PeteHski

In Holland they say the hills have no summits. Or was it Belgium? I can't remember.

BobsPoprad

Yep. We don't get calm. Keeps the skeeters away.

Just pick between starting into the wind or with the wind. Sometimes, depending on trail/roads conditions...I don't get much of a choice.

indyfabz

One day in WY was horrible. Had a cross headwind that had me leaning to the left. Finally caught up to a couple riding a Bike Friday tandem and did some drafting.

We stayed in the same town that day. (Jeffrey City. Look it up on Google Maps.). Walking up to the town cafe/bar required a serious lean into the wind. The next morning I left at daybreak to beat as much of the afternoon wind as possible.

rosefarts

jadmt

I am sure you have heard this before..do you know why it is so windy in Eastern Montana...cause ND suxs....ok I know don't quit my day job..

indyfabz

Sustained 32.5 mph for several miles during the stretch between Dodson and Malta, MT, on the High Line, thanks to a killer tailwind and four large panniers.

BlazingPedals

Wind is a crapshoot, so I like to take the headwind when I can. It might always switch at the halfway point, and if you've saved the headwind for the end, you're hosed.

jadmt

it can be pretty brutal up there. Kind of neat country too.

squirtdad

Hiway 2, your probably went through my home town of Chinook, MT

good thing that was a tailwind headwind can be brutal

squirtdad

oh boy NoDak jokes make the thread

indyfabz

We did I indeed. Alleged mosquito capital of the state. Visited the museum there and watched the video about the Chief Joseph surrender.

The following year I rode Lost Trail/Chief Joseph Passes and spent the night in Wisdom. I’ve ridden passed the battlefield site 4 times during tours but only stopped there once briefly to escape a short hailstorm. By the time I made it to the visitor center at the end of the driveway the hail stopped and the sun came out.

indyfabz

We spent a night in the public park in Harlem. The folks there were nice. Let us use the pool’s shower, and they left the municipal building vestibule doors unlocked at night so we could access the bathrooms. Cops also patrolled at night.

We did have rain and a headwind the day from Wolf Point to Culbertson. Stopped for awhile at a pow wow.

jadmt

I can assure you that Wisdom is the mosquito capital of the state....might be the cricket capital too. one time there were so many crickets on the road between wisdom and the battle field we thought we were going to crash from it being so slippery. Have also been on it when they were moving cattle and that was worse. I know a guy who crashed his motorcycle after hitting the cow ****..

jadmt

Oh I have plenty more where that came from lol..I see you are from Chinook so you know plenty too lol.

indyfabz

For sure about the.mosquitoes. The screens at the shelter in the American Legion park were covered with them. One year the GF and I slowed down as we went up a little rise a few miles from town by a cattle ranch. They started landing on us. My GF’s but looked pimpled after we reached the motel. (I knew she wouldn’t want to camp in the park.), We even had to kill a couple in our room. Walking around town in the evening was Impossible.

Last time I was out that way was 2016. Pushed on to Jackson for the night. No real bugs to deal with because it was pretty chilly and very windy.

jadmt

buddy and I were at Mosquito lake between Wise river and Wisdom and I looked at him and casually said "I wonder why they call it mosquito lake" he just looked at me and said F you. I said look on the bright side I doubt the bears are dumb enough to hang around here.

Jughed

Long stretches of headwind are like climbing a mountain - without the sense of accomplishment or views from the top.

Most of my rides are along a canal path that connects two major bays. Wind from any direction gets funneled into a headwind or tailwind, wind from the east or west comes directly across the bays with no wind breaks and gets funneled into the canal basin & accelerates... 15 miles of headwinds, 15 miles of tailwind - every day, every ride.

Today will be 35mph gusts from the WSW, right down the cut. Pull out of the parking area and bam - smacked in the face.

mtnbud

I remember a tour where my buddy and I were looking forward to a long 5 mile 5% downhill only to hit a headwind that kept our top speeds to around 16 mph. (We were sorely disappointed.) Just a smidge later down in the flats on the same day, the wind changed direction. About the same time we noticed how effortless we were spinning so we we decided to see how fast we could spin. We were able to ride at 28 mph loaded up with gear and enjoyed ticking off the next 20 miles in less than an hour.

Clyde1820

If a 10mi ride with a wind, I've always tried to realize it's two rides: a ~20min ride out, followed by a ~40min ride back. (But then, I've generally judged my own running and cycling outings by challenge and difficulty, rather than distance. [Some of us are sick puppies, that way ... what can I say?.])

The cool thing is, I still benefit even if the wind's laughing at me. Even if the into-the-wind portion is tougher. Win/win.

indyfabz

Been through Wise River but always came over the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway after Big Hole Pass. Last time I climbed Big Hole the wind for the last mile nearly stopped me dead.

Always stayed at Divide Bridge after lunch at the Wise River Club, then on to Melrose and Twin Bridges the next day.

Kabuki12

Here in Southern California we get Santa Ana winds , or East winds. They can be brutal.I live in the eastern portion of Ventura County. In the Fall these winds can come up quickly turning a casual ride to the coast and back into a struggle to get home. The dehydration and sinus trouble from blowing dust or sand can break the best of spirits.

The Chemist

That was today's ride for me. First 70km - long stretches of 31-36km/h average. Second 65km - averages between 25-28km/h depending on how much I was facing directly into the wind. Ouch.

sovende

As a “Fair weather” cyclist, my biking season is just about to begin. I too, like many that have posted to this thread, am not a fan of the wind. I definitely check my weather app before even starting to prep for a ride (my wife calls it “posturing & posing”) and have, on occasion, totally skipped going out for a ride. To me, an 15-18 mph wind will suck any level of fun out of a ride. I’ll agree that the return trip, assuming I’m smart enough to head out into the wind, can be fun but shifting winds have ruined that possibility on numerous occasions. I ride mostly for personal enjoyment but will acknowledge that my rides do allow me to maintain an above average level of fitness. Perhaps I should be glad that I don’t have to deal with the incessant winds of the Central Plains or those along the coastal areas.

rollagain

Every time I try that, one of two things seems to happen: either the wind changes direction the same time I do (by 180degrees, of course), or it keeps behind me but only moves at the same speed I do, so I spend the whole return leg sweating in a bubble of stagnant air.

At least hills are consistent.

SpeedyBlueBiker

Not a fan of headwinds but like most things, you will run into them at some point. Just have to power on through them for however long they are. I think that's why if I ever do decide to cycle across the USA it will definitely be from west to east. Sure, there will be days of headwinds but probably less than going the opposite direction.