Ever been biking in gale force winds?

So the snow has finally almost completely melted, so I'm back to biking to work and the gym again. And let me tell you, a week of a treadmill to a running junkie like me is pure torture, so I'm glad the snow is finally gone. Though looking out the window right now depresses me a little, since it's now snowing again, and I heard it's supposed to keep going for a day or so. Super.

Anyway, so Monday and Tuesday this week we had really strong winds and rain from two separate storms. Our power went out Tuesday night sometime because of it, too. Actually, because of trees that have blown over and such, a lot of people on the island have been without power for about a week. But anyways, back to my story. So on Monday I decided that even though it was sprinkling a little, I would ride my bike to work, so that when I went to the gym after work it wouldn't take me a long to get home as if I walked.

As the day progressed the weather decided to get worse and worse. The wind got stronger, and it rained harder and harder. Probably one of the reasons Monday was such a nice day in the lab. No one wanted to leave their house to go out and do anything. So finally, 3 o'clock arrives and the wind is the strongest it's been all day. But I decide, since I'm a brave Albertan, that it's just wind, I'm going to the gym anyways. So I change into my pants and away I go. Well, my pants were still damp from getting to work in the morning, but I only had to get to the gym, so I figured I'd stick it out. I couldn't go my normal route, since they had it blocked by danger tape from several fallen trees, but still I headed for the gym. I made it most of the way to the gym all right, but when I got to the top of the hill the wind was so strong I had to get off my bike and walk the rest of the way.

I've been in my share of windy situations, but this was completely insane. The wind was so strong I had to lean on my bike and hold it against the ground so it didn't blow away. I could barely stand, not to mention walk. I stood waiting for the light to change and I swear I thought I might just blow away. For those of you who were there, it was Skyline Ridge wind times 10. And the rain came at my face so hard it almost hurt. Yeah, I called Glen to come pick me up after I was done at the gym.

I didn't know wind could get that strong. I was wrong. So next time I hear that a storm's bringing gale force winds, I think I'll just go home instead of to the gym.