Sunday, March 09, 2008

Sunday Sunlight


Greetings Readers

I was motivated, really motivated, to return to my normal Sunday Morning Ritual. Tis been five weeks since I have had been getting my Sunday paper either late in the morning, or early afternoon due to some running event, or me unable to ride/walk without soreness.

This morning I was free to do nothing. No obligations, no failing into a snow bank this morning, no 15 degree weather and no deadline(s).

I was sitting at my computer this morning and I was happy to see that the sun is once more shining where I have computer set up. That means the sun is now rising/moving north. I know, I know, the sun is not actually moving, but I want to think that way. The sun was so bright and I was in awe. I even had the movie "Sunshine" on.

With the sun being so bright these days I had to actually clean my Oakley M Frame sunglasses this morning. I should have cleaned the sunglasses on Friday. Why? Oh the setting sun on Friday evening was at its brightest I have seen in months. Or perhaps I caught the sun before it went down. Or perhaps it was haze.

I was riding West on Arapahoe Road on Friday evening and I was literally blinded by the sunlight. I tried to looking at an angle to the road, but the sun's rays were literally blinding me from any angle. I was just going under I-25 when I came into the full setting sun. I could not see the ground/road , I could vaguely make out the vehicles on the left of me and everything else was basically a black shadow. Anywhere I tried to look I had the sun's light encompass my eyes. I was actually starting to have sun spots from accidentally looking at the sun. I was also getting very, very worried on what/where I was riding since I did not remember the terrain of riding. I could nor remember if there are rocks, trash, a drain or sand. I was literally almost riding blind.

I could not let go of my handlebars on where I was riding in order to take off the Oakleys so I had about 100 feet of riding before I could stop and pull off safely. Wow. I took off the sunglasses and the world was better, but the sun was even brighter than before. All in all I made it, but Friday evening was a ride into the sun that was pretty difficult.

So, when I saw the sun rise this morning I knew I had to clean my Oakley's so I do not have the same incident that I had on Friday afternoon. I was kind of amazed when I was cleaning my sunglasses. I have not cleaned them since I bought them. Pretty amazing in my book

After I got done and was ready to go to the paper machine I put on the Oakleys. Wow. A world of difference on what cleaning your sunglasses can do. Not to mention the weather was 31 degrees at 7:30 AM. Very nice. Yet, I will admit that my eyes still teared up when I rode fast to the paper machine.
This picture was taken, minus a racing number, since I did no races this weekend. Just for keeping the shot taken every weekend I thought I better stay consistant with this particular shot each weekend.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

No comments: