Wind direction

[Cathryn]

Hey

Need some advice...and I do recall some frank exchanges in other posts about this subject so I'm happy for debate.

This summer's trip is basically from Toulouse to Salzburg, so east across the south of france, north to Geneva, east across Switzerland and Austria. An experienced tourer has just warned me of headwinds, specifically heading north up to Geneva. Am I going to be facing headwinds the entire time? Would it be better to reverse the trip? I REALLY want to finish in Salzburg but don't want to be fighting a head wind the entire way!!

Thanks

 

[redfox]

North up the Rhone Valley can be really tough if the Mistral is blowing (and it often is in my experience). One of the most frustrating days I have ever had on a bike was in that direction.

My advice would be avoid if at all possible, but maybe others have more positive comments.

 

[domtyler]

Not the easiest site to use but it seems to have a lot of information there if you can spare the time:

http://www.eurometeo.com/english

 

[xilios]

The mistral comes mostly in the winter and spring time here is another link that explains it some more. We experianced it as a tail wind in the spring of 2006 for a while but than had to turn heading west and it was blowing us all over the road. I would not want to cycle against it.

 

[Tony]

You mean there are other types than headwinds?

 

[wallabyhunter]

Someone once told me there is no such thing as a tailwind. Either the wind is against you... ... or you're having a realy good day!

 

[Cathryn]

Admittedly I only remember two tailwinds in my entire life

 

[HJ]

In the mountains the winds tend to be localised and in summer very light, so it really depends on how lucky/unlucky you are.

Tailwinds are great

 

[rich p]

I think you're worrying unnecessarily, Cathryn. You'd be very unlucky to have strong headwinds out of the normal .

 

[Cathryn]

Between Hairy Jock and Rich P, I'm much happier!!!! I shall now stop worrying about wind. Thank you!!

 

[Tony]

Cathryn, treat a headwind as another form of hill. Settle down, drop a gear and just grind it out.

 

[charlessandilands]

Cathryn

I thought of you yesterday. I'd just read your post about headwinds and had taken the train with my bike to York to ride back to my home town of Knaresborough. There was a headwind for nearly all of the 22 miles! but otherwise it was a brilliant ride on a beautiful day.

Incidentally, I'm fairly new to this site and I remember seeing a post from you about you breaking your leg. Are you (hopefully) fully recovered now?

Charles