense of dynamism but it does at least show how a wind can pick-up and entangle light objects. I quite like the way the tarpaulin has been wrapped around the wire and post and the blue bag flaps like a trapped animal. it shows the confusion a wind can bring.
Strong, gusty win is the weather I hate the most when cycling (especially if it is mixed with rain). It is not only the extra force you need to apply to move at all, it is the way gusts can almost blow you over when they suddenly blow from odd angles. But there can be even more dramatic dangers: several years ago when I was experimenting with the best way to keep dry on a bike (i.e. find something that could both keep off the rain and not drench me in my own sweat (it is unbelievable how much technical clothing has improved over the years)) I tried the old fashioned cycling cape. A couple of loops hooked around the handle bars to keep it in place and theoretically enough air could circulate to wick away the sweat - it should have worked. Unfortunately the only time I used it was in gale force winds. One particularly strong gust got underneath, ripped off the loops and blew the whole thing, like an inverted umbrella, over my head. It must have looked very silly. I know I felt very stupid and quite grateful I didn't come to any harm.
Anyway these past few days I have stuck to walking.
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