So Much for Global Warming

Saturday, July 27, 2013
Day 21 - La Crosse, Wisconsin to Portage, Wisconsin
126 miles
4,276 feet of climbing

Excuse me, but aren't we in the month of July?  If we are, then why was I freezing all day today?  I'm now starting to question the whole concept of global warming.  It was about 52 degrees when we were having breakfast in the parking lot this morning.  Generally, it's not unusual for the morning to start out chilly, but it typically warms up quickly to at least seasonal summer temperatures when the sun comes out.  Well, the sun never came out today, and the mercury never rose higher than the low 60's.  It was cloudy and overcast the entire day.  I started the ride wearing my arm warmers and vest, thinking I'd probably shed them by the first rest stop, as I usually do, but today I kept them on the entire 126 miles.  Our route today started with a steep two-mile climb out of La Crosse, for which I was actually thankful because it warmed me up to the point I wasn't shivering.  After that, the next 60 miles of our route consisted of big rolling climbs amidst a lush green landscape.  We also enjoyed a couple of fun and fast "truck on cheese" descents.  The terrain was much less hilly on the latter half of today's route.  Some sights of the day included an Amish horse drawn buggy, donkeys, a fox (seen by Art), a few dozen grazing cows and a softball game.  Because it was such a chilly day, the lunch crew prepared for us some delectable hot comfort foods such as au gratin potatoes and minestrone soup, in addition to the usual fare, which was much appreciated.  By the last 10 miles of the ride, the sky finally got brighter and it no longer looked like it was going to rain.  (Good thing I carried my rain gear all day!)  I finished today's ride around 3 p.m., which gave me ample time to clean up and relax until we met Ed, Tom and Dan in the lobby to go to dinner.  We ended up having dinner at a very nice steak and seafood restaurant just a short walk from our hotel.  We were teasing Tom because he hates to walk after a ride.  He will gladly ride his bike 130 miles or more on any given day, but once he finishes the ride, he will resist walking any distance to go to dinner.  We had a great dinner and a great time.  Now, my eyelids are about to shut down.  I hope the warmer weather returns tomorrow - at least for this part of the globe!

The elevation profile of today's ride